Save what can still be saved – guarantee the conservation of the wolf despite the downgrading of its protected status!

As a reminder: Despite criticism from Mouvement Ecologique and natur&ëmwelt, the Luxembourg Environment Minister voted in favour of downgrading the protection status of the wolf under the Bern Convention at the EU Commission in September.

Sadly, this downgrading was finnalised at the meeting of the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention at the beginning of December. 38 of the contracting countries voted in favour, as did Luxembourg.

In the run up to the meeting, the two nature conservation organisations, with the help of Friends of the Earth Europe, once again called on Environment Minister Serge Wilmes to campaign for the conservation of the wolf. After all, a downgrading should not mean a free pass to shoot wolves, even if supporters of the downgrading interpret it that way. The nature conservation organisations suggested that it should be stated in the resolution of the meeting of the Bern Convention that the Bern Convention is still to be applied and have recalled the relevant articles.

In addition, the wolf population must be maintained and monitored at a stable level and preentive measures for the coexistence of humans and wolves must continue to be promoted.

The Mouvement Ecologique and natur&ëmwelt pointed out once again that downgrading the protection status will not solve the conflict between wolves and agriculture, but rather exacerbate it.

The joint letter from natur&ëmwelt and the Mouvement Ecologique to the Minister of the Environment from the 18th November regarding this meeting can be found here.

13.12.24