2011-09-Stockholm

GDI consultation with the Government of Sweden

29 September 2011
Ministry of Finance
Stockholm, Sweden

At the request of Lars Berg of the Ministry of the Environment, Francis Vorhies of Earthmind briefed representatives from several Swedish Ministries including Environment, Agriculture, Rural Affairs, and the Swedish Protection Agency, on the GDI. The meeting took place at the Ministry of the Finance. Maria Shultz of SwedeBio
also presented the current status of the CBD Strategy for Resource Mobilisation.

Sweden expressed a strong interest in the GDI approach and stated their commitment to see the Initiative move forward. There was a particular interest in the explicit linkage of  conservation and development outcomes under a green development certification scheme. There was also a desire to gain practical experience by testing the GDI approach both with respect to its application in the field and in its ability to facilitate financial support from the private sector.

In the context of the proposed 3rd phase of the GDI (2012-2013) which will focus on testing the GDI approach through a pilot programme, there was an expressed interest to further explore opportunities for Swedish support for the GDI in terms of political support within the EU and, as appropriate, within CBD processes leading up to COP11 in 2012 in India, as well as in terms of financial support for the 3rd phase of the GDI.