Europe refuses to reduce the wolf’s protection because “its situation remains unfavourable”

The EU Government will vote “no” to changing the status of the species at the Berne Convention meeting, against the decision of the European Parliament.

“The proposal to lower the wolf protection regime in Europe is not scientifically and conservationally justified.” This powerful sentence, in a report to which LA NUEVA ESPAÑA of the Prensa Ibérica group has access, makes clear the position that the European Union will defend on Thursday, 1 December, at the 42nd meeting of the Conservation Treaty. Wildlife and habitats in Europe (popularly known as the Bern Convention) to be held in Strasbourg. This resolution turns into a piece of paper the resolution approved by the majority in the European Parliament a few days ago, calling on the European Commission to review the wolf’s conservation status in places where the wolf’s conservation status has been declared positive. currently in Spain.

This statement is contained in the report prepared by the Council of the European Union, tasked with representing the governments of the Member States, adopting European legislation and coordinating EU policies, and composed of ministers of each country according to the subject to be addressed. with. In the case of Thursday’s meeting, the Minister for Ecological Transition Teresa Ribera or her designee.

The report from the Council of the European Union is resonating. The Swiss Government, which does not belong to the European Union but has signed the Bern Convention, openly rejects the proposal to lower the protection level of the wolf. This is the second time the Swiss country is making this proposal, but the first in 2018 hasn’t even been voted on.

The report, which details the European Union’s stance on Thursday, shows there is no reason for the wolf to simply switch from a “strictly protected” fauna species as Switzerland claims to a “protected” fauna species. The Council of the Union’s decision is based on the latest scientific research available, which shows that out of the nine major transboundary wolf populations in the European Union and neighboring countries, “only three are classified as ‘least concern’, while six are classified as ‘vulnerable’ or ‘almost threatened’ In the case of the Iberian Peninsula, the conservation status of the wolf is “unfavorable” according to the EU.

“While population and distribution trends have generally improved, they suggest the species is recolonizing parts of its historical range, but has not yet reached favorable conservation status in most Member States and biogeographic regions. The species continues to face significant threats and pressures, particularly from high human exposure from poaching. death rates.”

However, the text states that the EU has “fully accepted” “the difficulties posed by the coexistence of humans and wolves, as a result of their recovery in numbers and distribution”. According to the Council of the European Union, these challenges require “vigilance and constant monitoring of the situation”. Announces that it will consider the monitoring results at the next meeting of the standing committee. “In any event, at the moment and given the information presented above, Switzerland’s proposal to drop the wolf protection regime in Europe is not scientifically and conservationally justified,” he insists.

The petition also does not comply with the “existing legal protection regime for species given in the Habitats Directive” because the main objective of both the Bern Convention and the Habitats Directive “to guarantee recovery and conservation” has not been achieved. species in an appropriate state of conservation”. Therefore, the Council of the European Union stresses that “a strict legal protection regime appears necessary to support efforts to eliminate the main threats to the species”. It also calls for “strengthening international cooperation between parties sharing cross-border wolf populations”.