Transcript No Slide Title

Islands and Archipelagos
14th-16th May 2000
Slide 1
Biodiversity of Islands and Archipelagos
• Thank you to our hosts, the Portuguese
presidency
excellent initiative
important topic
maintains momentum from a previous meeting
Energy, Environment
and Sustainable Development
European Commission
Science, Research and Development
Islands and Archipelagos
14th-16th May 2000
Slide 2
History of the meeting
• Finnish presidency of the EU
“Northern Dimension to Biodiversity: From
Arctic to Boreal Ecosystems”
20-23 November 1999
Saariselkå, Lapland
Recommendations of the meeting
scientific symposia like this are useful to convey
latest scientific ideas to policy community
a forum to discuss European research for
biodiversity strategy could have far-reaching
importance
Energy, Environment
and Sustainable Development
European Commission
Science, Research and Development
EC and biodiversity research
Islands and Archipelagos
14th-16th May 2000
Slide 3
• FP5 biodiversity activities: Environment
Water (biodiversity and water quality)
Global change (land and and freshwater biodiversity)
Marine ecosystems (reversing loss of biodiversity)
Support to infrastructure (taxonomy)
• Biodiversity also in Quality of Life programme
sustainable agriculture
sustainable forestry
sustainable fisheries
gene banks
Energy, Environment
and Sustainable Development
European Commission
Science, Research and Development
Islands and Archipelagos
14th-16th May 2000
Slide 4
Global change and biodiversity KA
2.1 To understand, detect, assess and predict
global change processes
2.2 To foster better understanding of terrestrial
and marine ecosystems and their interactions
2.3 Scenarios and strategies for responding to
global issues
2.4 European component of the global observing
systems
Energy, Environment
and Sustainable Development
European Commission
Science, Research and Development
Islands and Archipelagos
14th-16th May 2000
Slide 5
Support for research infrastructures
• Global change climate and biodiversity
research facilities
support for European taxonomy
EU commitments to Biodiversity Convention
collating existing collections
standardisation
expert informatic systems
• Transnational co-ordination
• Networks
• etc...
Energy, Environment
and Sustainable Development
European Commission
Science, Research and Development
Two calls for proposals so far
Islands and Archipelagos
14th-16th May 2000
Slide 6
• Closing date June 1999
focus on assessing and conserving biodiversity
70 proposals submitted
30% got past all three thresholds
9 negotiated
• Closing date February 2000
focus on reconciling the conservation of biodiversity with
human economic development
40 proposals submitted
16% got past all three thresholds
negotiations will start shortly
Energy, Environment
and Sustainable Development
European Commission
Science, Research and Development
Agreeable surprise!
Islands and Archipelagos
14th-16th May 2000
Slide 7
• We expected a slow start to biodiversity
research, but had an unexpectedly good start!
• Very high quality of “top end” proposals
• evaluators impressed by scientific excellence
of proposals and by quality of best consortia
• but evaluators rejected a high proportion of
“low end” proposals on scientific grounds
• second call suffered from many proposals
judged out of scope of the call
Energy, Environment
and Sustainable Development
European Commission
Science, Research and Development
Response from community
Islands and Archipelagos
14th-16th May 2000
Slide 8
• A strong and positive reaction from Europe’s
scientists and policy makers
EC was right to propose to fund biodiversity in
5th Framework Programme
EC should help to ensure that requirements of
policy makers are understood by scientists
EC should help to ensure that research results
are communicated to policy makers
EC should help to consolidate and increase
value of biodiversity research in Europe
Energy, Environment
and Sustainable Development
European Commission
Science, Research and Development
Some facts, figures and statistics
Islands and Archipelagos
14th-16th May 2000
Slide 9
• Information day
about 120 scientists met to form alliances
• Catalogue of research-related organisations
distributed to over 800 people
• first call: 493 partners from 28 countries
• Catalogue version 2 available on line
http://eea.eionet.eu.int/ec-chm/cbro/index.html
• second call: 379 partners from 32 countries
Energy, Environment
and Sustainable Development
European Commission
Science, Research and Development
Status today
Islands and Archipelagos
14th-16th May 2000
Slide 10
• Proposals submitted under second call are still
under negotiation
cannot give you details of these proposals yet
Programme Committee has all relevant
information
• projects that negotiate successfully with the
Commission should sign contracts soon
Energy, Environment
and Sustainable Development
European Commission
Science, Research and Development
“island dimension” to research
Islands and Archipelagos
14th-16th May 2000
Slide 11
• Outside biodiversity!
• several FP4 and FP5 projects focus on island
issues (water, coastal management, seismic
risks…)
• no FP4 or FP5 biodiversity projects on island
issues except with INCO, LIFE, MAST, TMR
• several proposals submitted with island theme
Energy, Environment
and Sustainable Development
European Commission
Science, Research and Development
Highlights of projects from call 1
Islands and Archipelagos
14th-16th May 2000
Slide 12
• what should we measure to monitor the effect of
sectorial policies on biodiversity?
• can we develop reliable and cost-effective indices of
biodiversity in shallow water bodies?
• can we develop the technology to measure microorganism biodiversity rapidly and accurately?
• can we develop an electronic information system for all
known species of multicellular animals in Europe?
• can we establish an electronic plant-information system
for Europe?
Energy, Environment
and Sustainable Development
European Commission
Science, Research and Development
…and more highlights
Islands and Archipelagos
14th-16th May 2000
Slide 13
• what will happen to grassland biodiversity as
tropospheric ozone concentrations increase?
• what is the minimum viable meta-population of birds?
• how did ancient forest tree species give rise to today’s
forest biodiversity?
• does a socially important tree species have the
capacity to survive climate change?
• how does habitat fragmentation influence the
extinction risk for key plant species?
• to what extent can plant species evolve to persist in a
fragmented landscape?
Energy, Environment
and Sustainable Development
European Commission
Science, Research and Development
Highlights from second call
Islands and Archipelagos
14th-16th May 2000
Slide 14
• strong socio-economic component
many difficult and critical issues to address
different stakeholders have opposed views on
how to approach our environment
can we find win-win solutions?
Energy, Environment
and Sustainable Development
European Commission
Science, Research and Development
Valuable portfolio in 2nd call
Islands and Archipelagos
14th-16th May 2000
Slide 15
• the effect of policy options on bird populations
• reconciling development and biodiversity of wetlands
• (concerted action) using the "ecosystem approach" to
resolve development / biodiversity conflicts
• incentive mechanisms to protect biodiversity
• conserving biodiversity among honey bees
• (concerted action) on the costs and benefits to
biodiversity of game-bird hunting
Energy, Environment
and Sustainable Development
European Commission
Science, Research and Development
What will next call be about?
Islands and Archipelagos
14th-16th May 2000
Slide 16
• 1st call: assessing biodiversity
• 2nd call: reconciling the conservation of
biodiversity with human economic
development
• 3rd call: we will review the work programme
and suggest new orientation to the
programme committee (within limits set by
specific programme)
this meeting can help in that process
Energy, Environment
and Sustainable Development
European Commission
Science, Research and Development
Islands and Archipelagos
14th-16th May 2000
Slide 17
Limited finance, excellent resources
• Research DG budget is limited
selection of proposals on merit
science
strategic importance to the EU
other FP5 selection criteria
• Strong competition between excellent teams
choose team members judiciously
complementary competence and roles
international reputation
geographic and financial balance
Energy, Environment
and Sustainable Development
European Commission
Science, Research and Development
Islands and Archipelagos
14th-16th May 2000
Slide 18
Some problems press more than others
• What issues really matter to Europe?
“trans-boundary” and “supra-national” issues
international commitments (especially CBD)
work that gives us a better strategic position
work that inspires further co-operation
• What issues don’t count as “European”
research?
national concerns (subsidiarity!)
somebody’s passionate interest in taxon x
my species as an indicator for ...
Energy, Environment
and Sustainable Development
European Commission
Science, Research and Development
Islands and Archipelagos
14th-16th May 2000
Slide 19
What research does Europe need?
• Work that results in a strategic portfolio
proposals that will make a tangible difference
not just interesting science
who needs these results?
proposals with a vision of tomorrow’s needs
not just intellectually intriguing
what will the users do with the results?
• Work that relates to Europe’s commitments
One example on the next transparency
Energy, Environment
and Sustainable Development
European Commission
Science, Research and Development
Framework for strategic research
Islands and Archipelagos
14th-16th May 2000
Slide 20
• Convention on Biological Diversity
• orient proposals to prepare for COP 6 (2002)
Forest ecosystems
Alien species
Benefit-sharing
• or COP 7 (2004)
Mountain ecosystems
Protected areas
Transfer of technology, and technology
cooperation
Energy, Environment
and Sustainable Development
European Commission
Science, Research and Development
Some relevant legislation
Islands and Archipelagos
14th-16th May 2000
Slide 21
• Commission Recommendation (20-Dec-74) protection of birds and their
habitats
• Council Directive (02-Apr-79) conservation of wild birds
• Convention (10-Feb-82) conservation of wildlife and natural habitats
• Convention (19-Jul-82) conservation of migratory species of wild animals
• Convention (31-Dec-82) international trade in endangered species of wild
fauna and flora
• Council Directive (21-May-92) conservation of natural habitats and of wild
fauna and flora
• Council Decision (25-Oct-93) Convention on Biological Diversity
• Convention (12-Mar-96) Alpine Convention
• Council Regulation (09-Dec-96) trade in wild fauna and flora
• Commission Regulation (10-Sep-99) introduction of specimens of certain
species of wild fauna and flora
Energy, Environment
and Sustainable Development
European Commission
Science, Research and Development
CBD’s CHM and OECD’s GBIF
Islands and Archipelagos
14th-16th May 2000
Slide 22
• Convention on Biological Diversity
Article 18: members to establish a clearinghouse mechanism (CHM)
to promote and facilitate technical and scientific
co-operation
• Organization for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD)
Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
to make available up-to-date biodiversity
information, as rapidly as possible
Complementary roles
Energy, Environment
and Sustainable Development
European Commission
Science, Research and Development
Islands and Archipelagos
14th-16th May 2000
Slide 23
Orientation of GBIF
• No longer owned by OECD
• mandate seems to be shifting since June
aims must be stable and shared
• role kept complementary to CHM
CHM
information on CBD-related activities
meta-information on biodiversity
GBIF
information on taxonomy and biodiversity
could help research effort in biodiversity
Energy, Environment
and Sustainable Development
European Commission
Science, Research and Development
Cartagena protocol
Islands and Archipelagos
14th-16th May 2000
Slide 24
• Precautionary principle: “cautious attitude
does not need scientific justification”
• Precautionary principle will not protect for ever
market forces will change and could create
demand for GMOs
• Should we finance research into environmental
risks of genetically modified organisms?
If so, how to make the research safe, and
publicly acceptable?
If not, would we be making a strategic mistake?
Energy, Environment
and Sustainable Development
European Commission
Science, Research and Development
Islands and Archipelagos
14th-16th May 2000
Slide 25
What we expect from the meeting...
• Very exciting opportunity for us…
a stimulating mid-Atlantic perspective on
biodiversity research
expect to gain a rich new understanding during
this conference
renewing friendships and starting collaborations
• And the biodiversity research forum:
identification of strategic goals for research
improving potential impact of European states
in international negotiations and conventions
Energy, Environment
and Sustainable Development
European Commission
Science, Research and Development
biodiversity-relevant
Some elements of ERA concept
Islands and Archipelagos
14th-16th May 2000
Slide 26
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link European centres of excellence
improve use of infrastructure (collections)
co-ordinate national and European research
stimulate private investment in R&D
develop research needed for political decisions
develop reference system to inform policy
encourage and help scientists to work in other
European States
• encourage and help women to work in science
• help reduce scientific gap between countries
Energy, Environment
and Sustainable Development
European Commission
Science, Research and Development
Useful addresses on the web
Islands and Archipelagos
14th-16th May 2000
Slide 27
• CORDIS FP5 home page
http://www.cordis.lu/fp5/home.html
• EESD Programme Calls for Proposals
http://www.cordis.lu/eesd/calls/calls.htm
• CORDIS partner search
http://apollo.cordis.lu/cordis/i_009_en.htm
• Biodiversity research organisations
http://eea.eionet.eu.int/ec-chm/cbro/index.html
Energy, Environment
and Sustainable Development
European Commission
Science, Research and Development