Bridges Trade BioRes • Volume 7 • Number 6 • 30th March 2007

G-8 Environment Ministers Set Stage for High-Level Meet

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The environment ministers from the G-8 industrialised nations as well as the five largest emerging economies — Brazil, Mexico, China, India and South Africa — met in Potsdam, Germany from 15-17 March. While they did not reach any binding outcomes, they agreed a number of measures to stop biodiversity loss, and set the stage for heads-of-state discussions on climate change at the G-8 Summit, to be held in Heiligendamm from 6-8 June this year.

On biodiversity, the group decided to initiative a global study outlining the costs of biodiversity protection of loss, similar to the Stern review detailing the costs related to climate change. They also agreed, among other, to strengthen scientific research and step up biodiversity financing.

Regarding climate change, German environment minister Sigmar Gabriel said “Potsdam was another important step for the climate year 2007.” He added that “We have discussed with the most important international partners, in a very open and constructive atmosphere, how we can make progress in the climate negotiations. After this meeting, I am confident that we will be able to enter into comprehensive negotiations on the future of climate policy at the end of this year in Bali.”

Germany, France, the UK, Italy, Japan, Canada, the US and Russia make up the G-8 states. Germany heads the G-8 this year.

Additional resources

The Potsdam Initiative: Biodiversity 2010.

“Environment Ministers Agree on a Potsdam Initiative on Biological Diversity and Identify a Common Base for Climate Protection,” G8 RELEASE, 17 March 2007; “G8 + 5 Environment Ministers Confer on Climate, Biodiversity,” ENS, 16 March 2007; “Climate on the World’s Agenda,” DER SPEIGEL, 16 March 2007; “G8 assesses cost of species loss,” BBC, 16 March 2007.