On 8 October 2019, IUCN and the Finnish Presidency of the Council of the EU, with the support of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, organised a reception at the Museum of Natural Sciences in Brussels, focusing on the future of biodiversity policy after 2020.
Photo: Gertjan Storm
Representatives from the European Commission, the Finnish Presidency of the Council of the EU, EU Member States and other countries, environmental NGOs, socio-economic actors and many other stakeholders gathered for the discussion on the future of nature protection globally and in Europe in a very apt location, the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, which set up a cosy and relaxed atmosphere.
Alberto Arroyo Schnell from IUCN welcomed participants to the event, the fifth in a series of receptions focused on the post-2020 biodiversity debate, following the previous ones with Estonia, Bulgaria, Austria and Romania. Mr. Humberto Delgado Rosa, Director of Natural Capital at the European Commission, highlighted during his keynote speech the relevance of these receptions during the past years to stimulate the discussion around the post-2020 biodiversity framework. Marina von Weissenberg, representative of the Finnish Presidency and ex-IUCN councillor, called attention to the role of the IUCN family -members, secretariat and commissions members- in this crucial process to develop the future biodiversity policy framework. Hilde Eggermont, representative from the RBINS and current councillor of IUCN introduced participants to the magic atmosphere of the museum.
The next year will see the launch of the new EU and global strategic approaches to address the biodiversity loss crisis. IUCN will continue its efforts to ensure constructive dialogue helps to achieve the biodiversity goals.
