Agriculture ministry: Hungary committed to preserving ecosystems

The global framework strategy addressing biodiversity and climate change must explore the main causes of biodiversity loss and mandate that biodiversity conservation requirements be integrated into the objectives of the sectors it affects, a deputy state secretary of the agriculture ministry said in Prague on Thursday.

Addressing an informal meeting of EU environment ministers, Bertalan Balczó said that more emphasis should be given to the implementation of the strategy and its monitoring, according to a statement by the ministry.

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He highlighted the importance of the protection, restoration and sustainable management of ecosystems, pointing out that it contributes to water and food security, to maintaining a healthy and liveable urban environment and preventing extreme weather conditions and natural disasters.

Balczó noted that Hungary has seen an improvement in the condition and quality of over 300,000 hectares of natural area since 2004. Hungary’s draft National Biodiversity Strategy for the period up to 2030 is awaiting approval, he said, adding that it includes separate provisions on further exploring the link between climate change and the preservation of biodiversity and ways of improving the resilience of ecosystems to climate change.