"To ensure that the full value of nature and natural resources becomes operational in economic decision-making in Europe, including the European Unionīs cohesion policies."
Nature's capital - air, soil, water, plants and animals - is being spent at an alarming rate. If we think of the Earth as a bank account, natural resources make up its capital, generating the interest on which we live. If we erode the resources and squander the capital, the rate of interest must fall.
The European Union spends a third of its annual budget to close the economic gap between the richest and poorest regions of Europe. Too often, these Structural Funds are used to build roads and other large construction projects in the hope that they will bring long-term economic growth and employment.
WWF advocates a different type of development. Local communities should be involved in designing the programmes and projects suitable for their needs. Ultimately, the regional funds should become the paymaster for sustainable development in Europe.