Fostering Action for Biodiversity

Most of the AICHI Targets of the Convention on Biological Diversity have not been met and the number of threatened species on the red list by IUCN continues increasing.

The biggest threats to biodiversity are the direct exploitation of resources in nature and the change of land and sea use, both caused by human activities (IPBES 2019). In 2010, the countries of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) agreed to the twenty AICHI targets to reduce pressure on biodiversity of which none of them has been fully achieved by 2020. Since then a CBD working group has developed a draft on the post-2020 global biodiversity framework with four goals reached by 2050 with milestones until 2030 to assess the process. Biodiversity is still declining, pressures on essential ecosystem functions, and consequently food security cannot be ensured, the economy may slump, and human health and well-being are in danger (IPBES 2019).  

Biodiversity in Germany is still declining and the aim to increase it by 2030 will not be met without substantial actions from stakeholders involved.

Germany’s landscapes have been shaped by the construction of settlements, infrastructure, changes in water bodies and of use in agriculture and forestry, which causes habitat fragmentation and decline of species diversity. The target to increase species diversity and landscape quality, that the German government is aiming for in the biodiversity strategy until 2030, seems impossible to accomplish without significant additional effort from all stakeholders. Only in forests, biodiversity tends to increase, while in urban areas and agricultural land, biodiversity has not increased in the past decade (BMUV 2017). Without biodiversity in these areas, ecosystems are less resilient and less productive which puts human health and wellbeing at risk.

Many species groups in Saxony are endangered or extinct and are still declining despite countermeasures. Without them, important ecosystem services for humans will be gone as well.

Saxony in the heart of Europe offers two very special landscapes. Saxon Switzerland with its iconic mountains and Upper Lusatia heath and pond landscapes provide unique habitats for many species and create so-called biodiversity hotspots. Although these landscapes are protected, especially species diversity is still declining. Creating optimal habitats for the endangered black grouse (Lyrurus tetrix) for example has not yet led to an increase in the population (LFULG Sachsen 2019). For the successful protection of biodiversity, ambitious and accountable action targets will be needed in the short and long term (SMEKUL 2020).

The increasing demand for cheaper food has intensified agricultural production which degrades ecosystems that cannot recover to keep their productivity. Agrobiodiversity, including genetics, organisms, and ecosystems in and around food systems (FAO 2019), is declining, which puts human survival at risk. Nowadays, 75 per cent of food is derived from only 12 plant and five animal species and varieties are still declining (FAO 1999). Wild relatives of those varieties play a key role for long-term food security and yet their conservation status is poor. In addition, almost half of habitable land on Earth is covered by agriculture and continues to increase, resulting in ecosystem degradation and biodiversity loss (Benton et al. 2021).

In Germany, half of its land is used for agriculture and food demand is responsible for global deforestation and biodiversity loss. Therefore, the agri-food system has a major responsibility in protecting biodiversity.

Most of the fen soils in Germany, usually rich in biodiversity, are under threat of complete destruction because they are now covered by agricultural land and forests. Species diversity in agricultural land in Germany is still showing a downward trend despite countermeasures (BMUV 2017). Losing important functional species in soils decreases the productivity of the ecosystem and threatens food security. In addition, the demand for cheaper and more exotic food contributes to global deforestation (Benton et al. 2021).

The percentage of organic farming in Saxony is still too low to have a positive effect on the overall status of biodiversity. With more biodiversity-friendly practices, ecosystems can become more resilient and provide the ecosystem services needed for human survival. 

Agricultural land covers more than half of the total land area of Saxony, which makes it the dominant land-use type in the State. Although a more effective, less harmful use of fertilisers and pesticides was practised by farmers in the past years (SMEKUL 2020), the removal of diverse habitats has threatened biodiversity in Saxony. Organic farming, yet only slowly increasing, opens the possibility to cultivate more varieties and with the use of less harmful pesticides, it is favourable for the status of biodiversity.

If biodiversity is not becoming an essential part when measuring economic success, humankind will face an existential threat to their well-being.

Biodiversity loss is one of the five top risks among climate action failure and extreme weather. It points out that it will affect businesses and human health and well-being if we continue with biodiversity-damaging production and consumption (WEF 2020). Restoring ecosystems, that have been degraded beyond their ability to recover, will be more difficult and expensive, especially in low-income countries where the dependency on nature is higher.

Excessive production and consumption affect natural capital and biodiversity in Germany and other countries.

Germany is a role model regarding environmental standards and its investment in global conservation. Yet, it achieved its economic growth at the expense of natural capital, putting human health and well-being at risk (TEEB Germany 2018). The not identified value of ecosystem services turns into costs to society and it is approved to be cheaper investing in nature conservation than paying off the societal consequences. The difficulty lies in the translation of actions having an impact on global environment and societal problems in developing countries and not only within Germany itself (TEEB Germany 2018).

Both missing knowledge and missing reporting on biodiversity-friendly management in the local economy lead to a “business-as-usual" scenario which intensifies biodiversity loss and threatens the economy.

At the national level, the status of biodiversity and ecosystem services are reported in various sectors (e.g., National Forest Inventory, climate reporting, etc.), which include many aspects of natural capital (TEEB Germany 2018). Yet, reports of the role of biodiversity in the economy, especially on the local level, are missing. Nevertheless, companies are following the trend of lowering their GHG emissions and Saxony is supporting innovations by focusing on circular economy, water management and environmental technologies (SWAK 2020).

Against the context of cities expanding faster in the Global South, there is globally poor/declining support for the achievement of SDG 11 (Sustainable cities and communities). 

Four out of five Targets of SDG 11 have been assessed to have substantial negative trends in terms of nature and its contribution to people on a global scale (IPBES 2019). While there is partial support for the protection and safeguarding of cultural and natural heritage (SDG 11.4), there is major room for improvement in inclusive and sustainable urbanisation (SDG 11.3), reduction of deaths and those affected by disasters (SDG 11.5), reduction in adverse environmental impact of cities (SDG 11.6), and universal access to green and public spaces (SDG 11.7) (IPBES 2019). These developments occur against the background of urban areas growing fastest in the Global South (IPBES 2019).

There are successful efforts in maintaining urban biodiversity in Germany, and a focus on the causes of biodiversity loss in its international biodiversity financing activities.

Every day, almost 70 ha of new land is lost to human settlements and transport infrastructure in Germany (Umweltbundesamt 2015). There have been successful urban biodiversity programmes, such as in Berlin, that recognised early on the value of existing wildlife in the city as an asset (Tertilt 2010). Abroad, biodiversity conservation has been a key area of Germany’s international cooperation with developing countries, focusing on the drivers of biodiversity loss while promoting sustainable production and consumption (BMUV 2018).

Citizen science projects can increase public understanding for the importance of urban biodiversity.

Citizen science projects in Saxony such as VielFalterGarten present opportunities for citizens to get involved in protecting urban biodiversity – by contributing towards monitoring in this case the number of butterflies in the city – they support researchers collect data to better analyse green spaces and environmental changes in cities. By participating, citizens are made aware of the status and importance of urban biodiversity.

Global warming has pushed species to shift their habitats and life cycles up to their tolerance limits and those unable to do so have become extinct. 

Anthropogenic actions, such as land-use change and increasing energy consumption which leads to increasing GHG emissions intensify climate change directly, causing species to have to shift their habitat and lifecycles or risk becoming extinct. From the other side, deforestation of rainforests leads to a decline of biodiversity and influences the global water cycle, which complicates living conditions for plants and animals (IPCC 2022, IPBES-IPCC 2021).

Due to climate change, temperature and precipitation change in the long term which creates better conditions for disease carriers and increases risk for human health.

With changing temperature and precipitation in Germany, the living conditions are becoming more favourable for tropical disease carriers and the risk for infections for both animals and humans is getting higher (Umweltbundesamt 2019). Rising temperature in all landscape types (forests, agricultural land, lakes, rivers) leads to changes in the ecosystem and ecosystem services with effects on vegetation and life cycles for pests. This, for example, threatens the survival of forests and agricultural food production.

Climate change causes heat stress in summer months and more frequent intense rainfalls in Saxony. This threatens species adapted to cold and moist habitats and risks human health.

Saxony, especially the region Lusatia, is one of the warmest regions in Germany. With climate change, temperatures and heavy rains will continue to rise and threaten ecosystems (Umweltbundesamt 2021). The biggest threat is caused to wetlands and water-depended species. Saxony’s contribution to climate change through GHG emission comes mainly from the lignite-fired power plant – in 2018, it contributed up to half of all emissions in the federal state (SMEKUL 2021). In addition, landscape changes caused by mining destroyed many ecosystems and cannot be restored to the same extent in the short term. Nevertheless, new habitats can be created with pioneer species bridging the biodiversity loss and helping recreate a diverse and healthy ecosystem.