Rio Conventions Pavilion TV, CBD COP11 (16/10/2012) – Janez Potočnik, European Commissioner for the Environment, discusses how the talks are progressing and how the EU is contributing to them.
Potočnik asserts that, although targeted finance is important to biodiversity policy, it is integration with other aspects of governance – such as taxation, agriculture and public procurement – that is most important.
Potočnik argues that realising that protecting ecosystems, especially water and fish reserves, is essential to societal wellbeing is key to resolving the ecological crisis.
Potočnik admits that the present EU financial situation has made thing harder, but is quick to emphasise that European commitment to biodiversity remains high. He states that 53% of biodiversity finance comes from EU nations.