Strategy for the conservation and promotion of biodiversity
The Federal Council recently adopted the Strategy for Biodiversity. For this, an action plan with measures and pilot projects for the conservation and promotion of species and their habitats was defined. The federal government will contribute up to 80 million Swiss francs annually to the implementation of the action plan during the first phase 2017-2023.
The decline in biodiversity is due to urban sprawl, the fragmentation of habitats by infrastructure or intensive agriculture. Yet biodiversity is of central importance for the preservation of our livelihoods such as food, drinking water or clean air. In addition, biodiversity is important for the economy.
A wide variety of organisms provide the basis for the production of medicines such as antibiotics. Biodiversity makes important contributions to the central foundations of life for the economy and society. However, it is declining more and more. At the Federal Council meeting on September 6, 2017, a Biodiversity Action Plan was drawn up comprising 26 measures.
Biodiversity threatened
The diversity of animals, plants and other organisms, their habitats and their interaction - in short: biodiversity - is under pressure in Switzerland. The report "Biodiversity in Switzerland: State and Development" published in July by the Federal Office for the Environment FOEN clearly shows this: Almost half of the habitats studied and more than a third of the animal and plant species in our country are threatened.
With the adoption of the Biodiversity Action Plan, the Federal Council is sending a clear signal for biodiversity. The measures will be implemented in phases. The first implementation stage is scheduled for the years 2017-2023.
26 Measures in three areas
The Biodiversity Action Plan comprises 26 measures that are based on the objectives of the Swiss Biodiversity Strategy. They can be divided into three areas:
- Measures for the direct promotion of biodiversity: Ecologically valuable habitats such as bogs or dry meadows are protected.enhanced, upgraded and better networked. In addition, endangered species such as amphibians and reptiles, for whose conservation Switzerland has a special responsibility (National Priority Species), are specifically promoted.
On May 18, 2016, the Federal Council had already decided on the particularly urgent restoration of biotopes of national importance and the promotion of biodiversity in forests. This work will be continued and expanded in the course of the current decision.
- Measures for the indirect promotion of biodiversity: The promotion of biodiversity must be addressed together with other areas. Therefore, certain measures link biodiversity policy with other federal policy areas (e.g. settlement, infrastructure, transport, agriculture, economic development). Biodiversity should become a stronger decision-making criterion, for example in the sustainable use of space or in the awarding of subsidies.
- Measures for knowledge transfer and sensitization: The measures of the action plan increase the awareness of the economy and society for the aspects of biodiversity. It thus helps to ensure that biodiversity is better taken into account in all decision-making processes. After all, only what is known and recognized as beneficial is conserved and promoted.
19 Pilot projects for biodiversity
Within the framework of the action plan, 19 pilot projects will be implemented in areas of nature conservation with a particularly high need for action. They are designed to clearly communicate the needs and benefits of biodiversity and to involve directly affected people, business and community representatives in the evaluation and implementation of activities. For example, pilot projects are planned to improve the connectivity of habitats that are separated by roads and railroad tracks.
Implementation and financing
The action plan will be implemented jointly by the federal government, the cantons and third parties (municipalities, associations, research, business, environmental organizations, private individuals). In 2022, an impact analysis of the first implementation phase will show which further steps will be necessary to conserve and promote biodiversity. To finance the Biodiversity Action Plan, the federal government will invest up to 80 million Swiss francs annually in the years 2017-2023.
The Federal Council intends to spend around half of these funds in addition to existing expenditure. The cantons, for their part, will provide additional funds for the implementation of the Biodiversity Action Plan within the framework of program agreements in the environmental sector.
You can find the summary "Strategy Biodiversity Switzerland" in this Link
