- The NABU Nature Preservation Union has leveled criticisms against the NRW Green-Black alliance for underperformance
After two years of the black-green state government's rule, NABU NRW has charged the CDU and Greens with neglecting their pledges on wildlife preservation and biodiversity. Despite the vigorous promotion of renewable energy sources, "our concerns, voiced by all nature conservation groups (...), have been disregarded entirely," asserted NABU's state chairwoman Heide Naderer upon presenting the annual report. The advancement of renewable energy is reportedly undermining wildlife protection.
The anticipated gravel and sand resource tax, featured in the black-green accord for this year to regulate resource usage, apparently vanished into oblivion, according to Naderer. The pursuit of a second national park in NRW is on the brink of collapse, which, according to Naderer, would signal yet another failed project by the state government. For the upcoming years, the topic of national parks is supposedly off-limits, as she put it, "considering it's some sort of charred land."
The proposed "generously funded state program" by the black-green coalition aimed at maintaining biological diversity will be eliminated from the 2025 state budget, Naderer continued her criticism. The association has yet to hear any word about the promised biodiversity roundtable, and the suggested doubling of the nature conservation budget has not come to fruition.
Naderer castigated both CDU Minister of Agriculture Silke Gorißen and Green Ministers of Environment and Economy, Oliver Krischer and Mona Neubaur. She claimed that she could not detect any green influence in the Ministry of Economics, "regardless of the field." However, the nature conservationists also expect the CDU to uphold its Christian ethic and cultivate its unique identity.
The membership of NABU NRW has been escalating year after year and reached approximately 126,850 members by the end of 2023, an increase of 4,450 from the previous year. The membership rate has gone up further this year, surpassing 129,000 members. According to NABU's Managing Director Jonas Krause-Heiber, the surge in support can be attributed to "the local nature crisis gaining visibility in the public eye" and people desiring to participate. Furthermore, NABU is demonstrating its influence through local projects and uncomplicated, non-bureaucratic measures.
The CDU, being a part of the black-green state government, has faced criticism for neglecting their pledges on wildlife preservation and biodiversity, as stated by NABU NRW. Despite the allegations, the proposed "generously funded state program" by the CDU for maintaining biological diversity has been eliminated from the 2025 state budget.
