Designation by UNESCO is both an honour and an obligation
Ursula Heinen-Esser, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Environment Ministry accepted the UNESCO certificate recognising the German-Dutch Wadden Sea as World Natural Heritage on behalf of the German government today. The ceremony took place aboard a ship in the German Wadden Sea. "The Wadden Sea is a worldwide unique natural landscape. The designation by UNESCO shows that the Wadden Sea is as exceptional as the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia or the Serengeti in Tanzania," said Ms Heinen-Esser.
With the designation UNESCO also recognises the efforts for the protection of the Wadden Sea undertaken by the riparian countries. "This is a reward for everyone directly involved, but also an obligation for the German government. Therefore, we will continue to give priority to the protection of the Wadden Sea in the future" Heinen-Esser continued.
To this end, the German government will make 2 million euro available for 10 projects in the Länder of Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony. "This will help to maintain the World Heritage Sites and support regional economy, because the protection and sustainable use of the Wadden Sea go hand in hand" underlined Ms Heinen-Esser.