Nature protection and biodiversity - Why care? (Luxembourg)

While landscape fragmentation, habitat loss and species extinction, despite progress in many areas within the realm of conservation issues, are still unabated throughout the world, new insights, based on scientific research, clearly demonstrate the strong dependence of human well-being on natural resources and ecosystem services. There is no doubt among conservationists that in the wake of continuing human population growth and economic prosperity, biodiversity and nature conservation will play a key role in securing the livelihoods of future generations. Halting biodiversity loss by 2010 is one of the strategic objectives of Luxembourg’s National Plan for Nature Protection (‘Plan National Protection de la Nature’), adopted by the government in May 2007. The mid-term review of implementation of this plan reflects the overall assessment made earlier, recognising the swift implementation of measures and programmes while many species and habitats are still declining, mainly due to land-use changes and landscape fragmentation [Note 1].