UN General Assembly will hold a special session on biological diversity in 2010
The target of the international community to at least slow down the loss of biological diversity by 2010 is no longer attainable. This is the result of discussions in recent months between the German Federal Environment Ministry, as holder of the presidency of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, and international expert groups. On the occasion of World Earth Day, celebrated today, Federal Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel stated: "Next year, proclaimed by the United Nations International Year of Biological Diversity, heads of state and government should take stock honestly of the target they adopted in 2002 and agree on new, ambitious activities to protect the natural basis of our existence."
There are many successful examples of stopping the destruction of nature and preserving important ecosystems. Germany has often contributed to such successful activities in the context of its international cooperation. Since the Conference of the Parties to the CBD in Bonn in 2008, the Federal Environment Ministry has approved as many as 18 projects, representing a total volume of 35 million euros, within the scope of the German National Climate Protection Initiative.
Despite all efforts, the destruction of nature has continued almost unabatedly since the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in 2002. The overexploitation of the world’s seas, for example, with disastrous overfishing, has increased even further according to the latest report by the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO).
On the occasion of the COP in Bonn, Federal Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel had agreed with the then President of the UN General Assembly, Dr Srgjan Kerim, to hold a special session on biological diversity on the level of the heads of state and government. The new President of the United Nations General Assembly, Mr Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann, reconfirmed in New York to Mr Jochen Flasbarth, Director-General for Nature Conservation and Sustainable Use of Nature and acting President of the CBD Bureau, the UN's willingness to hold such a special session. They indicated the 20 September 2010, the day before the beginning of the ordinary session of the United Nations General Assembly, as an appropriate date.