New coalitions for biodiversity

The government of the Netherlands is only one of a large number of actors in a field as broad and complex as biodiversity (conservation, sustainable use and fair distribution). Cooperation between the government, the business community, non-governmental organisations, research institutions and members of the public is therefore absolutely essential if the objectives are to be achieved. There are already many actors involved in efforts to conserve biodiversity. The government of the Netherlands is delighted with this and will stimulate and facilitate initiatives wherever necessary. By creating new partnerships, it wishes to spur on creative new ideas and so increase the effectiveness of measures focusing on the preservation, sustainable use and fair distribution of biodiversity. This is one of the key challenges of this policy programme.

In specific terms, the Dutch government will help to facilitate such partnerships by supporting the public dialogue and by clustering authorities and civil society actors around specific themes. The ‘Biodiversiteit door en voor burgers' [Biodiversity for and by citizens] project in the ‘Hoeksche Waard' is a good example of such a dialogue. The government's aim is to bring together the parties and create a useful public sector, one which brings together and inspires parties that want to try to promote the preservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. The Dutch government feels that its primary task is to facilitate the necessary social transition - a transition that will only be sustainable if the producers and consumers of natural resources agree on the prudent use of our biodiversity and reduce the Netherlands' ecological footprint abroad.

A ‘Biodiversity and natural resources' task force will be set up, on the joint initiative of business leaders, to shape the public debate. The task force will be charged with guiding the transition to the preservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, and with providing the government with concrete and feasible suggestions and measures. These suggestions and measures will guarantee the preservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in the longer term. The business community must play an active role in this, particularly those economic sectors in the Netherlands that derive considerable benefits from global biodiversity while, at the same time, imposing a burden on it. Representatives of non-governmental organisations will also be invited to join the task force.