Member Type Country

Germany

Germany is committed to marine and coastal protection, for instance as part of its International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU). In developing and transition countries, it supports projects that work worldwide at the interface between biodiversity and climate protection. These projects are aimed at making the use of coastal and marine resources more sustainable, restoring natural ecosystems and, in particular, enabling coastal communities to maintain their livelihoods. Coral Reefs play an important role in some of the projects.

Financed by the BMU through IKI Blue Solutions is a global project implemented in partnership by GIZ, GRID-Arendal, IUCN and UN Environment. Blue Solutions has produced a booklet entitled ‘Blue Nature-based Solutions in Nationally Determined Contributions: A booklet for Successful Implementation‘ which provides solutions and best practices on how essential ecosystems such as coral reefs can be rehabilitated, conserved and managed sustainably for future generations. It offers a deep dive into how existing examples on coastal and marine Nature-based Solution can inform and inspire the design and the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) – including for NDC transparency and review cycles – in the national, sub-national and even project-level context.

Germany does not have any Marine Protected Areas with coral reefs because coral reefs naturally do not appear in German waters.

However, there are ten Marine Protected Areas (Natura 2000 sites) in the German EEZ. In total, approximately 45% of the German marine area (coastal waters and EEZ) is under protection (approximately 43% of the North Sea and approx. 51% of the Baltic Sea).

The Marine Natura 2000 sites are mainly selected according to the presence and distribution of specific species of sea birds, marine mammals and fish, and of sandbank and reef habits of high conservation value and international importance. The species and habitats concerned are listed in the annexes to the Birds Directive and the Habitats Directive. The aim of designating the sites is to protect these special, threatened habitats and species.

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