Today, a letter will be sent to the EU environment ministers presenting the Swedish Presidency’s communication initiative for biological diversity – www.se2009.eu/biodviersity.

“Preserving the biodiversity of nature is crucial for humanity and one of the most challenging tasks we face. As politicians who are committed to the environmental cause, we have a particular responsibility to communicate the value and importance of biodiversity, not only within our governments, parties and political systems, but also to the business sector, local actors and the general public,” says Andreas Carlgren, Swedish Minister for the Environment.

Therefore, the Swedish Presidency of the EU has created a web platform, se2009.eu/biodiversity. The aim is to help to move biodiversity and ecosystem services further up the political agenda. The initiative can be seen as a prelude to next year, which is the International Year of Biodiversity, and CBD COP 10.

On 7–9 September, the Swedish Presidency held the EU high-level meeting ‘Visions for Biodiversity Beyond 2010 – People, Ecosystem Services and the Climate Crisis’ in Strömstad, Sweden. The meeting represented an important step for the EU in showing leadership on the path towards a new UN agreement on biodiversity, which we hope to reach during the autumn of 2010.

The se2009.eu/biodiversity website contains reports from the meeting in Strömstad and background information, new presentation material, an inspiring and thought-provoking slide show and an exhibition, created especially for the meeting in Strömstad. Another aim is to create a bank of best practice examples from EU Member States. Europe’s most recent national park, Kosterhavet Marine National Park, which opened on 9 September, is in itself an example of how local actors, including residents and fishermen, have become involved in the preservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

“There are many good examples around Europe of how biodiversity and local development can go hand in hand. Good examples are convincing and they convey the message themselves,” says Mr Carlgren.