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G8 ministers urge actions for biodiversity
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-05-26 15:18

KOBE, Japan  -- The G8 environment ministers on Monday called for actions to maintain biological diversity.

Recognizing the fundamental importance of biodiversity for human livelihoods, the eradication of poverty and achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, the ministers said that biological diversity constitutes the indispensable foundation of lives and of global economic development.

In a proposal presented toward the end of the G8 environment ministers meeting, they encouraged the implement of the 10 Activities included in the "Potsdam Initiative-Biological Diversity 2010" and the provision of science-based information on biodiversity and ecosystem services to the public and policy- makers.

The proposal, titled " Kobe Call for Action for Biodiversity", highlighted the advancement of sustainable forest management, including the conservation of forest biodiversity, by improving forest governance and by addressing illegal logging and related trade collectively and individually, as stated in the G8 Forest Experts Report on Illegal Logging and reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries (RECC) .

The document also advocated a boost to international collaboration in research, monitoring, assessment and information sharing of biodiversity in particular by strengthening cooperation among existing organizations through the use of remote sensing and ground observation, so that the impacts of climate change can also be monitored.

Biodiversity, along with climate change and the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle), was one of the three major themes discussed at the three-day ministerial meeting.

The G8 environment ministers meeting opened Saturday in the run- up to the G8 summit scheduled for July 7-9 at the Lake Toya resort in Japan's northern main island of Hokkaido.

Environment chiefs and relevant officials from the European Commission, 10 emerging economies, including China, India and Brazil, and eight international organizations were also invited to be present at the gathering.

The Group of Eight is composed of the United States, Japan, Germany, France, Britain, Italy, Canada, and Russia, the eight leading industrial nations, whose heads of government hold regular meetings known as the G8 summit.