Early November, Federal Environment Minister Dr. Norbert Röttgen has officially opened in the presence of DBU Secretary General Dr. Fritz Brickwedde in Berlin the UN Decade of Biodiversity. He followed a call by the General Assembly of the United Nations to counteract the decline of biodiversity in the decade from 2011 to 2020. Röttgen literally: »Whoever touches nature and exploits its capital, rather than to maintain it and preserve it in the long term is unreasonable - environmentally, but also economically.« The Minister invited all interested parties, to shape the UN Decade and to contribute already in the coming year with own activities under the motto »Enjoy diversity – Nature is leisure«.
Minister Röttgen also launched a competition for the best decade projects for which one can apply already now. The competition is divided into two categories:
Official decade projects receive with their award also a certificate and materials for public relations and the digital logo of the UN Decade »Official Project of the Decade of Biodiversity«. The project will be listed and presented on the official German decade website. This provides the opportunity for comprehensive public relations. With the award, the quality of the project will be officially confirmed. The decision on which of the projects will be awarded as UN Decade Projects will be made by a jury on the basis of clear criteria, which are available on the website together with further information.
