Interview with Stefanie Lang

"From Speech to Action"

International biodiversity policy has made great strides in recent years. In your view, what have the agreements achieved?

These are great agreements that were reached in Montreal in 2022 and at the last Conference of the Parties in Cali and Rome. With the “Global Biodiversity Framework” we have specific global targets for biodiversity conservation and now also suitable financial instruments. This is enormous political progress, but it must now be implemented urgently.

We've had many goals. Do you see the will to implement them?

As I see it, implementation is very different. Some countries take the designation of protected areas very seriously, such as Colombia, Costa Rica or Namibia. But these protected areas need to be protected with good management, and that needs money. Money that is not yet available. That is why I have doubts as to whether there is already a major turnaround.

In the face of wars and economic problems, isn’t attention on the issue diminishing again?

In fact, several bilateral donors are withdrawing from international biodiversity protection. Many people are now generally more sceptical about international cooperation, which unfortunately also has an impact on biodiversity financing. This is a very worrying trend, because the global south has rich biodiversity, but not the money to protect it. Failure to protect this global good together will have enormous consequences for all of us.

What are the consequences?

Biodiversity ensures our survival. Almost everything we humans need for living and working comes from nature: air, water, food, but also medicines and raw materials such as plaster or wood. According to calculations by the World Economic Forum, more than half of global GDP depends in some way on nature. This also applies to German and European companies. According to the European Central Bank, just over two thirds of all European companies outside the financial sector are highly dependent on functioning ecosystems. This means that the decline of nature will eventually have massive consequences for all of us; for example, when drinking water becomes scarce or food becomes extremely expensive. Unfortunately, these facts can easily be suppressed, because nature dies quietly.

And steadily...

Exactly, biodiversity is dying quietly and steadily. An insect here, a plant there. This is not always the same, but since everything is connected and interdependent, this natural safety net will eventually no longer be able to hold. Then nature can no longer provide certain services. We often only notice this when it is too late – when pollinators are suddenly missing from the fields. That is why it has always been difficult to draw people's attention to this. And today, in times of so many different crises, this has become even more complicated. The figures are alarming. We are in the middle of the sixth mass extinction; there is absolutely nothing to gloss over.

Apart from international goals, is there any good news?

There is. This is a global crisis, but it has a proven solution: we need to let nature do it. And, unlike climate change, the positive effects are felt relatively quickly. Protected areas or renaturalisation help immediately. If an ecosystem has not yet been completely destroyed, nature can usually recover well. We have seen this, for example, after the international whaling agreement – the whale population has stabilised. We see this in forests that regenerate and increase when we stop fragmentation or deforestation. This means that we know that nature conservation helps – but we have to put this knowledge into practice.

However, many protected areas exist only on paper. What does effective protection need?

In order for a protected area to actually fulfil its function, it needs a good management plan that is best based on scientific data. What animals and plants are there? What are the risks? What needs to be done? How much does it cost? Which forms of use make sense? These and other issues must be taken into account in such a management plan, and it must be agreed with all the stakeholders. This requires involving authorities, scientists and local people. Local knowledge is also important. We now know that "fortress conservation" doesn't work behind a high fence. In the end, the management of a protected area must be solidly financed and constantly monitored. This is often lacking.

Which leads us to the people on the ground. Recently, the international agreements have placed a great deal of emphasis on the importance of indigenous peoples. Why?

Because they are very important for nature conservation. Many indigenous peoples have been caring for their natural environment for generations and possess a great deal of so-called traditional knowledge. Both make them important actors in nature conservation. However, the conditions for the participation of indigenous peoples are very different. Some are well organised politically, others are not; some have land rights, others do not. In some countries they enjoy great rights, in others they have a difficult position. We must take a close look at the situation and always seek to involve them and strengthen their rights.