Minister Gabriel: "From an economic point of view, we can afford to protect nature, but not to destroy it."
The study on the economic aspects of biological diversity, initiated by Federal Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel and EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas, and the work it entails worldwide, will from now on be coordinated from Bonn. Regarding the opening of the UN office responsible for carrying out the study, Minister Gabriel expressed his delight that the Federal Environment Ministry had succeeded in attracting an internationally renowned initiative to the UN city of Bonn. The study is now being drawn up under the auspices of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) headed by Achim Steiner.
The economist Pavan Sukhdev is leading the study "The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB)", which was initiated in 2007. Mr Sukhdev is Managing Director and Head of Global Markets of the Deutsche Bank AG in London. First findings of the study, which were presented at the 9th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Bonn in May, show that protecting biological diversity is also an economic necessity.
Minister Gabriel said: "I am very glad that this study has met with such a positive response worldwide. Under the auspices of UNEP those involved will have even greater backing on the international stage. This is also important in order to get the countries of the South involved, where the greatest biological diversity worldwide can be found. In the light of the increasingly rapid disappearance of species and loss of entire ecosystems, the value of biological diversity and its services to mankind are gaining more and more economic importance. The protection of biological diversity and its sustainable use can only be achieved if we succeed in getting those on board who are primarily responsible for the loss of biodiversity and ecosystems. Already after the first interim findings of the study it is clear that from an economic point of view, we can afford to protect nature, but not to destroy it".
Pavan Sukhdev pointed to the economic dimension: "Investment in the protection of biodiversity is an excellent deal. The price will be much higher if we continue with business as usual." Sukhdev came to the conclusion that 45 billion dollars are required for the protection of the biodiversity in protected areas alone, but that the value of biodiversity thus protected was more than a hundred times higher. Sukhdev emphasised that conserving biodiversity was also important with regard to poverty eradication. "Especially the poor of the world feel the effect of the loss of biodiversity in their lives. Services provided by nature are their main source of livelihood. Substitutes for these services cost a tremendous amount of money, which many people do not have. They are thus trapped in poor living conditions because of the destruction of their natural resources."
Renowned universities such as Harvard, Liverpool and Bombay, the London School of Economics, the European Environment Agency and the OECD are participating in the TEEB study. The main responsibility for it lies with the Federal Environment Ministry, the EU Commission and UNEP. Respected experts such as the economist Lord Nicholas Stern or Director General of the World Conservation Union Julia Marton-Lefèvre support TEEB as ambassadors or advisers. The research for the second phase of the study is now being coordinated from the office in Bonn, which is located on the UN Campus in the office building "Langer Eugen". Sukhdev revealed that in addition to giving examples for calculating values, an economic tool kit will be developed to help actors of industry and politics include aspects of biodiversity in their calculations for profitability.
There are a number of examples of the economic value of biological diversity:
- Nature has provided numerous technological solutions and business ideas: adhesive foil on the outside of air-planes mimics shark skin and improves flow resistance; the leaves of the lotus flower inspired self-cleansing surfaces; the suction cups of octopuses served as a model for anti-slip mats which provide safety at home.
- Almost half of all pharmaceutical drugs approved in Germany are plant-based. The annual worldwide trade in plant-based medicines amounts to an estimated 500 billion US dollars. Ginko-based products alone, which are highly effective against myocardial diseases, make for around 400 million dollars a year.
- Not only plants and animals are usable resources, but also the genetic components of each individual. The global market value of pharmaceutical products for which natural genetic resources are used is estimated at 75 to 150 billion dollars per year. Furthermore, this genetic material is also very significant for research, the cosmetics industry, biotechnology and agriculture.