Integrating biodiversity in regional development - Brittany, France

Julie Verré and Muriel Fagot

Conseil Général des Côtes d‘Armor

27 September 2012, Cardiff

SURF Nature : an opportunity

• The SURF project represented a real opportunity to:

- Learn from our EU counterparts - Lead a local “campaign” aimed at financing bodies and project promoters

The SURF project gave us a framework and a tight timescale, which allowed us to contribute in a timely manner to the preparation of the new EU programmes.

Technical exchanges

Oct 2011 : EU seminar Jan 2012 : wide regional dissemination of the recommendations April – May 2012: one region-wide consultation June 2012: One draft regional report “The use of ERDF funds for

biodiversity in Brittany – analysis and recommendations” June 2012: Regional event + training session Sept 2012: wide dissemination of the report, including

recommendations for 2014 - 2020

Local actions supported by SURF Nature

Oct 2011: EU workshop

Objective: Raise awareness and convince regional stakeholders of the need to maintain EU funding, and ERDF in particular for nature conservation

Number of participants: 90Attendees: Environmental NGOs, small local authorities, technicians and elected representatives from Conseil General, ERDF managing authority: competitiveness + 2 INTERREG programmes, EU funds experts.

Outputs:

A set of recommendations for managing authorities on how to invest in nature protection

Oct 2011: EU workshop in St Brieuc

“It was great to mingle with people from different backgrounds and expertise”, “We can only encourage the organisation of another event, where we could learn more about EU programmes and projects and the future”.

Oct 2011 : recommendations

Recommendations agreed at the seminar: Integrate biodiversity in local development - Protect extraordinary and ordinary habitats - Invest in Green Infrastructure - Support environment education - Support small project promoters- Support partnership working - Improve support and information to project promoters

Dissemination: Dissemination: From our President to a) From our President to a) the regional authorities: Regional Council and the representation of the State in the Region (EU funds Managing authority), b) all attendees and key local authorities in Brittany.

•

2012: The Regional Report Améliorer les politiques pour la préservation de la nature et la biodiversité, en augmentant les opportunités de financement pour la protection de la nature

How? 1. One consultant 2. 21 interviews : NGOs, Local

authorities, managing authorities3. Bibliographical work4. One regional event5. One report 6. One synthesis in French and

English7. Dissemination strategy

Objective: analyse current use of the ERDF fund for biodiversity, identify the needs of biodiversity stakeholders, and research funding opportunities for the upcoming European programming for the 2014-2020 period

June 2012: Regional event

Objective: Inform stakeholders of the new programming framework 2014 -2020, inform managing authorities of the local needs for funding based on the regional report.

Number of participants: 60

Attendees: Environmental NGOs, Small local authorities, Technicians and elected representatives from our Council Competitiveness programme authorities INTERREG programmes authorities (IVB and IVA)Association des Départements de France.

•

ERDF Analysis from the regional report

Competitiveness programme for Brittany 2007 -2013:

1. A programme that is less than encouraging for minor project promoters2. Fuzzy articulation between the ERDF-EAFRD-EFF regional programmes3. A lack of consistency within ERDF objectives, and a calling into question of

the reliability of the indicators 4. Interpretations in the types of action eligible, which work against leadership

and engineering actions5. A programme that is incomplete in terms of biodiversity and protection of

the natural world6. Difficulties relating to the bureaucratic burden of applications and cashflow

problems

But:

The 4 INTERREG programmes devote the lion’s share of their budget to biodiversity actions

•

How can biodiversity in Brittany be defended and promoted through the upcoming ERDF programme?

1. Improve the accessibility of ERDF funds to biodiversity stakeholders, including small organisations

1. Give more weight to biodiversity in the Operational Programmes funded by ERDF

1. Improve governance of ERDF funds, in line with other European, national and territorial public policies

Complete report and annexes on : www.surf-nature.eu/

•

Dissemination of the report

1. Regional authorities in charge of ERDF funds: CRB, SGAR, DREAL. 2. 250 reports sent by direct mail to elected rep + environmental organisations 3. Members of the Regional Commission for EU programming in Brittany

(CRPE)4. Articles in various networks, e.g. ARIC (9000 mayors and councillors

targeted)5. Dissemination to all French Départements through the Association of

French Departement 6. Dissemination to the French section of the regions and communes of

Europe…

Complete report and annexes on : www.surf-nature.eu/

Influencing regional policy : competitiveness programme

• Summer 2012: Regional Diagnosis : bibliography based

• 26/09/12: Consulation on the diagnosis

• By mid-2013: development of OPs

- Regional report sent by our President to Region + SGAR- Environmental stakeholders informed about process and encouraged to contribute

- Provision of data and complementary information

- Regular liaison with Regional Council and environmental stakeholders

Key is to inform environmental stakeholders about the process as they are not well-informed.

Influencing regional policy : Co-operation programmes

The process is just starting. We are ready to contribute thanks to the SURF projects.

INTERREG IVA: The General Council are official partners and can contribute more easily.

INTERREG IVB and C: Local authorities of our level (NUTS 3) are not involved directly. We need to identify « friends » that can relay our message: Regional councils, associations of local authorities, major environmental NGOs.

Key is to inform environmental stakeholders about the process for them to contribute and lobby.

Contact en France:

Conseil Général des Côtes d’Armor

Julie Verré et Muriel Fagot

Let´s make financing biodiversity a success story!

Thanks for your attention!

www.surf-nature.eu