May 22 is Biodiversity Day

OTTAWA--As we examine and reconsider our economic structures in the face of the current uncertainty, the Green Party urges Canadian policy makers to consider the value of our biological diversity as the basis of all of our systems.  Wild fish, natural forests and productive agricultural soils represent some of the real wealth of a nation.  "The economic crisis is an opportunity to do things differently," said Green Leader Elizabeth May.  "We should be extending Canada's existing system of national accounts to include measures of annual changes in the depletion and addition to Canada's principal biological resources. As depletion or addition to fish, trees and soils takes place, these should be reflected in measures of Canada's worth."

A serious analysis of the economic costs, values and benefits of key ecological functions would allow better public policies and more comprehensive statements about the true economic value of biodiversity as a whole.  Purely economic measurements - such as GDP - ignore key social, environmental and long-term economic features in different parts of the country.  Evaluation methods such as the Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) consider the economics of protecting biodiversity and the development of fiscal tools to limit the negative impact of human activity on the Ecosphere.

By examining economic valuations for ecosystem services, local communities could provide new insights and rationales for the conservation of local and regional biodiversity. These tools stand to play a key role making citizens aware of the attributes of strong biodiversity and help achieve the intent of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

"As climate change brings new threats to biodiversity, we will realize that we rely heavily on our ecosystems for food, water and resources.  We need to redesign our economic systems so that costs of pollution and loss of biodiversity are properly accounted for," said Lisa Fox, Environment Critic for the Greens.  "Valuing our ecosystems is an important part of safeguarding them for future generations."

The United Nations proclaimed May 22 the International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues.

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Contact:
Michael Bernard
Communications Officer
Green Party of Canada
613-562-4916 ext. 244
(c) 613-614-4916
michael.bernard@greenparty.ca