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Marine Conservation

Marine Conservation

Our oceans contain 97 percent of the world’s water resources. They are rich in biodiversity and supply natural resources, food as well as active substances for medicines. Furthermore, they store energy supplies, serve as routes of transport and offer high recreational value. In short, the value of the world’s oceans is immense – in social, environmental and economic terms.

Das Wattenmeer in Niedersachsen im Sonnenuntergang.

Films on the topic of marine protection

Explanatory film (short): Safely recovering and disposing of old munitions in the sea

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Latest on Marine Conservation

Schneider beim G7-Umweltministertreffen in Paris
Press International | 22.04.26

Minister Schneider at G7 Environment Ministers’ Meeting in Paris

Key topics of the meeting include strengthening marine conservation, addressing illegal fishing, financing biodiversity measures, and improving the protection of global water resources.

Press Nature and Biological Diversity | 17.04.26

Programme spearheads turnaround for peatland management in Germany

Carsten Schneider has unveiled a new funding program designed to facilitate the rewetting of 90,000 hectares of land over the next few years. Agriculture and forestry will continue to be practiced on this land.

Press Marine Conservation | 03.12.25

Germany joins the United Nations BBNJ Agreement

The German cabinet has approved two draft laws that will enable Germany to accede to the UN Convention on the Protection of the High Seas and implement it.

Luftaufnahme von Kapstadt
Press International | 16.10.25

Schneider attends G20 environment ministers' meeting in South Africa

Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider will participate in the G20 climate and environment ministerial meeting in Cape Town. Priority topics are climate action, biodiversity conservation and marine protection.

Frachter auf Main-Donau-Kanal
Report Mobility | 15.10.25

Carsten Schneider on climate action in shipping

The member states of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) are negotiating measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in London.

Press International | 22.07.25

High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in New York

Germany presented its third Voluntary National Review today at the United Nations in New York. Dr. Bärbel Kofler and Rita Schwarzelühr-Sutter from the BMUKN jointly represented the German government in New York.

Press Marine Conservation | 13.06.25

International community sends signal for rules-based global marine action

With the adoption of the Nice Ocean Action Plan, the international community has committed to ambitious marine conservation and protection at the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, which ends today.

Bundesumweltministerin Steffi Lemke bei der Pressekonferenz
Press International | 16.01.25

BMUV, INTERPOL and WWF launch collaboration on environmental crime

The cooperation between the BMUV, INTERPOL and WWF covers environmental crime in the areas of fishing, deforestation, mining, environmental pollution and wildlife trade. The BMUV is providing five million euros for this purpose.

Gruppenbild
Press Nature and Biological Diversity | 02.11.24

CBD COP16 adopts key decisions for nature conservation

The 16th World Conference on Nature in Cali has come to an end after long negotiations. The international community has thus taken another important step towards the protection and restoration of nature.

Junger Orang-Utan sitzt im Regenwald auf einem Baum
Press International | 17.10.24

Germany steps up its global efforts for nature

In 2023, the German government provided 1.36 billion euros for the conservation of species and ecosystems in developing and emerging economies. This is an increase of more than 450 million euros compared with 2022.

Steffi Lemke spricht mit Mikrofon in der Hand
Press International | 23.04.24

UN ministers push for a strong UN instrument to combat plastic pollution

A high-level meeting of environment ministers in Ottawa, Canada concluded on Monday with a clear framework for a far-reaching global UN agreement to end plastic pollution.

Press Marine Conservation | 16.04.24

9th Our Ocean Conference

Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke has called for swift ratification of the UN BBNJ Agreement on the occasion of this year’s Our Ocean Conference in Athens.

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