By signing the Countdown 2010 Declaration today, the German Government announced that biodiversity will be one of the main agenda items during its Presidencies of the EU and the G-8.
By signing the Countdown 2010 Declaration today, the German Government announced that biodiversity will be one of the main agenda items during its Presidencies of the EU and the G-8.
In particular, Germany will advance a plan for an international network of marine protected areas during its EU Presidency. It will therefore organize a European marine expert workshop on marine ecosystems in close cooperation with the Countdown 2010 Secretariat.
Furthermore, the German Government supports ongoing initiatives to stronger engage the private sector as well as cities and municipalities in the conservation of biodiversity.
Matthias Machnig, State Secretary of the Ministry of the Environment, also announced to transfer 125’000 hectares federal property of outstanding natural value to the “Länder” and to foundations in order to protect these areas permanently as well as to adopt and implement the German National Biodiversity Strategy.
“The destruction of ecosystems around the world is the biggest political challenge next to climate change,” stressed Matthias Machnig. “Germany calls for the topic to be permanent on the global agenda to reverse the trend of the ongoing loss of biodiversity until 2010.”
Klaus Töpfer, former Executive Director of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) pointed out that sustainable financing and capacity-building including an effort for increased development aid will be a prerequisite to achieving the 2010 biodiversity target.
Manfred Niekisch, IUCN Councillor, congratulated Germany for singing the Countdown 2010 Declaration and highlighted the critical role Germany will have to play during its three Presidencies by putting the 2010 biodiversity target on the political agenda.
The signing ceremony took place after a CBD expert workshop for the preparation of the next CBD COP in May 2008 in Bonn, Germany. Elaine Fisher, Chairwoman of the workshop, handed a set of recommendations for the implementation of the CBD and the goal to reduce the loss of biodiversity by 2010.
