unimelb-nlp/MultiEup-v2 huggingface dataset:
Debate: Question Time  Increasing EU ambitions on biodiversity ahead of COP
Date: TUESDAY, 5 JULY 2022
Speaker: Virginijus Sinkevičius
Language: EN

And therefore, I think that's where we should put all the possible effort. And it’s not only in regards to the COP15, I think we as Europeans and citizens of Europe, we value every piece of our land, and especially forests which bring so much into our lives, which are our lungs and our support system. So, of course, we have to be prepared and ensure that we do not lose them in the first place.
Debate: Question Time  Increasing EU ambitions on biodiversity ahead of COP
Date: TUESDAY, 5 JULY 2022
Speaker: Maria Spyraki
Political group: PPE
Country: Romania
Language: EL

Κύριε Πρόεδρε, Επίτροπε Sinkevičius, έχετε επισκεφθεί τις πληγείσες περιοχές από τις πυρκαγιές στην πατρίδα μου, την Ελλάδα, και γνωρίζετε ότι ένα από τα είδη που έχει πληγεί από τις πυρκαγιές αυτές είναι οι επικονιαστές, και συγκεκριμένα οι μέλισσες. Εφόσον το έχετε αυτό υπόψη σας, θα ήθελα να γνωρίζω εάν η Επιτροπή προτίθεται, ειδικά για τις περιοχές που υφίστανται φυσικές καταστροφές εξαιτίας της κλιματικής αλλαγής, να προχωρήσει σε μέτρα στήριξης των προσπαθειών των καλλιεργητών εκεί, και λόγω της επείγουσας ανάγκης οι άνθρωποι να μείνουν στον τόπο τους.
Debate: Question Time  Increasing EU ambitions on biodiversity ahead of COP
Date: TUESDAY, 5 JULY 2022
Speaker: Virginijus Sinkevičius
Language: EN

Therefore, in nature restoration legislation, as a specific target, we actually have a target on pollinators, ensuring that they do not decline and instead reach a positive status. Secondly, when we speak about pollination and so on, I think it must be addressed not only from an environmental point of view, but also from our CAP and agriculture. I think we know that it is not only forest fires, which destroys forests, destroys pollinators, but there are other pressing chemical uses and so on that also do harm to the population of pollinators, which also have to be addressed. So I truly hope that, with the implementation of nature restoration legislation, Member States will have two years to prepare their plans, and within those plans, we will see a prominent role for protecting and ensuring the protection of pollinators.
Debate: Question Time  Increasing EU ambitions on biodiversity ahead of COP
Date: TUESDAY, 5 JULY 2022
Speaker: Delara Burkhardt
Political group: S-D
Country: Germany
Language: DE

Herr Kommissar! Sie haben es ja in einigen Antworten anklingen lassen: Die Hausaufgaben für die COP 15 machen wir ja nicht erst in der Woche der Vorbereitung, sondern die machen wir jeden Tag hier im Parlament, Sie in der Kommission. Und ein Meilenstein, mit dem wir anreisen werden auf die COP, ist das EU-Entwaldungsgesetz. Ich hätte dazu eine Nachfrage, weil wir ja doch mit Erstaunen gesehen haben, dass einige der Produkte, die nachweislich zur Entwaldung beitragen, wie auch Ihre eigene
Debate: Question Time  Increasing EU ambitions on biodiversity ahead of COP
Date: TUESDAY, 5 JULY 2022
Speaker: Virginijus Sinkevičius
Language: EN

We account that in our impact assessment these six commodities are responsible for 80% to 85% of deforestation globally. So of course we wanted to ensure addressing the biggest part, let’s say, of deforestation, but we also have included a very clear review clause which will allow market monitoring. If we see that certain product groups or deprived products or commodities are responsible for deforestation and that number is increasing, we would, of course, be able to include it into our legislation.  The work is now, of course, within co-legislators. We have a Council opinion and Parliament will be soon voting on their opinion and then we will have three trilogues where I think also these questions can be addressed. I think at the end of the day, what’s most important is not the long list of commodities – even though I think that including two additional commodities can be an important step forward – but it’s implementation on the ground. We have to ensure that we learn the past lessons, lessons which showed that very often coming out with a very ambitious proposal and really good aims, we ended up with no implementation and unfortunately seeing the catastrophic numbers, with every year a larger and larger area being destroyed due to deforestation.  So I think what’s most important is the implementation on the ground, working mechanisms across the value chain, ensuring that our proposal is actually the largest nature protection act, which is what we want.
Debate: Question Time  Increasing EU ambitions on biodiversity ahead of COP
Date: TUESDAY, 5 JULY 2022
Speaker: Delara Burkhardt
Political group: S-D
Country: Germany
Language: DE

Ja, da kann ich sehr gut anschließen, denn gerade bei Kautschuk wissen wir, dass es für Indonesien eine sehr große Herausforderung ist bei der Waldzerstörung. Dementsprechend wäre es gut, dort auch kollegial auf die COP blickend genauer hinzuschauen. Aber Sie sprechen mit Ihrer Antwort auch ein wichtiges Problem an, nämlich die Frage des Monitorings, der Implementierung von unseren ambitionierten Zielen, die wir ja nicht nur im Entwaldungsgesetz haben, sondern auch im  Genau da schließt die Frage an: Wie kriegen wir es denn hin, dass die Ziele, die wir uns setzen, besser implementiert werden, dass das Monitoring besser wird? Was plant die Kommission, um da aus Versäumnissen der Vergangenheit auch zu lernen?
Debate: Question Time  Increasing EU ambitions on biodiversity ahead of COP
Date: TUESDAY, 5 JULY 2022
Speaker: Caroline Roose
Political group: Verts/ALE
Country: Poland
Language: FR

Monsieur le Président, Monsieur le Commissaire, il y a deux semaines, la Commission européenne a proposé des mesures législatives ambitieuses de restauration des écosystèmes et de réduction des pesticides. C'est un signal fort envoyé avant la COP 15. La surpêche est aujourd'hui le premier facteur du déclin de la biodiversité marine. Le plan d'action sur la protection des ressources halieutiques et de la biodiversité marine doit donc jouer un rôle crucial pour protéger et restaurer les écosystèmes marins. Sa publication a pourtant de nouveau été reportée.  Cela aura-t-il des conséquences sur son ambition? Comment la Commission européenne va-t-elle s'assurer que les aires marines protégées soient vraiment protégées en y interdisant enfin les activités extractives industrielles comme les forages en mer, l'extraction minière et les techniques de pêche qui ont le plus d'impact sur les fonds marins? Comment la Commission européenne entend-elle mettre fin à la surpêche en dehors des aires marines protégées? Et quelle sera l'articulation entre la loi sur la restauration de la nature et la politique commune de la pêche, notamment en ce qui concerne les mesures de restauration qui ont jusque-là échoué à être mises en œuvre dans le cadre de la politique commune de la pêche?
Debate: Question Time  Increasing EU ambitions on biodiversity ahead of COP
Date: TUESDAY, 5 JULY 2022
Speaker: Virginijus Sinkevičius
Language: EN

Then, as regards fisheries activities, of course, our CFP has to play a crucial role, but not only CFP, also our fisheries fund, which is actually aimed at investing into more sustainable fisheries practices, helping our fishermen to transition. Secondly, I think that what’s extremely important when we talk about deep-sea mining is that we cannot rush. We cannot rush things here, and we have to ensure that we have a proper impact assessment of what such activities would have as regards the sea’s ecosystems and environment in general. Only by having these results could we advance. But I am already really happy about the calls of the European leaders at the Lisbon Ocean Conference for actually halting such activities, which I think, especially as regards when we speak about the MPAs, is a crucial element. So I think there is a lot of work to be done as regards stepping up, the protection of the MPAs. We should not forget the principle of, of course, how the MPA is done, and there is always research and evidence behind the MPA into what is protected and what is aimed to be protected. But clearly, I think it has to address, first of all, the seabed, which is crucial for a thriving ecosystem.
Debate: Question Time  Increasing EU ambitions on biodiversity ahead of COP
Date: TUESDAY, 5 JULY 2022
Speaker: Caroline Roose
Political group: Verts/ALE
Country: Poland
Language: FR

Monsieur le Président, Monsieur le Commissaire, certaines mesures sont demandées par les pêcheurs eux-mêmes. Par exemple, les pêcheurs du nord de la France demandent avec insistance un moratoire sur l’utilisation de la senne danoise, notamment dans la Manche. Seriez-vous prêt à soutenir cette demande?
Debate: Question Time  Increasing EU ambitions on biodiversity ahead of COP
Date: TUESDAY, 5 JULY 2022
Speaker: Karolin Braunsberger-Reinhold
Political group: PPE
Country: Belgium
Language: DE

Herr Kommissar! Gebiete, die unter Naturschutz stehen, gerade im europäischen Raum, sind oft festgelegt auf genau den Moment, in dem sie unter Naturschutz gestellt wurden. Das betrifft zum Beispiel Natura 2000. Aufgrund geänderter Klimabedingungen haben sich allerdings in den letzten Jahren und auch Jahrzehnten diese Lebensräume teilweise geändert. Gefördert, gerade im finanziellen Bereich, werden allerdings nur Maßnahmen – Erhaltungsmaßnahmen und Entwicklungsmaßnahmen –, die sich auf den ursprünglichen, damals festgelegten Naturzustand beziehen. So werden zum Beispiel Bäume und Sträucher mit Fördermitteln gepflanzt, die nicht mehr ins Gebiet passen, weil sich dieses Gebiet eben geändert hat. Es werden teilweise Tiere zwangsangesiedelt, die schon längst woanders Lebensraum gefunden haben und in dieses Gebiet gar nicht mehr passen. Alle Beteiligten wissen im Endeffekt – das haben sie mir auch mitgeteilt –, dass die Maßnahmen, die sie mit europäischen Fördermitteln durchführen, nicht zweckführend und auch nicht zielführend sind. Warum findet da keine Anpassung statt? Warum pumpen wir also finanzielle Fördermittel in Gebiete, die wir durch andere Maßnahmen wirklich unterstützen und entwickeln könnten? Und warum können wir die Richtlinien in dem Fall nicht anpassen?
Debate: Question Time  Increasing EU ambitions on biodiversity ahead of COP
Date: TUESDAY, 5 JULY 2022
Speaker: Virginijus Sinkevičius
Language: EN

Usually for Natura 2000 areas that’s extraordinary cases, but we see this trend more dangerous outside Natura 2000 areas.  I think one of the major aims of our 3 Billion Trees initiative is not only to plant the 3 billion additional trees in Europe, but it’s actually education – education that there must be a right tree at the right place planted, which would be resilient to future shocks, because we have a very diverse ecosystem across Europe, north and south, different geographical locations, and we’ve seen the mistakes done in the past where species that were planted unfortunately today have proved one of the major impacts on forest fires as well in some regions. So of course we have to avoid such mistakes.  We have to also educate people who really passionately takes the duty of planting more trees. But, as you said, we need to build the forest of the future. So through the 3 Billion Trees initiative that can be addressed. As regards the Natura 2000 areas, these have to have solid management plan, and within those plans, of course, such questions also must be addressed.
Debate: Question Time  Increasing EU ambitions on biodiversity ahead of COP
Date: TUESDAY, 5 JULY 2022
Speaker: Karolin Braunsberger-Reinhold
Political group: PPE
Country: Belgium
Language: DE

Nur die Nachfrage: Wir wissen ja, welche Bäume wir in unseren Gebieten pflanzen können. Wir dürfen sie aber nicht pflanzen, weil sie nicht finanziell durch die EU unterstützt werden, eben aufgrund dessen, dass quasi der alte Erhaltungszustand wiederhergestellt werden muss. Und das ist die Problematik, die geändert werden müsste. Also: Wir wollen. Wir wissen, was. Wir dürfen aber nicht, weil es finanziell nicht gefördert wird.
Debate: Question Time  Increasing EU ambitions on biodiversity ahead of COP
Date: TUESDAY, 5 JULY 2022
Speaker: Virginijus Sinkevičius
Language: EN

Secondly, I think what’s very important when we speak about natural areas, about the management and so on, that also should be a part of the Member States’ recovery and resilience funding, which can be addressed through those funds. Some Member States actually took that into account and of course, I hope that is going to be implemented.
Debate: Question Time  Increasing EU ambitions on biodiversity ahead of COP
Date: TUESDAY, 5 JULY 2022
Speaker: Aurélia Beigneux
Political group: ID
Country: France
Language: FR

Monsieur le Président, Monsieur le Commissaire, la préservation de la biodiversité est primordiale, tant pour lutter contre le réchauffement climatique que pour la sauvegarde des espèces animales. Vous affirmez vouloir préserver notre biodiversité. Soit. Toutefois, votre hypocrisie naturelle revient au galop lorsqu'il s'agit de signer des traités de libre-échange avec le monde entier. Le dernier exemple en date est celui conclu le 30 juin avec la Nouvelle-Zélande.  Saviez-vous qu'un aller-retour en avion entre Auckland et Paris pollue plus qu'un ménage européen en un an? Pensez-vous vraiment que les super-cargos qui parcourent nos océans ne détruisent pas notre biodiversité marine?  Vous mentez aux Européens, car tous les efforts que nos concitoyens fournissent pour lutter contre le réchauffement climatique sont réduits à néant par les effets pervers de votre politique économique désastreuse. Ce modèle détruit notre biodiversité et fait disparaître les espèces animales et végétales. Alors oui, pour relever le défi de la COP 15, il va vous falloir abandonner cette mondialisation outrageuse et intensifier la recherche scientifique.
Debate: Question Time  Increasing EU ambitions on biodiversity ahead of COP
Date: TUESDAY, 5 JULY 2022
Speaker: Aurélia Beigneux
Political group: ID
Country: France
Language: FR

Monsieur le Président, Monsieur le Commissaire, vous trouvez donc que la religion du libre-échange est bien au-dessus de l’environnement dans l’échelle des valeurs des fonctionnaires européens. Pouvez-vous nous promettre qu’aucun autre traité de libre-échange ne sera signé? Sinon, je vous encourage vivement à écouter la majorité des citoyens qui en ont plus que marre de la politique schizophrène menée par ce Parlement.
Debate: Question Time  Increasing EU ambitions on biodiversity ahead of COP
Date: TUESDAY, 5 JULY 2022
Speaker: Virginijus Sinkevičius
Language: EN

The European Green Deal was actually a result, and one of the first proposals – actually the first – of this Commission very carefully listening to what our citizens want. So I am sure we will continue to do so, matching the differences that we have between our regions, between the Member States and between the Members of this Parliament.
Debate: Question Time  Increasing EU ambitions on biodiversity ahead of COP
Date: TUESDAY, 5 JULY 2022
Speaker: Silvia Modig
Political group: The Left
Country: Romania
Language: EN

Mr President, biodiversity, of course, has an absolute value in itself, but it’s also a crucial part in our fight against climate change. The stronger the biodiversity is, the better is our planet’s resilience ahead of the inevitable warming we are heading to. That is why we need a strong international agreement. I refuse to accept that the momentum has gone due to these postponements. I think if it is gone, then we have to regain it, and I think that the EU is a key player here. So, Mr Sinkevičius, how do we do that? I think that, first of all, we have to put our own house in order – and we are not quite there yet – and then we have to have real ambition. You were talking about the finance earlier, and I really didn’t get exactly your position. What is the Commission’s position on the Global South demand, which I think is very reasoned and very sound? What is the Commission’s position exactly on the Global South demand to get international finance, because they need the finance as otherwise they will not meet the targets.
Debate: Question Time  Increasing EU ambitions on biodiversity ahead of COP
Date: TUESDAY, 5 JULY 2022
Speaker: Virginijus Sinkevičius
Language: EN

So my first aim is to raise as many funds as possible. Use the resources that are not only international development funds, but also private funds, philanthropies etc., which also can play a crucial role. And then try to use that amount as efficiently as possible. Finding the possible agreement with the Global South. Their demands also have to be realistic. Creating additional funds, raising 800 billion per year, that’s going to be extremely difficult in this very short time. We can look at the timeline. We should see what is going to be realistic. But also we cannot only focus on funds because with funds obligations and implementation must also come. And it has to be very clear. And so far, I don’t really see it happening as well. Well, all the goals are still in brackets.
Debate: Question Time  Increasing EU ambitions on biodiversity ahead of COP
Date: TUESDAY, 5 JULY 2022
Speaker: Silvia Modig
Political group: The Left
Country: Romania
Language: EN

Thank you, Commissioner Sinkevičius. And what about the measurable targets? Because we need an agreement with measurable targets. How will we bind the finance to the measurable targets? Because as we have failed completely in our 2020 targets, so have all the countries I know, including my own, has failed their biodiversity targets for 2020. So, we don’t have a very strong reference there to give us guidane. So, how to bind the finance to measurable targets so that you get finance when you proceed, because that would probably be the only way to get this part of the country, Europe, to do its part as well.
Debate: Question Time  Increasing EU ambitions on biodiversity ahead of COP
Date: TUESDAY, 5 JULY 2022
Speaker: Virginijus Sinkevičius
Language: EN

As I said, a lot can be done not only within the COP 15. We have already some very strong proposals on the table as regards the marine resources, as regards our oceans, so if we are able to agree on rules beyond national jurisdiction and protect the high seas, which was mapped by scientists as the rules that requires and could be protected. Secondly, of course, we have our proposal as regards the ocean around Antarctica that would protect 1% of the world’s ocean. So there are already even clear proposals on the table which we could be advancing with. And I think that would be the best way to go forward: measurable and concrete. And for that, of course, we could do our utmost to raise the fund. There is another idea, you know, returning to funding coming from Colombia as regards the working project where we would have additional fund and then certain projects implemented from that fund, that is also measurable and implemented on the ground, which could be considered.
Debate: Question Time  Increasing EU ambitions on biodiversity ahead of COP
Date: TUESDAY, 5 JULY 2022
Speaker: Catherine Chabaud
Political group: Renew
Country: Belgium
Language: FR

Monsieur le Président, Monsieur le Commissaire, comme cela a été largement évoqué la semaine dernière à Lisbonne au sommet des Nations unies sur l’océan, l’océan se trouve dans une situation d’urgence absolue du fait du réchauffement climatique, des pollutions et de nos activités. Comme le rappelle la mission Starfish que vous avez lancée, nous devons impérativement non seulement protéger, mais aussi régénérer nos mers, nos rivières et l’océan si nous voulons continuer à équilibrer le climat, à réduire l’immersion côtière et à nourrir les populations. L’océan est dans une urgence absolue et malgré tout, j’ai été dans l’incapacité de proposer une résolution au Parlement européen cette semaine. Je la reproposerai au mois de septembre. Pour autant, je voudrais saisir l’opportunité de cet échange parce que les Nations unies, comme vous l’avez rappelé, vont prendre des décisions absolument majeures sur plusieurs négociations d’ici la fin de l’année, et même avant la COP15. L’Union européenne joue un rôle fondamental dans ces négociations et je tiens à saluer, Monsieur le Commissaire, l’engagement de la Commission et de vos équipes, que je soutiens. Je voudrais vous dire mon soutien, mais aussi vous poser une première question dans le cadre de la négociation sur la préservation de la biodiversité en haute mer. Est-ce qu’à Lisbonne, vous avez pu avancer sur la...
Debate: Question Time  Increasing EU ambitions on biodiversity ahead of COP
Date: TUESDAY, 5 JULY 2022
Speaker: Virginijus Sinkevičius
Language: EN

Now, as regards the progress made in Lisbon, I have had numerous meetings with my counterparts discussing the possibilities and the outcome of the BBNJ agreement and the meeting in New York. But, as always in negotiations, everything will be done at the very last moment and to say we have made progress or not, is very hard. I hope that we are very close. But even our closest allies have to make a step towards a middle ground in order for us to advance. I think that would be an historic step, which we have to deploy all the possibilities, all the efforts, all the pressures in order to get it done.  So my team is currently focusing mainly on the August meeting. We are reaching out to stakeholders. We welcomed additional countries in our high ambition coalition. Hopefully all these efforts are going to help. But, as I said, you know, it’s extremely hard to predict the outcome of the negotiations.  I was going to the WTO negotiations with a good mood, and thought that we had a deal in sight. Then it took two additional days and nights to get at least a partial deal. So I won’t estimate what I think we should deploy all the possible efforts and then of course ensure that it’s really, really happening. I think that can have a fundamental role than going to Montreal and COP.
Debate: Question Time  Increasing EU ambitions on biodiversity ahead of COP
Date: TUESDAY, 5 JULY 2022
Speaker: Catherine Chabaud
Political group: Renew
Country: Belgium
Language: FR

Monsieur le Président, Monsieur le Commissaire, deux autres questions concernant l’agenda climat. La première: l’Union européenne va-t-elle rejoindre la coalition pour le carbone bleu et inscrire les écosystèmes du carbone bleu dans l’agenda climatique, dans les contributions déterminées des États membres?  Et deuxième question: à Lisbonne, la France s’est prononcée pour l’exploration, mais contre l’exploitation des grands fonds marins. Allez-vous appuyer cette position attendue pour engager d’autres États membres dans cette voie?
Debate: Question Time  Increasing EU ambitions on biodiversity ahead of COP
Date: TUESDAY, 5 JULY 2022
Speaker: Virginijus Sinkevičius
Language: EN

Now, as regards the announcement by the French President, I was of course extremely happy to hear it. And, of course, that depends on Member States if they will be able to join. But my call remains the same. We also put a very clear language into our nature restoration legislation that such activities can be only done when we have a clear scientific evidence, which means that at the moment they cannot be happening and deployed and, of course, I’m happy by President Macron’s clear leadership here and a clear call for other Member States as well to join.