The Minister for Ecological Transition, Teresa Ribera, chaired the meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Biodiversity Foundation.
The Minister for Ecological Transition, Teresa Ribera, today chaired the meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Biodiversity Foundation, which was held at its new headquarters and in which the Action Plan and the budget for 2019 were approved. Among the programmed actions are the calls for aid, whose amount will amount to 22.6 million euros next year.
The new headquarters of the Biodiversity Foundation is an example of the opportunities offered by moving towards more sustainable and collaborative workspaces. It reflects the value of a rehabilitation based on the circular and low-carbon economy, the reuse of structures, energy efficiency, renewable energies and the use of innovative materials.
The 2019 Action Plan provides for the management of projects worth 8.3 million euros, to which must be added 22.6 million that will be allocated to various calls for aid and subsidies. The Plan includes the development of 34 projects, four of them European, including LIFE Shara, Mistic Seas II and LIFE IP INTEMARES, the largest marine conservation project in Europe.
Within the framework of INTEMARES, next year will be key to advancing the governance strategy. The aim is to design several management models for the marine areas of the Natura 2000 Network in which transparency and participation are key to their success. Five demonstration projects will also be launched in a number of key locations yet to be defined, one of them throughout 2019.
MORE THAN 22 MILLION EUROS IN CALLS FOR AID
The Biodiversity Foundation will publish calls for grants and subsidies to support the development of biodiversity conservation projects, allocating 22.6 million euros to this concept.
Thus, for example, the calls for subsidies of the Empleaverde Programme, endowed with 11.4 million, will place special emphasis on promoting the just transition and focusing on vulnerable territories. There will also be a call to promote sustainable fishing activities within the framework of the Pleamar Program, with an amount of 5.1 million euros.
For projects included in the terrestrial biodiversity line, 1.6 million euros will be allocated. Marine biodiversity projects have been allocated €700,000 and €3 million will be allocated to projects to promote climate change adaptation actions. With 1 million euros, the items of private NGOs that develop LIFE Nature projects will be co-financed.
2019 will be a key year for the Foundation in supporting and strengthening constructive activism in our country, which is essential to advance in the generation of a society better prepared for the ecological transition.
ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND SUPPORT FOR THE SCIENTIFIC SECTOR
In addition, within the framework of the LIFE SHARA, and with the aim of strengthening adaptation to climate change and increasing resilience in Spain and Portugal, during 2019 a group of experts will evaluate the progress of the National Adaptation Plan for its update in 2020. There will also be two sectoral seminars, meetings with companies and informative breakfasts. All this, in collaboration with the Spanish Office for Climate Change.
Synergies with the nearly 20 scientific societies will also be strengthened to promote the conservation and knowledge of biodiversity and geodiversity.
At the same time, the Biodiversity Foundation will develop other projects of its own such as an environmental volunteering programme, the strengthening of the Land Stewardship Platform or a new boost from the Emprendeverde Network, which already has more than 8,600 entrepreneurs working within the framework of the green and blue economy.
During 2018 the Biodiversity Foundation has been recognized by various entities, such as the Spanish Red Cross, which awarded it the Gold Medal last May. The Spanish Association of Foundations has also awarded one of its awards to the Biodiversity Foundation and the European Commission has recognised the project LIFE+ Preparation of the Priority Action Framework and the initiative for the protection of the marine environment in Spain, encompassed by the LIFE INDEMARES and INTEMARES projects.
