Under the Portuguese Presidency of the European Union, business leaders, biodiversity experts, NGOs and policy makers, explored how European business can improve its competitiveness whilst halting biodiversity loss.

The November 2007 conference contributed to an improved understanding of the competitive advantages gained from preserving biodiversity. It also provided guidance to the European Commission's new initiative on business and biodiversity.

Francis Vorhies  assisted the IUCN Countdown 2010 team to design and run this conference.

     earthmind.net/eibb 

     www.countdown2010.net/business 

Related to the European initiative on business and biodiversity, UNEP undertook an pilot project to develop issue-based modules for the coherent implementation of the biodiversity conventions. The pilot phase focused on four priority cross-cutting issues -- climate change, inland waters, invasive alien species and sustainable use -- all of which have direct relevance to business and biodiversity.

Francis Vorhies was a senior consultant to this project with an assignment to integrate relevant European biodiversity agreements for four pilot countries: Belgium, Norway, Hungary and Russia.

     earthmind.net/issues