Juan Marco Alvarez, IUCN, explained that the side event would demonstrate how existing bioenergy guidelines and standards can help to promote the positive and minimize the negative impacts of bioenergy production on biodiversity.

Martina Otto, UNEP, outlined a UNEP/FAO report under the framework of UN-Energy entitled “A Decision Support Tool for Sustainable Bioenergy,” which assists countries in creating responsible decision-making processes related to bioenergy production. Stressing that a country’s potential for bioenergy production must build on the assessment of the suitability and availability of land, she highlighted a mapping and zoning methodology framework to facilitate this process.

Emphasizing that it is possible to address biodiversity issues through biofuel standards, Khoo Hock Aun, Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels (RBS), described the RBS standard, which is a voluntary, global, multi-stakeholder standard that is applicable to all feedstocks and biofuel types. He said the standard is based on 12 principles, including one on conservation. He also introduced RBS’ “Land-Use Impact Assessment,” which ensures that conservation values are identified in consultation with local experts and populations.

Highlighting that biofuel demand will likely increase in the aviation, long-haul trucking and shipping sectors, all of which are growing, László Máthé, WWF, emphasized the need to consider the impacts of increased demand for biofuels on land use. Turning to how various multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) are addressing the biofuel issue, he noted that MEAs are at different stages, and cautioned against duplicating efforts and embracing narrow sectoral approaches.

Participants discussed: the definition of “degraded land” and discussions within the EU to expand bonuses for biofuels from degraded land to include “idle” land; the impact of biofuel production on water consumption; and positive impacts of biofuel production on biodiversity. Summarizing the event, Christine Dragisic, Conservation International, said there is a substantial base of biofuel-related research to build on, and encouraged progress on the biofuels decision in the current CBD negotiations.

This event was held to launch the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBSCD) report “Effective Biodiversity and Ecosystem Policy and Regulation—Business Input to the CBD” and to stimulate debate on its findings.

James Griffiths, WBCSD, highlighted six ways that companies can immediately tackle biodiversity loss: measure, manage and mitigate risks and impacts; undertake corporate ecosystem valuations to quantify risks and opportunities; lead in the development of markets for ecosystem services; encourage suppliers and purchasers to adopt best practices; enter into creative partnerships; and support “smart” ecosystem regulation to reverse degradation and “level the playing field” for all stakeholders.

William Evison, PricewaterhouseCoopers, summarized the WBCSD report, including its conclusions in relation to 11 specific public policy and regulatory options identified by TEEB, the CBD and UNEP to reverse biodiversity loss. Emphasizing that business can play a major role in halting biodiversity loss, he also noted that governments can lead by example through state-owned enterprises.

Providing a keynote response to the WBCSD report, Patrick ten Brink, Institute for European Environmental Policy, welcomed the WBCSD’s vision of business playing a core role in tackling biodiversity loss. He questioned how far business is willing to go in relation to payments for ecosystem services and no net loss mechanisms.

Ravi Sharma, CBD Secretariat, stated that parties to the CBD are increasingly asking the Secretariat to engage the business community in the process. He highlighted progress in the current negotiations on a draft decision related to such an engagement, but noted the challenge of gaining buy-in from large developing countries, which are often more focused on climate change mitigation.

Eduardo Escobedo, UN Conference on Trade and Development, said: REDD+ provides a key opportunity to engage businesses in creating alternative economic opportunities and promoting sustainable use; economic incentives provide a good opportunity for fostering partnerships between the private sector and governments; and business can play a key role in supporting policy enforcement.

Joshua Bishop, IUCN, said business should be recognized for the significant action it has already undertaken. He then highlighted areas for improvement, including: identifying relevant and standardized metrics to enable comparison of commitments and achievements across businesses; reporting transparently on gains from subsidies; and reporting impacts and responses to biodiversity in annual reports.

Nicola Breier, German Ministry for the Environment, applauded the WBCSD report for supporting the TEEB principle that biodiversity and ecosystem values should be integrated more consistently and effectively into policy and regulation. She encouraged development of a global business declaration on the seven key action points for business laid out in the TEEB for Business report. Kazuaki Takahashi, Ministry of Environment of Japan, stressed the need to engage business in implementing the decisions that emerge from COP 10 and in achieving a post-2010 biodiversity target.

Participants discussed no net loss mechanisms, noting that: maintaining operating licenses, meeting financers’ and board members’ requirements, and meeting local stakeholders’ demands are incentives to bring businesses on board; companies need tools to measure their ecological footprint before engaging; and small- and medium-sized businesses need to know more about the mechanism.

James Griffiths, WBCSD, stressed that businesses both impact and depend on biodiversity and ecosystems services, and that ecosystem changes bring both risks and opportunities.

William Evison, PricewaterhouseCoopers, said that participation of businesses in attaining biodiversity targets requires that these targets be relevant for businesses.

Patrick ten Brink, Institute for European Environmental Policy

Joshua Bishop, IUCN

Eduardo Escobedo, UN Conference on Trade and Development