Aagesen calls for combining biodiversity and bioeconomy to avoid a sense of "aggrievance."

Madrid, June 2 (EFE).- The third vice president of the Government and Minister for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, Sara Aagesen, called this Monday for combining biodiversity and the bioeconomy to avoid a feeling of "aggrievance" among the population.

"Talking about biodiversity is important, but talking about biodiversity and bioeconomy at the same time is also important. We cannot seek solutions in which the population feels they are being wronged," he stated during the opening session of the Mutis Biodiversity Dialogues Latin America and the Caribbean-Spain, at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Madrid.

Aagesen said that the environmental variable cannot be "isolated" from the rest of the variables if we want to see "the co-benefits of the actions."

The minister advocated for "addressing biodiversity as a fundamental parameter for preserving people's well-being" and emphasized the role of dialogue "in addressing global challenges that require a global response."

"It seems unbelievable that we have to say it louder and clearer every time," he said.

Aagesen noted that 2024 was the warmest year on record, and that the last ten years have seen the highest consecutive temperatures. "These are signs that call us to act together (...). It is a time to call for action, for collaboration, for multilateralism," he said.

The minister noted that Spain "has already reached 36.8% of its terrestrial surface protected," surpassing the 30% target set by the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The goal is to reach 25% of marine surface protected this year, compared to the current 20%.

He also referred to next week's World Ocean Conference in Nice and expressed his hope that many countries will join the Global Ocean Treaty at this "fundamental meeting," as Spain has already done. Sixty signatories are needed for it to enter into force.

"We're not talking about grand slogans, but about real data that impacts us every day," said Aagesen, who referred to two initiatives from his department: the Spanish inventory of natural heritage and biodiversity, "to identify critical changes," and the Integrated Biodiversity Information System (SIIB), which will bring "digitalization and modernization to the management of all available information."

"In Spain, there were many repositories in different parts of the country, in the various autonomous communities, academic institutions, and administrations. We've created a system that unifies, standardizes, and brings together all of that information. It's very innovative. We launched it just a week and a half ago, and we're going to continue working to improve it with the collaboration of all stakeholders," he stated.

He also cited the evolution of two "very emblematic wetlands that were severely damaged, Doñana and the Mar Menor, as an example of changes that "are already visible," and attributed the improvement to this "comprehensive approach, within a framework of environmental and socioeconomic actions."