Scientists are calling for radical measures for climate protection in Germany

Scientists are calling for radical measures for climate protection in Germany

On July 30, 2025, the Scientific Advisory Board for Natural Climate Protection (WBNK) submitted a statement to Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider emphasizing the enormous potential of natural ecosystems for climate protection and CO2 storage. The report, led by chairmen Anke Herold and Prof. Dr. Matthias Drösler, takes a comprehensive look at the role of moors, forests, agricultural landscapes, floodplains, coasts, seas, settlements and protected areas in the context of the climate crisis. A central goal of this initiative is to achieve Germany's climate goals through an increased focus on natural climate protection.

The statement calls for concrete measures to reduce emissions and bind CO2. Including the rewetting of agricultural moors by 2045, with around 80% of the area - around one million hectares - to be restored. Loud NABU Moors are not only effective carbon sinks, but also provide habitats for endangered species such as the sandpiper and the moor frog.

The challenges of moor care and its potential

Peatlands emerged in Central Europe after the last ice age and sequester a third of terrestrial carbon, although they only make up 3% of the global land area. One hectare of moor with a 15 cm layer of peat stores as much carbon as a hundred-year-old forest on a comparable area. But drainage and peat mining lead to the release of large amounts of CO2, which costs Germany around 44 million tons of CO2 equivalents every year. Despite these challenges, positive developments in moor protection have been recorded in recent years, such as the protection of semi-natural moor areas and the development of renaturation projects.

The WBNK statement also recommends promoting agroforestry systems that store CO2 and increase resilience to extreme weather. The adaptation of forests to climate change through targeted management is also recommended, although existing areas, such as the over 110,000 hectares of old beech forests, should be avoided in order to support the natural process. In addition, ecosystem-friendly forest management is of great importance in order to ensure soil protection.

Natural solutions to climate change

The challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss can be addressed through nature-based solutions (NbS), which use natural processes to combat environmental, social and economic problems. Federal Environment Agency highlights that NbS also contribute to achieving the Paris Agreement and the UN Biodiversity Convention and is more cost-effective than technical CO2 reduction approaches.

Financial investment and political support are needed to realize these measures. Germany plans to invest around 3.5 billion euros in natural climate protection measures by 2027. These include, among other things, the rewetting of moors and reforestation. However, these initiatives are not a substitute for a comprehensive reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

In order to ensure the effectiveness of these measures, a social-ecological transformation of the economy is required. The current climate crisis poses a challenge for the implementation of these solutions, as rising temperatures and droughts place additional strain on ecosystems.