{"id":12461,"date":"2025-09-12T23:58:04","date_gmt":"2025-09-12T21:58:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/paddys.de\/?p=12461"},"modified":"2025-09-18T15:22:24","modified_gmt":"2025-09-18T13:22:24","slug":"die-evp-und-der-umweltschutz","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paddys.de\/en\/die-evp-und-der-umweltschutz\/","title":{"rendered":"The EPP and environmental protection"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time<\/span> 6<\/span> Minutes<\/span><\/span>\n
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\"It has taken decades to fight for our protection laws. Let's not allow them to be quietly abolished because conservative parties - such as the European People's Party, the sister party of the CDU\/CSU - want to exploit the majority situation to abolish good and important protection standards.\"<\/em>\u202f Deutsche Umwelthilfe e.V.<\/strong>1<\/a><\/sup>Hands off nature conservation! \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.duh.de\/mitmachen\/handsoffnature\/ <\/a><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Open letter to the EU Commission<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Plenary Chamber of the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium. Photo: envato <\/a>\/baspentruba<\/a> Editorial use<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,

As a committed EU citizen, I would like to express my clear rejection of all efforts to weaken existing environmental and nature conservation laws or to water them down for purely economic interests. Especially now, when the effects of the climate crisis and the extinction of species are becoming ever clearer, a strong legal framework for nature conservation is more urgent than ever2<\/a><\/sup>Hands off nature conservation! \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.duh.de\/mitmachen\/handsoffnature\/ <\/a><\/span>.

There are major deficits in implementation and monitoring both at EU level and in the member states. In many places, environmental protection laws are not sufficiently monitored and violations are rarely and usually not consistently sanctioned. The existing weak legal situation is already preventing effective intervention - a further watering down of these laws would be tantamount to the creeping dismantling of our nature conservation. This also contradicts the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement and massively jeopardises all European climate targets 3<\/a><\/sup>UNFCCC: The Paris Agreement \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/unfccc.int\/process-and-meetings\/the-paris-agreement\/the-paris-agreement <\/a><\/span>4<\/a><\/sup> EU Commission: Report on the implementation of EU environmental law 2025 \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/germany.representation.ec.europa.eu\/news\/bericht-zur-umsetzung-von-eu-umweltrecht-den-27-eu-staaten-veroffentlicht-2025-07-07_de<\/a> <\/span>5<\/a><\/sup> EU Commission sees major implementation deficits in environmental law (EIR report) \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.euwid-recycling.de\/news\/politik\/eu-kommission-sieht-grosse-umsetzungsdefizite-im-umweltrecht-100725\/<\/a> <\/span>6<\/a><\/sup> NABU: EIR report and funding gaps - funding gap of \u20ac122bn\/year; climate targets at risk \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/blogs.nabu.de\/naturschaetze-retten\/eir-report\/ <\/a><\/span>7<\/a><\/sup> Tagesspiegel: Plans insufficiently aligned with EU climate targets - report by the European Court of Auditors \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.tagesspiegel.de\/wirtschaft\/plane-unzureichend-auf-eu-klimaziele-abgestimmt-europaischer-rechnungshof-sieht-bei-nationaler-eu-agrarpolitik-defizite-12463808.html<\/a> <\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Concrete, current examples of the failure of environmental legislation, where decisive intervention at EU level would have been necessary but failed to materialise:

- Deforestation by large corporations such as IKEA, Poco, ...: The last European primeval forests in Eastern Europe and Scandinavia are being destroyed for \"fast furniture\" - often despite clear sustainability violations 8<\/a><\/sup>Fast furniture - short-lived furniture and its downsides \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.verbraucherzentrale.nrw\/wissen\/umwelt-haushalt\/nachhaltigkeit\/fast-furniture-kurzlebige-moebel-und-ihre-schattenseiten-109738<\/a> <\/span> 9<\/a><\/sup> Greenpeace: Clear-cutting instead of sustainability at IKEA \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.greenpeace.de\/biodiversitaet\/waelder\/waelder-erde\/ikea-kahlschlag-urwald-nachhaltigkeit<\/a> <\/span> 10<\/a><\/sup> Furniture turnaround: Stop fast furniture - a destructive trend \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/moebelwende.org\/2021\/09\/10\/fast-furniture-warum-wir-diesen-zerstoererischen-trend-dringend-stoppen-muessen\/<\/a> <\/span>.
- Deforestation by large corporations such as Amazon, Zalando, ...: Large areas of primary forest are destroyed for cheap shipping boxes instead of using recycled materials 11<\/a><\/sup> Greenpeace: Europe's primeval forests cut down for cardboard \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/greenpeace.at\/petitionen\/urwaelder-norden\/ <\/a><\/span>12<\/a><\/sup> Greenpeace: Sweden's forests end up as packaging waste \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.greenpeace.de\/biodiversitaet\/waelder\/waelder-erde\/schwedens-waelder-enden-verpackungsmuell-hellofresh-zalando<\/a> <\/span>13<\/a><\/sup> pro.earth: Primeval forests as disposable cardboard boxes \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/pro.earth\/2025\/02\/07\/urwaelder-als-einwegkartons\/ <\/a><\/span>14<\/a><\/sup> Greenpeace: Amazon, HelloFresh & Zalando linked to forest destruction \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/presseportal.greenpeace.de\/237579-amazon-hellofresh-und-zalando-in-verbindung-mit-waldzerstorung\/ <\/a><\/span>.
- Poisoning and overexploitation of natural resources, for example through water abstraction and groundwater pollution by international corporations such as Nestl\u00e915<\/a><\/sup> Foodwatch: Water scandal - Nestl\u00e9 has apparently been cheating for decades \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.foodwatch.org\/de\/wasser-skandal-nestle-betruegt-offenbar-schon-seit-jahrzehnten<\/a> <\/span>16<\/a><\/sup> Foodwatch: Mineral water scandal - raid at Nestl\u00e9 after Foodwatch complaint \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.foodwatch.org\/de\/mineralwasser-skandal-razzia-bei-nestle-hauptsitz-nach-foodwatch-klage<\/a> <\/span>17<\/a><\/sup> Foodwatch: Mineral water fraud - foodwatch sues Nestl\u00e9 \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.foodwatch.org\/de\/mineralwasser-betrug-foodwatch-verklagt-nestle<\/a> <\/span>18<\/a><\/sup> Labournet: Who owns the water? Multinational corporations such as Nestl\u00e9 are increasingly accessing municipal water sources (with Foodwatch background) \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.labournet.de\/internationales\/frankreich\/politik-frankreich\/wem-gehoert-das-wasser-multinationale-konzerne-wie-nestle-greifen-verstaerkt-auf-kommunale-wasserquellen-zu\/ <\/a><\/span>.
- Heating of rivers by nuclear power plants, especially in France: negative consequences for biodiversity and water quality19<\/a><\/sup> Solarify: Nuclear power plant throttled because rivers are too warm - danger for flora and fauna \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.solarify.eu\/2025\/07\/01\/hitzewelle-in-frankreich-atomkraftwerke-wegen-zu-warmer-fluesse-gedrosselt\/ <\/a><\/span>20<\/a><\/sup> Handelsblatt: French nuclear power plants heat river water above limits - environmental organisations warn of consequences for fish populations \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.handelsblatt.com\/politik\/international\/energie-trockenheit-und-fehlende-energie-alternativen-frankreichs-atomkraftwerke-ueberhitzen-fluesse\/28588994.html <\/a><\/span>21<\/a><\/sup> Tagesschau: France and Switzerland - Nuclear power plants shut down because rivers are too warm \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.tagesschau.de\/ausland\/europa\/atomkraftwerke-hitze-kuehlung-abgeschaltet-100.html <\/a><\/span>22<\/a><\/sup> Euronews: Nuclear power plants may discharge more warm water in summer - danger for the ecological balance \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/de.euronews.com\/2022\/07\/19\/akw-frankreich-warmes-wasser <\/a><\/span>.
- Killing primates for no good reason - such as the case of the twelve baboons at Nuremberg Zoo 23<\/a><\/sup> paddys.de: Nuremberg - Dag Encke has 12 baboons shot \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/paddys.de\/nuernberg-dag-encke-laesst-12-paviane-erschiessen\/<\/a> <\/span>24<\/a><\/sup> paddys.de: Baboons in the crosshairs \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/paddys.de\/paviane-im-fadenkreuz\/ <\/a><\/span>25<\/a><\/sup> paddys.de: Euthanasia at Nuremberg Zoo \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/paddys.de\/euthanasie-im-tiergarten-nuernberg\/<\/a> <\/span>26<\/a><\/sup> German Animal Welfare Association: Baboon killing - breaking a taboo in Nuremberg \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.tierschutzbund.de\/ueber-uns\/aktuelles\/presse\/meldung\/pavian-toetung-tiergarten-nuernberg-begeht-tabubruch\/ <\/a><\/span>27<\/a><\/sup> BR: Killed baboons - animal welfare influencer raises accusations \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.br.de\/nachrichten\/bayern\/getoetete-paviane-tierschutz-influencer-erhebt-schwere-vorwuerfe<\/a> <\/span>.
- Cruel and sometimes illegal live animal transports within and outside the EU: violations of animal welfare regulations, e.g. documented by Animals' Angels28<\/a><\/sup> Animals' Angels: Animal transport in the EU - causes and problems \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.animals-angels.de\/projekte\/tiertransporte\/europaeische-union.html <\/a><\/span>29<\/a><\/sup> Animals' Angels: Animal transport to non-EU countries \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.animals-angels.de\/projekte\/tiertransporte\/eu-exporte.html<\/a> <\/span>30<\/a><\/sup> New dossier from Animals' Angels and Animal Welfare Foundation: Animal transport to non-EU countries \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.animals-angels.de\/neuigkeiten\/beitrag\/neues-dossier-von-und-animals-angels-und-animal-welfare-foundation-zum-thema-tiertransporte-in-nicht-eu-laender-veroeffentlicht.html <\/a><\/span>31<\/a><\/sup> Animals' Angels: Our documentaries on animal transport (with reports as PDF) \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.animals-angels.de\/publikationen\/dokumentationen.html <\/a><\/span>.
- Contamination of nature conservation areas by neighbouring agriculture 32<\/a><\/sup> NUL-online: Spatial analysis of arable land use in nature conservation areas - high risks due to pesticide and fertiliser input \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.nul-online.de\/themen\/artenschutz-und-biotopverbund\/article-7117792-201984\/raumanalyse-der-ackerbaulichen-flaechennutzung-in-naturschutz-und-ffh-gebieten-in-deutschland-.html<\/a> <\/span>33<\/a><\/sup> German Environment Agency: Pesticide use in nature conservation areas hardly legally restricted - insufficient protection \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.umweltbundesamt.de\/themen\/pestizideinsatz-in-naturschutzgebieten-kaum<\/a> <\/span>34<\/a><\/sup> European Commission: EU target - ban on pesticides in protected areas planned \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/germany.representation.ec.europa.eu\/news\/europaischer-gruner-deal-weniger-chemische-pestizide-umfassende-renaturierung-2022-06-22_de<\/a> <\/span>35<\/a><\/sup> Greenpeace: Pesticides - a danger for bees and the environment, even in protected areas \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.greenpeace.de\/biodiversitaet\/landwirtschaft\/anbau\/pestizide<\/a> <\/span>.
- State subsidies for climate-damaging animal products instead of sustainable support for plant-based nutrition 36<\/a><\/sup> Direct payments - overview for 2025, Lower Saxony Chamber of Agriculture \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.landwirtschaftskammer.de\/foerderung\/hinweise\/direktzahlungen.htm <\/a><\/span>37<\/a><\/sup> GAP: What will change in 2025, LWK Lower Saxony, status 2025 \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.lwk-niedersachsen.de\/lwk\/news\/41988_GAP_Was_aendert_sich_2025 <\/a><\/span>. At the same time, farmers who grow animal feed also benefit from direct payments from the first pillar38<\/a><\/sup> EU agricultural funds: promotion and structural payments \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.agrarzahlungen.de\/agrarfonds\/eu-agrarfonds <\/a><\/span>39<\/a><\/sup> The CAP 2023-2027: New rules, but focus remains on meat & co. \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.dvs-gap-netzwerk.de\/foerderung\/gemeinsame-agrarpolitik-der-eu-2023-2027\/die-gap-2023-2027\/ <\/a><\/span>. Subsidies are also indirectly increased through tax breaks and reduced VAT on meat and dairy products, although environmental authorities - such as the Federal Environment Agency - have long been calling for these benefits to be cancelled40<\/a><\/sup> Federal Environment Agency: Why meat is too cheap \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.umweltbundesamt.de\/themen\/warum-fleisch-zu-billig-ist <\/a><\/span>41<\/a><\/sup> taz: Study on subsidies for the livestock industry - \u20ac13 billion annually in animal-based food \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/taz.de\/Studie-zu-Subventionen-fuer-Viehbranche\/!5755760\/ <\/a><\/span>42<\/a><\/sup> GEO: 13 billion euros a year for the animal industry - criticism from the Federal Environment Agency \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.geo.de\/natur\/nachhaltigkeit\/billiges-fleisch-studie-deutschland-foerdert-die-tierindustrie-mit-30423746.html <\/a><\/span>.
- Reintroduction and use of pesticides containing glyphosate, contrary to scientific recommendations 43<\/a><\/sup> Tagesschau: Glyphosate is still authorised in the EU until at least 2033 - risks for biodiversity and health \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.tagesschau.de\/wirtschaft\/glyphosat-310.html<\/a> <\/span>44<\/a><\/sup> Federal Environment Agency warns of risks: Glyphosate promotes species extinction and endangers soil and water \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.umweltbundesamt.de\/themen\/uba-kritisiert-uebermaessigen-einsatz-von-glyphosat <\/a><\/span>45<\/a><\/sup> DUH: Dangerous for the environment & health - German Environmental Aid takes legal action against glyphosate authorisation \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.duh.de\/presse\/pressemitteilungen\/pressemitteilung\/gefaehrlich-fuer-umwelt-und-gesundheit-deutsche-umwelthilfe-klagt-gegen-zulassung-von-neuem-glyphosat\/<\/a> <\/span>46<\/a><\/sup> DNR: Criticism of glyphosate assessment - large data gaps, many studies industry-funded \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.dnr.de\/aktuelles-termine\/aktuelles\/kritik-glyphosat-bewertungsprozess-und-gesellschaftliche-kosten-der <\/a><\/span>47<\/a><\/sup> taz: Environmentalists go to EU court over glyphosate \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/taz.de\/Zulassung-des-umstrittenen-Pestizids\/!6051820\/<\/a> <\/span>.
- Animal suffering for online reach, such as endangering and \"saving\" animals for clicks on Facebook and TikTok - is neither prosecuted by the platforms nor penalised by law enforcement agencies 48<\/a><\/sup> Why you shouldn't watch these videos \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/youtu.be\/ld2fD74WEKU <\/a><\/span>49<\/a><\/sup> ZDF: Fake Rescues - The business with animal suffering (2025) \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.zdf.de\/dokumentation\/die-spur\/fake-rescues-tierrettung-social-media-100.html <\/a><\/span>50<\/a><\/sup> GEO: Staged rescues on social media: How animals suffer for likes - SMACC report and WTG statement \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.geo.de\/natur\/tierwelt\/inszenierte-tierrettungen-auf-social-media–wie-tiere-fuer-likes-leiden-35114424.html<\/a> <\/span>51<\/a><\/sup> FOUR PAWS: Cruelty to animals on the internet is often not deleted \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.vier-pfoten.de\/unseregeschichten\/publikationen\/tierquaelerei-im-internet<\/a> <\/span>52<\/a><\/sup> WTG petition: Stop cruelty to animals online! - YT and Facebook often don't delete at all \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.tierschutz-austria.at\/unterstuetze-uns\/petitionen\/petition-stoppt-tierquaelerei-im-netz\/ <\/a><\/span>53<\/a><\/sup> stern: Cruelty to animals for clicks? There should be no room for this on the net \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.stern.de\/panorama\/wissen\/tierquaelerei-fuer-klicks–dafuer-sollte-kein-platz-im-netz-sein-35201106.html <\/a><\/span>.
- Return to fossil fuels in Germany: fracking gas from Lake Ammersee and offshore drilling off Borkum 54<\/a><\/sup> ZDF: Gas test drilling on Lake Ammersee causes controversy - risks for nature and drinking water \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.zdfheute.de\/politik\/deutschland\/bayern-gas-ammersee-energie-100.html<\/a> <\/span>55<\/a><\/sup> BR: Gas drilling in Reichling: Protest with Luisa Neubauer \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.br.de\/nachrichten\/bayern\/gasbohrung-in-reichling-protest-mit-luisa-neubauer<\/a> <\/span>56<\/a><\/sup> S\u00fcddeutsche Zeitung: 60-metre banner calls for gas drilling at Ammersee to be stopped \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.sueddeutsche.de\/bayern\/rohstoffe-60-meter-banner-fordert-stopp-der-gasbohrung-am-ammersee-dpa.urn-newsml-dpa-com-20090101-250911-930-24100<\/a> <\/span>57<\/a><\/sup> Stern: Natural gas drilling off Borkum may begin - environmentalists protest in vain \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.stern.de\/wirtschaft\/news\/gasprojekt-in-der-nordsee–erdgasbohrungen-vor-borkum-duerfen-beginnen-36018180.html <\/a><\/span>58<\/a><\/sup> Borkum: Fridays for Future protests against gas drilling \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.evangelisch.de\/inhalte\/247256\/05-09-2025\/borkum-fridays-future-protestiert-gegen-gasbohrungen<\/a> <\/span>59<\/a><\/sup> DUH: Immediate enforcement ordered for gas drilling off Borkum - a fatal signal \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.duh.de\/presse\/pressemitteilungen\/pressemitteilung\/deutsche-umwelthilfe-zum-angeordneten-sofortvollzug-fuer-gasbohrungen-vor-borkum-fatales-signal-geg\/<\/a> <\/span>.
- Cancellation of subsidies for renewable energies, cancellation of wind power expansion, cancellation of PV subsidies, construction of new gas-fired power plants 60<\/a><\/sup> today 19:00 from 15.09.2024 Energy transition, NRW local elections, Munich Synagogue reopened \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.tagesschau.de\/wirtschaft\/verbraucher\/glyphosat-eu-erneute-zulassung-100.html<\/a> <\/span>61<\/a><\/sup> Deutschlandfunk: Reiche wants to cancel subsidies for new small solar systems \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.deutschlandfunk.de\/reiche-will-foerderung-fuer-neue-kleine-solaranlagen-streichen-100.html <\/a><\/span>62<\/a><\/sup> pv magazine: Subsidies for new photovoltaic systems on the table \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.pv-magazine.de\/2025\/08\/11\/reiche-stellt-solarfoerderung-fuer-neue-photovoltaik-anlagen-zur-disposition\/ <\/a><\/span>63<\/a><\/sup> Handelsblatt: Reiche puts energy subsidies to the test \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.handelsblatt.com\/politik\/deutschland\/energie-reiche-stellt-energie-foerderungen-auf-den-pruefstand\/100155304.html<\/a> <\/span>64<\/a><\/sup> ZDF: Reiche on the energy transition: Avoid over-subsidisation \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.zdfheute.de\/politik\/deutschland\/reiche-energie-wende-erneuerbare-gas-interview-100.html <\/a><\/span>65<\/a><\/sup> Time Online: End of solar subsidies - energy transition without electricity from the roof \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.zeit.de\/wirtschaft\/2025-08\/ende-solarfoerderung-photovoltaik-einspeiseverguetung-katharina-reiche <\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All these exemplary cases show that the existing legal situation is too weak, controls are too patchy and sanctions are far too rare. Further weakening is absolutely the wrong approach.

I would like to emphasise that regulatory requirements are not an unreasonable burden. On the contrary, they are the basis for clean water, healthy air and food security. They guarantee our standard of living and safeguard our natural heritage for future generations.

Many of the EU's major environmental successes - such as the recovering populations of certain endangered species or improved water quality - are thanks to the existing regulatory framework 66<\/a><\/sup>Hands off nature conservation! \ud83c\udf10 https:\/\/www.duh.de\/mitmachen\/handsoffnature\/ <\/a><\/span>.
Rivers, lakes and wetlands in Europe are among the most threatened ecosystems. It is essential to preserve and fully implement the existing laws of nature - not to weaken them.

Stop deforestation, protect our waters and drinking water resources, and strengthen Europe's natural heritage, wildlife and flora alike, through uncompromising implementation and effective control of existing laws.

Finally, I would ask you for an answer. As a tax-paying EU citizen, I see this as my right.

With kind regards

Patrick Ruppelt
On the egg meadow 20
82031 Gr\u00fcnwald
Germany
E-mail: post@paddys.de<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Am I hoping for an answer? Nope. But you want to have tried. How depressing.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Cover picture: Berlaymont building of the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium. Photo: iStock by Getty Images<\/a> \/ Alexandros Michailidis<\/a> editorial use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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List of sources<\/h3>