The European Biodiversity Conference is an annual high level conference organized by the ELO since 2010. The conference gathers land managers, landowners, policy makers, NGOs and industry representatives to discuss the participation of land users and land managers in the protection of biodiversity, as much as agro businesses and industries, from different angels.
Every year the conference hosts the Belleuropa Award that honors a Wildlife Estate Label territory which has realized an important step forward to maintain, protect or improve land for the benefit of biodiversity, using agri-environmental measures and achieving significant results from an environmental point of view.
Next European Biodiversity Conferences
2022
Previous European Biodiversity Conferences
07 DECEMBER 2021
Soil Strategy: Where to go? A chance to make it work at a local level?
The European Biodiversity Conference was organised by ELO under the auspices of the European Parliament Intergroup Biodiversity, Hunting, Countryside, and took place at the NH Brussels EU Berlaymont in an hybrid mode.
The EU context of the Green Deal combined with CAP, Farm to Fork and 2030 Biodiversity Strategy is putting the soil strategy under the spotlight. The EU aim is to address soil- and land-related issues in a comprehensive way and to help achieve land degradation neutrality by 2030, one of the commitments in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The conference was the opportunity to launch AgriLife : the first-ever pan-European Label process and alliance to reward and encourage farmers at the center of biodiversity while promoting quality production through best practices. It draws a common methodology based on scientific criteria to assess the agro-biodiversity conditions of European territories and farms. It converges actions of the Biodiversity EU strategy, the revised Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) and the recommendations of the “Green Pact for Europe” to provide the means and legal framework to support nature, land and biodiversity restoration. Therefore, AgriLife anticipates movement towards regenerative agriculture, promotes innovation & aims at ensuring the economic and social viability of agribusinesses.
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Download the PowerPoint presentation here |
2019 - "Belowground life & biodiversity for a healthy soil"
10 December 2019 – 14h30-18h00 at the European Parliament (Brussels)
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Speakers' Presentations:
Panel 1: Driving forces that influence biodiversity in agricultural soils
• Carbon farming, Christine MÜLLER, Policy Officer, DG Climate Action- Land Use and Innovation Finance
• The key to the maintenance and protection of biodiversity lies in sustainable soil management, Galina PEYCHEVA-MITEV, Farmer, Bulgaria
Panel 2: Policy and strategic framework for soil quality
• Soil life requires a paradigm shift in EU agricultural policy and practice, Celia NYSSENS, Policy Officer for Agriculture, EEB
• Soil biodiversity, Andrea VETTORI, Deputy Head of Unit, DG ENV- Soil Unit
• Keep soil alive: protect soil biodiversity, Ronald VARGAS, FAO, Secretary of the Global Soil Partnership
Panel 3: Innovation to improve soil health
• Defining, measuring and managing soil health, Yara, Koen VAN KEER
• Are biostimulants key enabling technologies to improve soil health? CropFit - Ghent University, Maaike PERNEEL
2018 - “Rethinking the biodiversity strategy: Where do private land managers fit in?”
4 December 2018- 14h00-17h00 at the Residence Palace (Rue de la Loi 155 | 1040 Brussels)
For the agenda of the day please click here
For the Pictures please click here
2017 - "A new CAP: Opportunities and threats for biodiversity"
Tuesday 5th December 2017, European Parliament (Room Alterio Spinelli A3E-2) from 12.30 to 14.30
For the agenda of the day please click here.
2016 - "Biodiversity friendly farming: is organic the future?"
Wednesday 7th December 2016, Residence Palace (rue de la Loi 155, 1000 - Brussels) from 10.00 to 13.00
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Speaker's presentations:
Opening speech, Karl-Heinz FLORENZ, MEP & President of the Intergroup Biodiversity, Hunting and Countryside
Organic_farming_and_biodiversity_Strandberg.pdf
Panel Discussion
Claudia OLAZÁBAL, Head of Unit Natural Capital-Land use and Management, DG ENV, European Commission
Presentation._Stephen_Meredith.pdf
EISA._Martjin_Buijssen_presentation_biodiversity_day_20160112_Final.pdf
2015 – "Managing Europe's carbon stocks for Climate resilient ecosystems"
Wednesday 9th December 2015, Press Club Brussels Europe (rue Froissart 95, 1000 - Brussels) from 15.00 to 19.30
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Speakers' presentations:
Opening speech, Thierry de l'ESCAILLE, ELO Secretary General
“Incentivising soil carbon storage in European agriculture” by Alan MATTHEWS, Professor, European Agricultural Policy in the Department of Economics, School of Social Sciences and Philosophy at Trinity College Dublin
“Land use and ambitious climate policies” by Pieter de POUS, Policy Director, EEB
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For the agenda of the day please click here.
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DOWNLOAD HERE THE PRESS RELEASE
2014 – “Facing climate change: adapting our land management”
2013 – “Land use: why do we care about biodiversity?”
2012 – “Towards a Green Economy”
2011 – “The 2020 Biodiversity strategy: a public-private partnership for sustainable resource use”
2010 – “Sustainable agriculture supporting biodiversity”
