Wildlife Protection in Germany: Sound Legislation and Deficient Implementation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17345/rcda3080Paraules clau:
Germany, European Union, wildlife protection, federalism, law enforcementResum
National, European, and international legislation regulates wildlife protection in Germany. Germany has comprehensively codified into national legislation numerous international and regional treaties. Furthermore, European Union regulations are directly binding in its Member States. Yet Germany’s implementation of wildlife protection laws remains wanting. The gap between the country’s comprehensive legal framework and related enforcement is glaring. Germany’s decentralized administrative structure embedded in its federal system is the main impediment to better implementation of wildlife protection laws. While the country’s federal structure might stand in the way of more centralized enforcement, a more coordinated approach still offers a realistic remedy to narrow the gap between Germany’s legislation and enforcement. This article discusses Germany’s wildlife protection laws, analyzes its enforcement approach, and recommends ways to improve.Descàrregues
Referències
ALTHEER, Sandra; LAMETER, Katharina. The Rush for the Rare: Reptiles and Amphibians in the European Pet Trade. Animals, 10, 1-14, 2020.
AULIYA, Mark et al., Trade in live reptiles, its impact on wild populations, and the role of the European market, Biological Conservation, 204, 103–119, 2016.
BALZER, Sandra; BÖHMER, Franz. Federal Agency for Nature Protection. Interview with author (Zoom), 5 January 2021.
BORASS, Lars; SOTIROV, Metodi; WINKEL, Georg. Policy change and Europeanization: Implementing the European Union’s Habitats Directive in Germany and the United Kingdom. Environmental Politics, 24, 788-809, 2015.
CENTER FOR GOVERNANCE AND SUSTAINABILITY, University of Massachusetts Boston, Environmental Conventions Index. Retrieved: https://www.environmentalgovernance.org/eci, 2 April 2021.
CITES. How CITES Works. Retrieved: https://cites.org/eng/disc/how.php, 2 April 2021.
COUNCIL OF EUROPE. Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats. Retrieved: https://www.coe.int/en/web/conventions/full-list/-/conventions/treaty/104, 2 April 2021.
DEUTSCHE WELLE. EU takes Germany to court for breaching environment laws, 2021. Retrieved: https://www.dw.com/en/eu-takes-germany-to-court-for-breaching-environment-laws/a-56614385, 2 April 2021.
EUROPEAN COMMISSION. The European Union and Trade in Wild Fauna and Flora. Retrieved: https://ec.europa.eu/environment/cites/legislation_en.htm, 2 April 2021a.
EUROPEAN COMMISSION. Natura 2000. Retrieved: https://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/natura2000/index_en.htm, 5 April 2021b.
EUROPEAN COMMISSION. Nature protection: Commission decides to refer GERMANY to the European Court of Justice over failure to properly implement the Habitats Directive, 18 February 2021. Retrieved: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_412, 5 April 2021.
FAJARDO DEL CASTILLO, Teresa; et al. Fighting Environmental Crime in Spain: A Country Report. Study in the framework of the EFFACE research project. Granada: University of Granada, 2015. Retrieved: https://efface.eu/sites/default/files/EFFACE_Fighting%20Environmental%20Crime%20in%20Spain.pdf, 5 April 2021.
FAJARDO DEL CASTILLO, Teresa. The European Union's Approach in the Fight against Wildlife Trafficking: Challenges Ahead. Journal of International Wildlife Law & Policy, 19(1), 1-21, 2016.
FEDERAL AGENCY FOR NATURE CONSERVATION, New legislation on species conservation, 2021a. Retrieved: https://www.bfn.de/en/activities/cites/regulationslegalbases/regulations.html, 2 April 2021.
FEDERAL AGENCY FOR NATURE CONSERVATION, 2021b. Vollzugshinweise zum Artenschutzrecht. Retrieved: https://www.bfn.de/fileadmin/BfN/cites/Dokumente/Vollzugshinweise.pdf, 2 April 2021.
FEDERAL MINISTRY FOR JUSTICE AND CONSUMER PROTECTION, Verordnung zum Schutz wild lebender Tier- und Pflanzenarten. Retrieved: https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bartschv_2005/, 2 April 2021.
GÄRTNER, Hubertus. Freiheitsstrafen für Eierdiebe. LZ.de, 23 March 2012. Retrieved: https://www.lz.de/owl/6442110_Freiheitsstrafen-fuer-Eierdiebe.html, 5 April 2021.
HINTZMANN, Jürgen. Former Head of Stabsstelle Umweltkriminalität (Special Unit Environmental Crime), State Ministry for the Environment of North Rhine-Westphalia. Interview with author (Zoom), 22 February 2021.
KLAAS, Katharina; SINA, Stephan; GERSTETTER. Wildlife Crime in Germany. In-depth Analysis for the ENVI Committee, Brussels, 2016. Retrieved: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2016/578958/IPOL_IDA%282016%29578958_EN.pdf, 2 April 2021.
KRICKE, Randolph, Dr. Head of Lower Nature Protection Agency of the City of Duisburg. Interview with author (Zoom), 12 January 2021.
MARX, Bernd. German Customs. Interview with author (Zoom), 27 December 2020.
SCHLANDT, Jakob. Deutschland verfehlt Klimaziele – und muss Strafe zahlen. Der Tagesspiegel, 19 March 2019. Retrieved: https://www.tagesspiegel.de/politik/300-millionen-euro-deutschland-verfehlt-klimaziele-und-muss-strafe-zahlen/24118596.html, 5 April 2021.
SINA, Stephan; et al. Wildlife Crime. Study for the ENVI Committee, Brussels, 2016. Retrieved: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2016/570008/IPOL_STU%282016%29570008_EN.pdf, 2 April 2021.
SOLLUND, Ragnhild. Animal trafficking and trade: Abuse and species injustice. In: WESTERHUIS, Diane; WALTERS, Reece; WYATT, Tanya (Eds.). Emerging issues in green criminology: Exploring Power, Justice, and Harm, London: Palgrave Macmillan, 72-92, 2013.
SOLLUND, Ragnhild. Wildlife Management, Species Injustice and Ecocide in the Anthropocene. Critical Criminology 28, 351–369. 2020a.
SOLLUND, Ragnhild. The crimes of wildlife trafficking: Issues of justice, legality and morality. London: Routledge, 2020b.
SÜDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG. Bewährung für Elfenbein-Schmuggler: Tierschützer enttäuscht, 2020. Retrieved: www.sueddeutsche.de/panorama/kriminalitaet-cottbus-bewaehrung-fuer-elfenbein-schmuggler-tierschuetzer-enttaeuscht-dpa.urn-newsml-dpa-com-20090101-201111-99-299169, 2 April 2021.
WESTFÄLISCHE NACHRICHTEN. Schulze Föcking lässt die Opposition abblitzen, 14 August 2020. Retrieved: https://www.wn.de/NRW/4251611-Ex-Umweltministerin-im-Untersuchungsausschuss-Schulze-Foecking-laesst-die-Opposition-abblitzen, 5 April 2021.
YALE CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY & LAW, Yale University. Environmental Performance Index. Retrieved: https://epi.yale.edu, 2 April 2021.
Descàrregues
Publicades
Com citar
Número
Secció
Llicència
Els autors que publiquen en aquesta revista estan d’acord amb els termes següents:- Els autors conserven els drets d’autoria i atorguen a la revista el dret de primera publicació, amb l’obra disponible simultàniament sota una Llicència d’Atribució, No comercial i sense derivades CC BY NC ND de CreativeCommons que permet compartir l’obra amb tercers, sempre que aquests en reconeguin l’autoria i la publicació inicial en aquesta revista, utilitzar materials sense fins comercials i crear materials sense distribuir el material modificat.
- Els autors són lliures de fer acords contractuals addicionals independents per a la distribució no exclusiva de la versió de l’obra publicada a la revista (com ara la publicació en un repositori institucional o en un llibre), sempre que se’n reconegui la publicació inicial en aquesta revista.
- S’encoratja els autors a publicar la seva obra en línia (en repositoris institucionals o a la seva pàgina web, per exemple) abans i durant el procés de tramesa, amb l’objectiu d’aconseguir intercanvis productius i fer que l’obra obtingui més citacions (vegeu The Effect of Open Access, en anglès).