Finland: Development Policy Committee: Safeguarding biodiversity in development policy

NordenBladet — Finland must pay stronger and more consistent attention to biodiversity in its development policy and international advocacy work. In addition, developing countries should be supported in their efforts to implement biodiversity agreements. The view is expressed by the Development Policy Committee’s expert group, whose analysis on safeguarding biodiversity was published on Friday 22 January.

According to the group of experts representing the member organisations of the Development Policy Committee, it is important that biodiversity and the protection of the environment go hand in hand with the fight against climate change in all Finnish activities.  The importance of biodiversity is not yet sufficiently reflected in policy guidelines concerning development cooperation, and especially not in practice. The group of experts considers it important that biodiversity be included in the next government report on development policy, which sets out principles to be applied across government terms. Biodiversity should be approached both as a cross-cutting objective and as a key theme under the fourth priority (climate change and natural resources) of Finland’s development policy. This is to safeguard the protection of biodiversity in all development cooperation.

Only a fraction of development finance is targeted at biodiversity

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi