News
UK Commits £8.3m to Biodiversity Projects Around the World: Knight in Brazil to see Impact First Hand
25th March 2006
UK Biodiversity Minister, Jim Knight, is in the heart of the Amazon this weekend seeing first hand work that demonstrates the UK's position as a leader in the international biodiversity arena.
In Brazil, ahead of international biodiversity talks, Mr Knight is in the Mamiraua Sustainable Development Reserve visiting a Darwin Initiative project which aims to protect precious fish species in the area, whilst safeguarding the livelihoods of local communities.
Managed by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), in conjunction with Brazilian partners, this ornamental fishery project demonstrates the UK's leadership role, with the project building capacity among fishers, the local community, researchers, reserve managers, and national and international traders.
Mr Knight said: "As a rapidly developing economy and megadiverse country, Brazil is an important player in the biodiversity world.
"Visiting the Amazon region provides us with the perfect opportunity to see this essential work on protecting our biodiversity at first hand and how the UK is helping this process.
"This ornamental fishery project is a flagship project which clearly demonstrates sustainable development in action, and shows us that government funding is being well spent."
ZSL Marine and Freshwater Conservation Programme Manager, Alison Shaw, said: "This project provides a fantastic opportunity to engage with local communities to improve management of their natural resources from which they benefit.
"Whilst protecting the fish populations of the Brazilian Amazon, our project develops sustainable trade-links between the UK and Brazil. I am delighted the Zoological Society of London have been given the opportunity to lead this exciting project."
Mr Knight said: "The UK is active in the world of biodiversity at home and abroad, and we have the expertise to help other countries working toward their 2010 targets to halt the loss of biodiversity.
"To help this vital conservation work continue around the world, I am pleased to announce today that Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) is committing a further £8.3M to 41 new Darwin Initiative projects over the next three years.
"The Darwin Initiative has a high reputation for securing real results for biodiversity with impacts often continuing well beyond the project lifetime. It supports projects that bring lasting benefits to the host country, such as added expertise and understanding and a greater commitment and ability to benefit from and look after biodiversity.
"This funding will go a long way to contributing to this valuable work."
Mr Knight continued: "I have also recently announced £3.8M for biodiversity projects at home in the United Kingdom. Thirty-three biodiversity projects have been awarded to voluntary organisations in England over the next two years, with local communities and volunteers at the heart of many of the projects.
"The Countdown 2010 Biodiversity Action Fund will help the UK Government to achieve its commitment to halt biodiversity loss by 2010."
Looking ahead to the eighth meeting of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Conference of the Parties (COP 8), Mr Knight said: "The UK Government has a strong commitment to the CBD process and working with other countries to help ensure the world's biodiversity is protected and used in a sustainable manner for all to benefit from.
"People are right to link biodiversity with government action, we need to show leadership and commitment, demonstrating the way forward. We also need to work in partnership with non-government organisations, business, the scientific community, and above all with people. We all have responsibility for the world's biodiversity and we can all make a difference in small ways in our daily lives."
