EU Biodiversity Action Plan
The 14th UN Biodiversity Conference in Sharm El-Sheikh has come to an end with agreements in various areas. Among other things, the 196 contracting parties agreed on an action plan to halt the dramatic global decline of pollinating animals and insects.
In addition to an EU action plan, the conference in Sharm El-Sheikh not only continued global agreements for protected areas as well as for a broad-based preparatory process for a new system of species protection goals, there were very concrete demands for action:
"The global state of nature is worrying. The loss of species and their habitats is, along with climate change, the second major environmental crisis of our time. We are making progress when it comes to designating protected areas, for example. But in other areas, such as reducing subsidies that are harmful to nature, for example in agricultural policy, far too little is still happening. At the next World Biodiversity Conference in Beijing in 2020, we must put global nature conservation on a new footing. It is good that the international community agreed in Sharm El-Sheikh on a clear preparatory process that also involves environmental and business associations. Germany will play an active role here and work for rapid progress in the protection of biodiversity," emphasized Federal Environment Minister Svenja Schulze at the beginning of December 2018.
"Aichi Targets" coming to an end soon
In 2020, the so-called "Aichi Targets" on biodiversity adopted in 2010 will expire and are to be replaced by a new, more robust system of conservation targets. A newly established working group is to develop proposals for committed action over the next two years. The new system is to be adopted in 2020 at the World Biodiversity Conference in Beijing. Germany will then hold the EU Council presidency and be responsible for coordinating the EU states.
Despite difficult negotiations, the conference agreed to declare areas in the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea as significant for biodiversity. This can be seen as a first step towards establishing new marine protected areas.
Action plan pollinators
The Pollinator Action Plan brings insect conservation into the work of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the international chemical conventions. Funding is to be provided and countries are to be supported in setting up pollinator protection programs. The German government is currently working on an insect conservation action program.
In addition to the negotiations, states, science, business and civil society presented measures and solutions to protect biodiversity. Germany also presented its extensive international commitment to achieving the Aichi Targets. (Source: www.bmu.de)
