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UK commitment on valuing biodiversity

FlowerDefra today welcomed a preliminary report on the global value of biodiversity presented to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Bonn, and announced UK funding to help develop the full study.

The preliminary report ‘The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity’ was commissioned by the German Government as part of their G8 presidency. The study will help to focus global biodiversity policies and priorities, and help countries, companies and individuals to understand the real cost of using the world’s resources.

Attending the Convention on Biological Diversity, Minister for Wildlife, Joan Ruddock said:

“The Stern Report into the economics of climate change revolutionised how we view climate change and the importance of acting now. 

“We now need the evidence of how our economies depend on using nature – nature, land, air, water, plants and animals. We are in danger of only recognising their worth once we have destroyed them. This study is vital to the effort to stem the loss of species and habitats.“

Two Defra studies are currently underway using existing research to look at what global biodiversity means to people in Britain, and how the importance of biodiversity to people in developing countries can be measured. Initial results show there are many benefits to UK citizens from the world’s biodiversity, and that UK citizens greatly value greatly international biodiversity – for example UK non-governmental organisations are estimated to spend £50million on global biodiversity.

The studies also show the direct importance to people in developing countries of biodiversity and their reliance on these resources for survival, and the need for new methods to value biodiversity for people in these countries

Other funding commitments announced by Defra today include:

  • £100,000 to support the preparation of the Third Global Biodiversity Outlook that will provide evidence to measure how far the world has moved towards meeting the 2010 target to stop the decline in biodiversity loss, so we can look at future targets.
  • £10,000 to support the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group to look at implementation of the decision from the Bali Climate-Change Conference to Reduce Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation. 

Page published: 28 May 2008