TEEB Report: what is the value of biodiversity? Also nature and ecosystems bear economic importance. The costs brought “by the degradation of ecosystems and the loss of biodiversity are nothing short of unaffordable for our societies”. These were the conclusions of a three-year study project examining “the benefits the world gets for free from nature”. The TEEB project – The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity has gathered the best available economic evidence showing the costs brought by the degradation of ecosystems and the loss of biodiversity in Europe. The report synthesised thousands of studies, examined valuation methods, policy instruments and examples of action from around the world. The European Commission is a major funder of the study, which was hosted by the UN environment programme. Commenting on the TEEB figures European Commissioner for the Environment Janez Potoènik said: “”While of course valuing nature for itself, we also recognise its economic value in the battle to stop biodiversity loss. We will look at ways to implement in our policies the analyses developed by TEEB”. Commission: “Respect for EU Charter of Rights” Ensuring that the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights is fully implemented. This is the objectives of a strategy adopted October 19 by the Commission responding to calls from the European Parliament. The Charter became legally binding since the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty. In particular, the Commission will verify that “all EU laws are in compliance with the Charter at each stage of the legislative process” and “then in their application by EU Member States”. The Commission will provide information to citizens on when it can intervene in fundamental rights issues and will publish an Annual Report on the Charter’s application “to monitor the progress achieved”. The Charter is a reflection of our common values and constitutional heritage,” said EU Commission Vice-President Viviane Reding, and it “must be the compass for all EU policies”. The European Commission, and notably its Justice Department, “will be very vigilant in ensuring that the Charter is upheld in all proposals for EU legislation”, “in all amendments introduced by the Council and by the European Parliament, as well as by Member States when they implement EU laws”. A snapshot of the population from Eurostat A “numeric snapshot” of Europe and the world to celebrate World Statistics Day, held October 20. A new Report by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, paints a picture of the EU in relation to the rest of the world. “The world has 6.9 billion inhabitants in 2010 – states the report -. The most populous countries are China (1 350 million inhabitants or 20% of the world population), India (1 210 mn or 18%), the United States (320 mn or 5%), Indonesia (230 mn or 3%) and Brazil (200 mn or 3%)”. The EU, with 500 million inhabitants, accounts for 7% of the world population. The publication is rich with detailed information. For example, it points out that in 1960, there were on average 116.0 cases of infant mortality per 1000 live births in the world, compared with 36.0 in the EU. In 2008, these rates had decreased considerably, with an average of 47.3 infant deaths per 1000 live births in the world compared with 4.5 in the EU”. The “average life expectancy at birth in the world is 67.6 years, compared with 79.2 years in the EU. The highest life expectancies among the non-EU G-20 countries were found in Japan (82.7 years) and the lowest in South Africa (51.6 years). Among the many charts figures data on GDP: “The world GDP was 41 200 billion euro in 2008. The EU, with a GDP of 12 500 bn, accounted for 30% of the total, compared with 23% for the United States, 8% for Japan and 7% for China. Ban on mephredrone, “legal ecstasy” The European Commission today called for a dangerous ecstasy-like drug that is still legal in 12 EU countries to be banned. It asked the EU Member States “to stop the free spread of the drug “mephedrone” across Europe by submitting it to control measures”. “Mephedrone is a dangerous drug that is available online and on the street corner. People have already died because of this drug, so I urge governments to move fast to control and criminalise it,” said Vice-President Viviane Reding. “We have a responsibility to protect young people against dangerous new psychoactive substances like mephedrone.” The proposal, due to undergo Council and Parliament debate, would ban the manufacturing and the marketing of mephedrone, submitting it to criminal sanctions all over Europe.
