Nature protection and biodiversity - Why care? (Germany)

Worldwide there is a dramatic reduction in biological diversity, largely caused by human activity. To stop this, the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development adopted the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Article 6 of the CBD requires the Contracting Parties to develop national strategies, plans or programmes for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity or to adapt existing ones. At the Rio + 10 follow-up conference 2002, heads of state decided that there must be a significant reduction in biodiversity loss worldwide by 2010.

Acting under its obligation under Article 6 of the CBD, the Federal Government adopted the National Biodiversity Strategy in 2007. This sets out a comprehensive, cross-sectoral action programme for the whole of society, covering all the issues that are relevant to biodiversity.