1. Cohesion policy investing in biodiversity
Mathieu Fichter
Team leader "Sustainable Growth"
European Commission - DG REGIO

2. Content 1) Biodiversity in the current cohesion policy
2) Biodiversity in the proposal for the cohesion policy
3) Project examples

3. Biodiversity in the 2007-13 cohesion policy

4. Cohesion Policy 2007-13 Cohesion Policy 07-13 European Regional
(€ 348 billion)
European Regional
Development Fund
(ERDF)
Cohesion Fund
European Social Fund
(ESF)
DG REGIO
DG EMPLOYMENT

5. Investments into 'environment' in 2007-13 Cohesion Policy
€ 105 billion for the environment over
€ 54 B on 'environmental services': waste & water management, nature & biodiversity protection, risk prevention
€ 48 B on 'low-carbon': clean transport, energy efficiency & renewables
€ 3 B on eco-innovation in SMEs
30% of total available funding

6. Investments
Nature protection & biodiversity seen through the concept of ‘ecosystem services’
Direct support to nature/biodiversity (including Natura 2000) :
€ 3,9 billion (promotion of biodiversity and natural assets and nature protection)
Indirect support to nature/biodiversity:
€ billion (waste water treatment, rehabilitation of contaminated sites, natural risk prevention)
This amount is leveraged by national contributions!

8. Biodiversity in the proposal for the 2014-2020 cohesion policy

9. Cohesion policy 2014-20: mission & goals
Adoption of EC proposal on 06/10/2010 COM(2011) 615
Mission:
reduce disparities between Europe's regions strengthening economic, social and terrritorial cohesion
contribute to the Union Strategy of smart, sustainable and inclusive growth
Goals:
Investment for growth and jobs
European Territorial cooperation

10. Thematic objectives
Among the 11 thematic objectives, 3 on sustainable growth:
Supporting the shift towards a low-carbon economy in all sectors (Thematic Objective Nr 4)
Promoting climate change adaptation, risk prevention and management (Thematic Objective Nr 5)
Protecting the environment and promoting resource efficiency (Thematic Objective Nr 6)
For every thematic objective there’s a list of investment priorities which set the aims for intervention

11. Thematic concentration
Minimum share of ERDF investments on:
shift towards a low carbon economy
research & innovation
competitiveness of SMEs
Less developed regions
More developed & transition regions
80%
20%
50% 6%

12. Proposal for the 2014-2020 CP regulation
ERDF Investment Priority on:
"protecting biodiversity, soil protection and promoting ecosystem services including NATURA 2000 and green infrastructures;
"action to improve the urban environment, including regeneration of brownfield sites and reduction of air pollution";
Cohesion Fund Investment Priority on:
"protecting and restoring biodiversity, including through green infrastructures"
"improving the urban environment, including regeneration of brownfield sites and reduction of air pollution
Differences between scope of ERDF vs. CF on:
Natura 2000 (not in CF)
Soil protection (not in CF)
Restoring biodiversity (not in ERDF)

13. Common Strategic Framework
Key targets and objectives of all the CSF Funds (ERDF, EAFRD, Cohesion Fund, EMFF, ESF)
Key actions for each for each CSF Fund: identify those key actions with the greatest impact on growth and jobs
General implementation principles of the CSF Funds
Facilitate the development of Partnership Contracts & OP's
Closer coordination of CSF funds to achieve simplification & increased synergies among funds

14. Common Strategic Framework
Investments in biodiversity & ecosystem services
Investments in green infrastructure
Investment in Natura 2000
Coastal protection
Risk prevention
Prioritised Action Framework
Water retention, wetlands…
Soil protection
Financial instruments

15. Community led local development (CLLD)
New possibility in cohesion policy
Have an integrated bottom-up approach & ensure involvement of local communities
Integrated, multi-sectoral & area-based local development
Led by local action groups (public & private local socio- economic interests): design & implement local development strategies
Potentially good instrument for 'biodiversity type' projects/programmes
MS need to 'select' it in the Partnership Agreement

16. Innovation for sustainable growth with the 2014-2020 cohesion policy
Photo credit: Kheng Guan Toh

17. Cohesion Policy funding for R&I
Cohesion Policy innovation support over total aid:
4% in 89’-93’
7% in 94’-99’
11% in 00’-06’
25% in 07’-13’

18. Areas of investments in innovations
Invest in innovation for:
Water efficiency, water recycling
Development & deployment of monitoring systems in:
Biodiversity (bio-indicators…)
Air quality…
Ecosystem services, Payment for Ecosystem Services…
Geographic & Environmental information systems (GMES – Inspire Directive)
Resource efficiency
Eco-innovations in companies/SMEs

19. Sustainable Urban Development
Support integrated actions to tackle the economic, environmental, climate and social challenges affecting urban areas
ERDF = increased focus on sustainable urban development:
to be achieved through earmarking of a minimum of 5% of national ERDF resources for SUD
Integrate biodiversity/nature aspects in sustainable urban development programmes/plans

20. Strategic programming
Thematic objectives contribute to EU 2020
Translates objectives and targets of EU 2020 into key actions
Alignment with EU 2020: evaluation, results expected, indicative allocation by thematic objective
Strategy consistent with CSF, thematic objectives, investment priorities, etc.
Regulations
Proposed by Commission
Commission delegated act
Prepared by MS in dialogue with Commission, approval if Commission observations taken into account
Drawn up by MS in cooperation with partners
MS, except major projects, where documentation submitted to Commission, approval needed
Common Strategic
Framework
Increasing MS competence
Partnership
Contract
Operational Programmes
Projects

21. Project examples

22. Geographic information system in Caribbean's
CARIBSAT: Caribbean Satellite Environmental Information System (
Launched in 2009 for 2 years - € 2.8 Million with € 1.9 Million ERDF - Lead Partner: Centre IRD Martinique-Caraïbes
International partnership with public bodies, universities, research organisations
Develop instrument to monitor the environment in the Lesser Antilles based on an online geographic atlas supplied by satellite images, ground environmental data & hydro-meteorological reports
Targeted on preservation of the biodiversity in land and sea, the management of the natural risks & impact of climate change

23. Azorean Biodiversity Portal
ERDF co-financed development of a unique IT based information system on biodiversity in the Azores islands,
Resource for fundamental research in biodiversity, education and conservation management
Provides an original platform for bio-geographical and macro-ecological research on islands
Species database comprised of spatial grid-based (500x500 m) presence-absence information for ca species
Many species are also accompanied by images from collections and/or live specimen

24. Research on Biodiversity in Canarias Islands
Centre for research in biodiversity & environment
University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria – 3 research groups to improve knowledge & management of natural areas in Canarias -
Creation of a biodiversity data bank

25. Water retention in forests in PL
Improving the surface water resources, soil and groundwater
Re-naturisation of watercourses and wetlands
Aligning and slowing water runoff during flood events (flood retention)
Minimizing the risk and preventing droughts

26. Small scale water retention in lowlands
Est.Investment:
ca. 50 M EUR (ca. 34,2 M by Cohesion Fund)
Number of structures:
over 3000
Water Storage Capacity:
over 31 million m3 (including storage of groundwater)
Small scale water retention in mountain areas
Est.Investment:
ca. 43 M EUR (ca. 30 M by Cohesion Fund)
Number of structures:
over 3500
Water Storage Capacity:
over 1,2 million m3 without storage of groundwater 26

27. Green Infrastructure (eco-corridors) in FR
Build a regional network of preserved areas based on ecological corridors (Green & Blue corridors)
Deployment of territorial contracts on ‘biological corridors’
Extensive work with local actors / municipalities / associations / environment and water authorities
Investments in eco-bridges, restoration of wetlands, trainings in schools and municipalities…
Planned costs over 5 years : € 3.6 million with 1.28 million ERDF.

28. Conclusions
Funding still available to invest in biodiversity through current Cohesion Policy in the next years (actual spending of current Cohesion Policy until 2015)!’
Future Cohesion Policy provides clear support to biodiversity, Natura 2000 & Green Infrastructure
Prepare now the post-2013 period!

29. Many thanks for your attention