Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-04-23-Speech-3-260"

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"Mr President, the European Union's motto is 'unity in diversity' but, as we know, in the natural world this diversity has decreased alarmingly over the last 150 years. Loss rates currently amount to between 1 000 and 10 000 times higher than the average during the earth's history. The World Conservation Union (IUCN) currently lists around 15 600 species at risk of extinction worldwide. The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates that the main producer countries of wheat and maize have lost more than 80% of their original varieties, and these figures are just the tip of the iceberg, for we know that to date, only around 1.7 million of the world's estimated 13 million living species have been identified and described. We also know that climate change is exacerbating the situation. However, we are equally aware that this loss of biological diversity reduces our ability to respond to climate change in particular, so we really face a difficult dilemma. Unfortunately, then, I must ask the Commission this: why are we not mainstreaming sustainability and species diversity in all areas of our policy? Why are we not undertaking more research and development on the coexistence of species, and, indeed, humans? Anyone following this debate could get the impression that the establishment of a few Habitat sites and the protection of birds are enough. However, these are just the tip of the iceberg. Why do we not get our citizens on board in tackling these tasks, which we all have to play a part in resolving? The Commission has some homework to do here, and the same applies to us here in the European Parliament, and the Council. Just going off to conferences and signing declarations is really not enough. It is time to act, and that means acting together!"@en1

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