G7-Elmau-Progress-Report-2015-Biodiversity-A-vital-foundation-for-sustainable-development

G7 ELMAU PROGRESS REPORT 83A variety of dried maize cobs. Sudan. FAO/Raphy FavreInternational support for biodiversity conservation of theG7 countries is generally focused on improving local livelihoodsand enhancing benefits to societies. This is done,among other ways, by supporting activities such as agroforestry,sustainable fisheries, sustainable agriculture andcommunity-based conservation, and by creating financialincentives for local communities to contribute to conservation.Yet, social and environmental impacts of economicinstruments for conservation and sustainable use need tobe better understood and taken into account in all activities.In terms of addressing indirect drivers of biodiversity loss,the G7 is strongly engaged in efforts to better integrate theeconomic value of ecosystem services in developmentplanning as well as to change consumption patterns andreduce food waste. Initial steps have also been taken toidentify and reform harmful subsidies for biodiversity.Still, there is a need to further assess how policies as well asproduction and consumption patterns of the G7 countriesaffect biodiversity abroad. Incorporating biodiversity in importanteconomic sectors such as agriculture, industry andtransport also remains a challenge and could be fostereddomestically and internationally.Interlinkages with other development goalsBiodiversity is closely connected to active G7 commitmentsin the fields of food security, health and climatechange. Efforts to halt the loss of biodiversity may contributeto fulfilling these commitments and developmentobjectives, and vice versa. Biodiversity supports more resilientfood production and human health, provides carbonsinks and can help to reduce the impacts of climate change.At the same time, trade-offs between biodiversity conservationand other development goals need to be observedcarefully when designing development measures. Takingthis into account, G7 countries are promoting synergeticprojects in all three areas: To address climate change mitigationin synergy with biodiversity protection, G7 countriesstrongly engage in the protection of forests to reduce greenhousegas emissions and have introduced biodiversitysafeguards in their programs. With regard to adaptation toclimate change, the G7 countries also promote the managementof ecosystems for societal adaptation, known as“ecosystem-based adaptation,” such as the conservationof mangroves. The G7 seeks to promote food security bysupporting activities that enhance synergies with biodiversityconservation such as promoting sustainable andresilient agriculture, reducing food waste, protecting agriculturalgenetic resources and promoting the sustainableuse of forests and fish stocks. As regards health, G7 effortsto slow the loss of biodiversity contribute to securinggenetic diversity and the diversity of chemical compounds.Thus, they can support, at least indirectly, several of theG7 health commitments. By now, the G7 has addressedthe biodiversity–health linkage to a lesser extent, and theunderstanding of the complex linkages between biodiversityand health still needs to be strengthened.This report is being published at a time when importantdecisions are being made regarding the internationaldevelopment agenda: The International Conference onFinancing for Development in Addis Ababa in July 2015 willdetail the financial architecture for development;the United Nations summit for the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda will be held in New York Cityin September 2015; and a new climate agreement is beingnegotiated within the United Nations Framework Conventionon Climate Change (UNFCCC) and may be adoptedat the 21st Conference of the Parties in Paris in December2015. The abovementioned interlinkages between biodiversityconservation and other development may also be ofinterest to those leading these related international processes.