Trade chains and Biodiversity Zip download

The government of the Netherlands wishes sustainability to be a factor in Dutch trade with other countries. This means that social, economic and ecological aspects will also be considered in the policy decisions of government bodies, companies and non-governmental organisations. What happens in the Netherlands has an impact far beyond our country's national borders.We leave a large ‘ecological footprint' in other countries. Mining, energy production, tourism, the financial sector,wood, agricultural raw materials (soya, palm oil, fish meal and biomass) and peat production are particularly important in this respect.

The Dutch government's aim is to cease shifting our burden on biodiversity to other countries in a manner that is unsustainable. In the long term, all raw materials from natural resources or from nature that we use in the Netherlands - whether we obtain them in the Netherlands or abroad - must be produced sustainably. The ecological factor is one of the elements of sustainability. By treating biodiversity and ecosystems as important factors in the process of making trade chains sustainable, the policy programme ‘Biodiversity works: for nature, for people, forever' adds value to this sustainable development. The impact on biodiversity of other activities, such as tourism, investment and mining, must also be made more sustainable. Voluntary agreements, the formulation of criteria, and payment for ecosystem services will play a major role in these sectors. These aspects are discussed under ‘Payment for Biodiversity'. This section concentrates on wood, agricultural chains and peat, since these chains have a direct impact on biodiversity and because they make use of biodiversity .

To ensure that progress towards achieving the long-term objective of sustainable market and product chains over the next four years, the government of the Netherlands will work towards the following results with respect to wood, soya, palm oil, biomass and peat during the following period:

• No later than 2011, the government will conclude agreements with the business community on the transition required to manage biodiversity sustainably in the wood, palm oil, soya and peat production economic chains. These agreements will be based on recommendations to be made by the ‘Biodiversity and natural resources' task force.
• From 2010 on, the central government will purchase only wood that has been produced sustainably. The Dutch government will also strive to ensure that at least 50% of the wood on the Dutch market is produced sustainably by 2011. This target is based on the current share of sustainable wood on the Dutch market and the potential to promote the use of sustainable wood with the business community's own instruments and initiatives.
• The production of biomass and biofuels will be more sustainable, both in the Netherlands and abroad. The government of the Netherlands has already entered into a commitment stating that biofuels will account for at least 10% of Dutch energy consumption by 2020 (in line with the European target).We intend to be on course to meet that target in 2011. The use of biomass and biofuels can help reduce CO2 emissions, but it is also important that their production has no negative social, economic and ecological consequences. The Dutch government will specifically explore opportunities for developing countries in the rapidly growing international markets for sustainably-produced biomass and biofuels. Furthermore, the latest scientific insights will be reflected in the biomass policy, with a critical review of sustainability criteria in light of the related European debate.
• The import of palm oil and soya as food, animal feed and biomass crops will be sustainable.
• Small producers outside the European Union will be integrated into sustainable chains, including the soya, palm oil, wood and biomass chains.
• Sustainability criteria will be developed and embedded in an international context, particularly in the WTO and the EU (Common Agricultural Policy). Proposals will be made to introduce certification of sustainably produced palm oil and soya as food, animal feed and biomass crops with the aim of promoting sustainable production.

	Approach and methods
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