Terrestrial and marine biodiversity conservation and environmental protection

Context

The climate, biodiversity and pollution crises are threatening the livelihoods of current and future generations. Human beings have already altered 75 per cent of terrestrial ecosystems, 40 per cent of marine ecosystems and 50 per cent of rivers.

Conserving the natural resources on which human life depends is essential for ensuring peace and prosperity and ultimately for the survival of the human race. This is addressed in the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. With the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in particular, the international community has committed to preserving and making sustainable use of biodiversity and to restoring it where it has already been destroyed. This is being done in line with the goals and targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).

Objective

The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) contributes to the design of international and national development processes and initiatives that implement ambitious and far-reaching environmental policy. A key aim is to improve terrestrial and marine biodiversity conservation in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda and meet the goals and targets of the CBD’s GBF.

Approach

The programme advises BMZ’s ‘Environmental policy, biodiversity, forests, marine conservation’ division on the environmental design of development policy.

It also supports BMZ in steering and refining development cooperation on environmental protection – particularly biodiversity conservation – and with the associated public communication activities.

In addition, it acts as the secretariat for the MeerWissen and Green Value Initiatives. In cooperation with China and the African partner countries Namibia and Zambia, the programme contributes to the dissemination and refinement of the IUCN Global Green List Standards, with the aim of achieving fair and effective conservation results in protected and conserved areas.

Last update: June 2023