Biodiversity financing mechanisms and Natura 2000 Challenges for financing biodiversity and how to make regional policy work for biodiversity SURF-Partner Training Event November 3 rd, 2011 Cardiff - Wales

Agenda 1.The integrated approach – funds and needs 2.What are the main funding gaps? 3.How to make regional policy work for biodiversity

Nature provides us with more values than we are spending on it FUEL FOOD, WATER TOURISM RESOURCES MEDICINE SOIL FORMATION RECREATION CULTURAL BASE

Source: European Commission billion Total EU budget 3.5 % Cost for biodiversity from EU budget 6 billion is approximately the need for Natura 2000

Costs for Natura 2000 per year billion EURO Sources: BITKOM, EITO 55 billion 12,2 billion 6 billion EU market volume for consumer electronics 2010 DE market volume for consumer electronics How much is 6 billion?

What is the perspective from Member States ? Integration is the best solution Increased confidence that funding can be improved

12BN GROWTH 18BN OTHER (51) Promoting Biodiversity 385 mio. (55) Natural Assets 157 mio. 0,8 % 0,32 % indirect funding unclear funding ? Cohesion Policy Natura 2000 Payments 83 mio. LFA 1.8BN 24 % 0,69 % 15 % ?? 1BN ????? direct funding 12BN RD © WWF Agr. Env. 2.9BN 40 % Life Nature 114 mio. direct funding unclear funding LIFE+ 300 mio. EFF 300 mio. 47BN MARKET PAYMENTS Rural Development unclear funding 49BN COHESION 138 billion ? ? ? 30% ? CAP Direct Payments

Many funding opportunities exist but there is a lack of transparency and evidence in what is provided for biodiversity in reality. We simply do not know what is actually spent on biodiversity! Conclusion

Agenda 1.The integrated approach – funds and needs 2.What are the main funding gaps? 3.How to make regional policy work for biodiversity

What are the main funding gaps Overall: 1.Strict EU 2020 prioritization gives too little room for clear financial commitments for biodiversity. 2.Lack of binding rules/instruments to track biodiversity expenditure in the different funds 3.EU Funding sources are not really targeted at biodiversity needs or beneficiaries 4.The growth paradigm does not factor in the economic value of ecosystems

1.Investment character requires a clear economic argument for biodiversity measures 2.Nature beneficiaries are not aware of funding potential within ERDF, weak participation in programme development 3.Conflicting interests between grey and green infrastructure European Regional Development Fund 12BN GROWTH (51) Promoting Biodiversity 385 mio. (55) Natural Assets 157 mio. 0,8 % 0,32 % indirect funding unclear funding ? Cohesion Policy BN COHESION

1.Too little funding 2.Too high own contribution limiting the access of smaller organizations 3.European competition is disadvantaging poorer regions with rich biodiversity LIFE 40 % Life Nature 114 mio. direct funding LIFE+ 300 mio.

1.Strong restriction on beneficiaries and land types 2.Measures not targeted to meet biodiversity needs 3.A very diverse picture of current good practice use: AEM. N2000 payments, non investive measures, Art.57…. Agriculture Natura 2000 Paymen ts 83 mio. LFA 1.8BN 24 % 0,69 % 15 % ?? 1BN ????? direct funding 12BN RD Agr. Env. 2.9BN Rural Development unclear funding ? 30% ?

Agenda 1.The integrated approach – funds and needs 2.What are the main funding gaps? 3.How to make regional policy work for biodiversity

How to make regional policy work for biodiversity Overall: 1.Nearly one year is left to secure improvements for biodiversity in the legal proposals 2.We need political will, capacities and knowledge on local, regional and national level to support the inclusion of bidoversity in regional policy. 3.The EU has to strengthen the link between the nature capital and economic development beyond EU 2020 …...89% of EU citizens say EU funding should be allocated more to support environmental friendly activities and developments

How to make regional policy work for biodiversity – the provisions of the new legal proposal 1.No major improvement compared to Earmarking towards EU 2020 growth oriented with 80% in richer and 50% in poorer regions 3.Territorial cooperation, up to four thematic objectives for cross border and trans- national can be selected 4.Art. 3 ERDF scope on basic services 1.Art. 5 calls for inclusion of environment in partnerships 2.Art.8 calls to ensure that environmental protection requirements are considered and Art says: 3.Each operational programme…shall include…a description of specific actions to take into account environmental protection requirements

How to make regional policy work for biodiversity – the provisions of the new legal proposal Art. 5 ERDF describes Investment priorities for 11 thematic objectives (6) is protecting the environment and promoting resource efficiency with (d) protecting biodiversity, soil protection and promoting ecosystem services including Natura 2000 and green infrastructures …with strong arguments that protecting your regions natural capital supports jobs and promote growth the new programmes can include clear actions for biodiversity!

THANK YOU ! Let´s make financing biodiversity a success story!