Knowledge for biodiversity: Approaches and actions

The Netherlands Centre for Biodiversity Research (NCB) will be given a greater role in helping to achieve the goals of the policy programme. The public function and expertise function of the NCB are important for promoting awareness and improving communication about biodiversity. The Clearing House Mechanism (CHM) will also be expanded into a knowledge base for specific target groups, including business.

The Environmental Assessment Agency (MNP), which merged with the Netherlands Institute for Spatial Research on 1 January 2008, will have greater responsibility for reporting annually on the progress being made in the policy programme. Its progress reports can be geared to regional ecosystem assessments, such as the one being introduced for Europe in association with the European Environmental Agency (EEA). The Biodiversity Platform's advisory role in advising the government will be enhanced. Its main task will be to coordinate the three policy strands: research, the dissemination and use of knowledge, and the knowledge infrastructure.

In particular, the government of the Netherlands will facilitate capacity building in relation to biodiversity and water management in developing countries, for example through organizations such as Tropenbos International,Wetlands International, IUCN, Birdlife International and the WUR. Funds will be provided for PROTA from the budget of the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality for the period 2008-2012.

The Dutch government will promote the creation of knowledge networks to stimulate the dissemination and use of knowledge. Examples of such knowledge networks are the ‘Nature and Poverty' network and the ‘Ontwikkeling en Beheer van Natuurkwaliteit' [Development and Management of Nature Quality] (OBN) network. In light of the demand for fundamental and applied knowledge about biodiversity, the government will invest, on both a short-term and long-term basis, in establishing and maintaining a world-class research infrastructure. Current initiatives to collect, assemble, digitise, store and disseminate biodiversity data will be continued or improved. The government will urge coordination and cooperation between various information initiatives, such as DIVERSITAS, Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), its Dutch arm Nl-BIF, Encyclopedia of Life (EoL), the Netherlands Species Register (NSR), the National Database of Flora and Fauna, Ecogrid and individual suppliers of biodiversity data (e.g. Private Data Managing Organisations (PGOs)). The government also supports the creation of Life Watch, the European monitoring and research facility that monitors, processes and disseminates information about biodiversity in Europe. Given the strength of the Netherlands' current position in terms of knowledge and information about biodiversity, these initiatives offer us clear opportunities to play a significant international role.

The outcomes of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, the Global Biodiversity Outlook II, the IPCC reports, future regional ecosystem assessments, various climate research programmes and existing priority research themes will provide an excellent basis for the immediate implementation of policy measures and for identifying specific knowledge requirements in support of policy and application-oriented knowledge. In defining the demand for new knowledge, consideration will be given to the knowledge that has already been or is being developed by Dutch research institutions. The challenge is to find a balance, both in implementation and in the debate with civil society, between the need for more knowledge and the urgency of direct action. The Dutch government's aim is that, where possible, policy will explicitly consider how to deal with uncertainties. In order to promote research in support of specific policy and applied research, the government will work towards establishing a new incentive programme in collaboration with the NWO and its foundation WOTRO Science for Global Development. The research will follow the main themes of the policy programme. Here too, existing knowledge and current research will be taken into account. Cooperation and exchanges between the research departments of ministries will also be intensified. The research programme will also be tailored to the wishes of the business community and the research being conducted by companies. There will also be scope for fundamental research.

The government of the Netherlands works on an ongoing basis with partners in civil society to identify the demand for knowledge. Research questions arising from the priority areas will lead to an additional research agenda for the medium term. If necessary and possible, this agenda will be incorporated in future programmes run by the WUR, the Adaptation Spatial Planning to Climate Change (ARK) programme, the incentive programme mentioned above and any follow-up programmes coordinated by NWO/WOTRO.