Germany’s Federal Environment Minister Röttgen opens the touring exhibition of the Business and Biodiversity Initiative

‘An impressive and vivid demonstration of what the conservation of biodiversity really means,’ said Germany’s Federal Minister for the Environment, Norbert Röttgen, after visiting the exhibition organised by the Business and Biodiversity Initiative. The Federal Environment Ministry (BMU) is hoping the initiative will raise awareness of biodiversity among local and international companies and motivate them to become actively involved in conserving biodiversity. GTZ is implementing this initiative on behalf of BMU.

^{Around the interactive multimedia desk: Christoph Beier, Managing Director of GTZ, Fritz Brickwedde, Secretary General of Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt DBU, and Jochen Flasbarth, President of the German Federal Environment Agency UBA ( l. to r.)} 

The opening of the exhibition followed the kick-off event for the International Year of Biodiversity. Surrounded by extinct prehistoric giants, Angela Merkel, German Chancellor, Achim Steiner, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme, and Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, were among those who spoke at the Berlin Museum of Natural History. Chancellor Merkel said that the question of biodiversity conservation ranked in importance with climate protection, and pointed out that the world’s governments were not going to meet their target of significantly reducing the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010. Ms Merkel called for a trend reversal, and the purpose of this kick-off event was to set the ball rolling. It was also critically important that the general public was better informed about the topic.

^{German Federal Environment Minister Norbert Röttgen and Edgar Endrukaitis (GTZ), coordinator of the initiative}

Federal Environment Minister Röttgen spoke of the special role of the private sector. Businesses that promote biodiversity are safeguarding their own economic viability. They not only depend on biodiversity, they also profit from it. ‘This is where self-interest and altruism interconnect. The companies featured at the exhibition are making the conservation of biological diversity an integral part of their business operations,’ said Röttgen, alluding to how the initiative is also inspiring new ways of thinking.

The touring exhibition ‘Without Diversity in Nature, No Diversity in Business’ vividly demonstrates through pictures, displays and an interactive multi-media desk, what biodiversity is and why it is so important to us and our economy. The 42 German and international member companies also illustrate using concrete examples how they are working to conserve biodiversity. The exhibition is raising awareness of just how important this topic is and at the same time spotlighting individual solutions and approaches for the private sector.

Further information on the initiative

Website "Biodiversity in Good Company"