Last June, the Commission launched an internet consultation on the EU No Net Loss initiative (NNL Initiative). It attracted more than 700 answers. The results have now been presented. 

The consultation asked interested citizens, public authorities, business and NGOs for their views on a future No Net Loss Initiative at EU level. Ideas and comments were welcome on how to develop the policy, how to ensure that impacts are avoided, minimised and compensated for; the scope and the scale of the initiative; which drivers of biodiversity loss and which economic sectors to include; how to tackle the challenges related to offsetting and the choice of policy instruments to use.

The public consultation was open till 17 October and it attracted 723 answers from a broad range of stakeholders. As a next step, the Commission will develop an impact assessment on the policy options for the NNL Initiative. As foreseen in the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020, the NNL initiative is expected in 2015.

The results of the consultation have been aggregated and presented in various formats (brief summaries and full publication of all details): <link http: ec.europa.eu environment nature biodiversity nnl results_en.htm _blank external-link-new-window externen link in neuem>ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/biodiversity/nnl/results_en.htm 

Some of the many results were

• that most respondents across stakeholder groups – although for different reasons - saw an added value in implementing existing legislation better, but were not in favour of a new legal framework. However, the development of a voluntary framework including technical guidance and benchmarking of good practice did attract majority support.
• A majority of the respondents did not agree with the suggestion of focussing a future initiative on land-use change and diffuse pollution. Many of the respondents argued in favour of a wider scope encompassing all the major drivers of biodiversity loss including, in particular, climate change.
• A large majority felt that agriculture, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture were priority sectors for inclusion in a future initiative. There were also calls for the scope to cover all economic sectors in order to include all pressures on biodiversity.
• A significant majority of respondents was of the opinion that a NNL initiative should focus only on territories outside Natura 2000 areas.
• A large majority felt that the NNL initiative should cover the terrestrial and marine environment from the start.