According to Saxony's Environment Minister Wolfram Günther, species extinction and the loss of habitats have also reached a breathtaking pace in Saxony. "The situation is threatening. More than half of the habitat types and almost half of the species of European protected biotopes and species are now more endangered than 15 years ago. This needs an answer," the Green politician told the German Press Agency. This is provided by the Saxon biodiversity program. The aim is to reverse the trend by 2030. By 2050, all protected species should be in a favorable conservation status.
Protecting species also pays off economically
The minister placed the efforts to protect species in a wider context. "We need biodiversity for quality of life and prosperity. The declining number of insects, for example, threatens agricultural yields. And intact, living floodplains serve flood protection and water availability. Species conservation also pays off economically. Species conservation and climate protection ensure prosperity."
The Green politician recalled numerous conservation programs, especially for endangered species such as the lynx, field hamster, black grouse, the meadow blue - a butterfly species - or the freshwater pearl mussel. "They have achieved their minimum goals of preventing extinction. But they still need several more years to restore self-sustaining populations." Decisions on new projects will be made as part of a national recovery plan for the corresponding EU regulation, which the member states must draw up by the end of 2026.
