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  2. Biodiversity Policy Programme 2008-2011
  3. Taskforce Biodiversity and Natural Resources (2009-2011)

Taskforce Biodiversity and Natural Resources (2009-2011)

The Taskforce was instituted on 23 January 2009 by order of several ministries, LNV, VROM and OS, further to the Biodiversity Policy Program (2007) and the appeal of Leaders of Nature (2006) initiated by IUCN NL. The composition of this Taskforce reflected the broadness of the societal challenge. Its members (see also Decision on changes in composition of the Taskforce, in Dutch) had a background in different segments of society: business community, academia, NGOs and government: Menzis, Nutreco, Ministry VROM, KLM / TNT, Both ENDS, Province Noord-Brabant, Wageningen Universiteit, LTO, Hivos, Solidaridad, Municipality Amsterdam, Natuurmonumenten, Ministry LNV, VNCI. Each approached the challenge from his or her own angle and together they delivered the final advice document.

According to the vision of the Taskforce Biodiversity and Natural Resources in future there will no longer be unsustainable use and depletion. Due to resilient ecosystems there is enough food, water, energy and protection for the global population which therefore can be living well in a healthy environment.

Also see:

Further reading:

Strategic goals

To pave the way to such future, the Taskforce at the start of its work in 2009 has set four strategic goals: Consume Differently; Innovative and sustainable production; Optimalisation of land use; Integration of economy and ecology Further reading on the backgrounds of these goals (in Dutch) and the dilemmas that go along with these goals:

Sub projects

In order to be able to deliver its advisory mission, the Taskforce Biodiversity & Natural Resources, between 2009 and 2011 carried out or issued for a number of projects.

Economic consultant Triple Value was asked to provide a vision regarding Embedding biodiversity in strategy and corporate practice.

Taskforce member Marijke Vos in cooperation with Luc Adolfse and others worked on a framework for communication about Biodiversity.

Different NGOs were asked to provide their visions regarding the management of ecology and  water in the catchment area of the river Rhine during the Rhine corridor meeting in June 2010 in The Netherlands and also during a Rhine corridor workshop in Koblenz on 10 November 2010 (report in English)

Wageningen University was asked to do research about ‘Winning Clusters in the Biobased Economy’.

In cooperation with BBOP (Business & Biodiversity Offset Programme) the No Nett Loss Initiative (NNLI) was started:

Green Development Initiative (GDI):

Further reading:

Preliminary advices: Biodiversity is valuable

The (economic) value of biodiversity was the recurring theme of the preliminary advices the Taskforce delivered:

Other documents

Debates and lectures:

Reports of working lunches and - conferences on CEPA:

Factsheets:

Other:

Final advice

On 13 december 2011 Hans Alders, chair of the Taskforce, handed the final advice to minister Verhagen of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation and State secretary Atsma of Infrastructure and environment. Under the title ‘Green Growth, investing in biodiversity and natural resources’ the Taskforce pleas for a change towards an economy based on the carrying capacity of the Earth. The ultimate goal for the Taskforce Biodiversity and Natural Resources is a world with resilient ecosystems in which sufficient food, water, energy and protection is available to everyone.

During this meeting also the 'Green Deal Biodiversity and Economy' was signed.

Further reading:

See also:

News archive

During the period 2009-2011 the Taskforce Biodiversity regularly published news items (in Dutch). These are archived here.