WRITTEN QUESTION No. 864/98 by Anita POLLACK to the Commission. Convention on biodiversity COP4, Bratislava, May 1998
Date: 1998-03-26
Institutions: European Parliament, POLLACK
Subjects: UN convention, afforestation, biodiversity, climate change, environmental protection, forest conservation, forestry policy, greenhouse gas, international convention

C 354/32

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

19. 11. 98

(98/C 354/64)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0864/98

by Anita Pollack (PSE) to the Commission

(26 March 1998)

Subject: Convention on biodiversity COP4, Bratislava, May 1998

In the light of the Kyoto Climate Change Agreement, will the Commission make every effort at COP4 of the
CBD in Bratislava to stress the importance of forest conservation for carbon sequestration and climate change
mitigation?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(12 May 1998)

Article 4.2 of the United Nations framework convention on climate change requires Annex 1 parties to protect
and enhance greenhouse gas sinks and reservoirs in general. In order to achieve their greenhouse gases emissions
limitation or reduction targets, existing sink categories are limited under Article 3.3 of the Kyoto Protocol to the
effect of direct human induced activities with respect to afforestation, reforestation and deforestation. In this
context, the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol may indeed have important implications for biodiversity.

The  recently  adopted  communication  to  the  Council  and  to  the  Parliament  on  a  Community  biodiversity
strategy (1) defines the policy of the Commission on this subject. It sets as Community objectives, inter alia, the
following:

(cid:145)to ensure that, while promoting a net increase in forest extension as a means of maximising their carbon sink
function  to  combat  climate  change,  afforestation  is  conducted  in  a  manner  that  does  not  negatively  affect
ecologically interesting or noteworthy sites and ecosystems(cid:146)

(cid:145)to promote sustainable management of forests which respects the ecological characteristics of the areas affected
and to promote the restoration and regeneration of areas that have suffered deforestation. Native species and
local provenances should be preferred where appropriate. Wherever introduced species are used to replace local
ecosystems, sufficient action should be taken at the same time to conserve native flora and fauna(cid:146)

(cid:145)to promote international research into the impact of possible climate change on forests ecosystems, the possible
adaptation of forests ecosystems to climate change and the mitigation of adverse effects of climate change by
forests ecosystems as detailed in Resolution No 4 of the Helsinki Ministerial Conference on the protection of
Forests in Europe(cid:146).

The  Commission  is  pursuing  these  objectives  in  every  relevant  forum,  including  in  the  context  of  the
forthcoming fourth conference of the parties to the Convention on biological diversity in Bratislava.

(1)  COM(98) 42 final.

(98/C 354/65)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0876/98

by Hono·rio Novo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(26 March 1998)

Subject: Minimizing the environmental impact of the building of access roads to the Freixo Bridge

With reference to my Question E-3780/97 (1) and other ones on the same subject, the Commission will remember
that the conclusions of the Environmental Impact Assessment Committee concerning the building of two roads
providing access to the Freixo Bridge › Carvalhos road include the assertion that the contracting authority is
obliged to acquire a strip of land adjacent to the IP1 and the access roads and incorporate it in the municipal
nature reserve of Vila Nova de Gaia.