© MEKUN / Schnabler
MEKUN: Protecting the oceans
Our goal: healthy, clean and diverse oceans
Our ocean serves as habitat, is one of the foundations of life on our planet, acts as a natural defence against climate change and is used as recreational area. This is why protecting the ocean and coasts is a high priority for the Federal Environment Ministry (BMUKN). However, we also need to ensure that their use is sustainable and habitats are restored.
Environmental protection at federal level
The Federal Environment Ministry has been working over 30 years to protect people from environmental toxins and radiation, to promote the smart and efficient use of raw materials, to advance climate action and to ensure that natural resources are used in a way that protects the diversity of animal and plant species and preserves their habitats.
© MEKUN / Schnabler
Focus on marine protection and conservation
The world's oceans are in a poor state. Plastic waste and chemicals, for example, are threatening their natural functions and must be urgently reduced. Effective marine protected areas are needed to preserve or restore marine habitats with their rich diversity of plant and animal life. A particular challenge is to integrate the varied and growing demands on the use of the oceans to ensure that it is sustainable.
In the BMUKN’s Marine Protection Directorate, we deal with a wide range of issues at national and international level, ranging from marine nature conservation and marine pollution to sustainable uses for food and energy production. Not only the climate and biodiversity benefits from it, but also maritime industries like fishing and tourism. We have already achieved a great deal in recent years, but there is still a lot of work to be done.
The UN member states, for example, are currently working on future mechanisms for implementing the High Seas Treaty. Germany’s implementation of this agreement is also part of our work. Another international agreement is in the works to reduce plastic waste in the world’s ocean. In addition, recovering unexploded munitions from our seas is an important step towards protecting marine environments and making fishing, shipping and tourism safer. The establishment of a marine nature conservation fund will ensure long-term funding for further marine protection and conservation projects.
We are also responsible for coordinating Germany's activities with all other ministries and strategically aligning them so that the German government can pursue a unified approach to effective protection and sustainable use of the ocean. The BMUKN also participates in the Federal-Länder Working Group on the North Sea and Baltic Sea (BLANO) to coordinate and harmonise marine protection and conservation activities with Germany’s coastal states.
Preserving biodiversity is also essential for agriculture, and a functioning natural water balance protects against droughts and flooding.
Host City Local Partner
The Ocean Race Europe 2025
Sebastian Unger
Deputy Director-General for Marine Protection at the BMUKN
“We depend on an intact, living ocean. We can and must tackle this issue together.”
The Action Plan on Nature-based Solutions for Climate and Biodiversity
With its Action Plan on Nature-based Solutions for Climate and Biodiversity, the German government aims to protect the natural foundations of life. It strengthens terrestrial and marine ecosystems, making an important contribution to climate action, biodiversity conservation and adaptation to the impacts of the climate crisis. After all, an intact natural environment is needed to reliably provide the key natural functions for storing greenhouse gases or to act as a habitat for animals and plants. Preserving biodiversity is also essential for agriculture, and a functioning natural water balance protects against droughts and flooding. Seagrass meadows and salt marshes, for example, are not only important carbon sinks and habitats for endangered species, they also act as natural coastal defences against storm surges.
Nature-based climate action in oceans and on coasts
The Action Plan comprises 69 measures in 10 fields of action. These include measures to restore important habitats, some of which have already been launched very successfully, as well as supporting measures like advisory and support structures, simplified regulations, research and much more.
Strengthening marine habitats is a key component of the Action Plan’s field of action 3 “Seas and coasts”.
Meere als Klimaschützer (How our oceans mitigate climate change, available in German only)
www.youtube.com
The BMUKN promotes marine protection and conservation projects in Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein under the Action Plan. The BMUKN is contributing around 60 million euros to support the protection and restoration of salt marshes, seagrass meadows and kelp forests, as well as ecological sediment management.
© MEKUN
Acquire article rights