After around two weeks of negotiations, the participants at the World Nature Summit in Montreal, Canada, agreed on a final declaration on Monday. Among other things, the around 200 countries set themselves the goal of protecting at least 30 percent of the world’s land and sea areas by 2030. They also want to spend more money on protecting biodiversity.

After the adoption, cheers erupted at the plenary session at the Montreal Convention Center, which had previously been pushed back time and again. Organizers, scientists and representatives of non-governmental organizations had hoped until the end that a trend-setting global agreement for species protection could be passed at the meeting.

Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke acknowledged the final declaration as a signal of determination. "The international community has decided to finally stop the extinction of species," emphasized the Green politician on Monday in Montreal, Canada. The decision spans "a protective shield for our livelihoods". Lemke spoke of a good day for environmental protection: "By protecting nature, we protect ourselves and also ensure an environment worth living in for our children."

The 15th World Summit on Nature - which also goes by the abbreviation COP15 - was originally supposed to take place in China in 2020, but was then postponed and divided due to the ongoing pandemic situation there. The first part of the negotiations took place last October, mainly online, in Kunming, China.