The decline in biodiversity and the weakening of ecosystems, environmental pollution and the unsustainable exploitation of natural resources are equally important challenges. The government is committed to strong nature conservation. Efforts in the above-mentioned areas will be stepped up in order to preserve the natural foundations of our society and meet the challenges posed by the climate, biodiversity and pollution crises.

Strong nature protection with pragmatic and understandable rules

The biodiversity crisis is a major threat to our society and the Government will ensure that the measures and international commitments set out in the^3rd National Nature Conservation Plan (PNPN3) and the^3rd River Basin Management Plan are implemented consistently.

The Government will promote an ambitious legislative and regulatory framework that guarantees a high level of protection for the natural environment. The resulting requirements must be clear, precise, proportionate, effective, transparent and comprehensible. Margins for interpretation must be avoided.

There is a lack of an active strategy to improve the implementation of the third National Nature Protection Plan (PNPN3). The continuous degradation of biodiversity – particularly in open landscapes on agricultural land – is progressing unchecked. At best, this is compensated by ongoing large-scale biotope restoration projects, but it is not sufficient for nature to recover. A results-based indicator to assess the implementation of the PNPN3 is missing.
Although the legislative framework has been addressed through a reform of the Nature Protection Act, this reform has in many respects been more detrimental than beneficial to nature.

The reforms of the Nature Protection Act presented in 2025 unfortunately confuse “pragmatism” with regression. While there are some improvements in the text (which, however, do not go far enough) intended to facilitate practical conservation work in the “zone verte” for nature conservation syndicates and organisations, the provisions of the draft law “Méi a méi séier bauen” and the planned legislative changes within the framework of the expansion of renewable energies would significantly weaken nature conservation.