World Wildlife Day 2024: Connecting People and Planet - Exploring Digital Innovation in Wildlife Conservation

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World Wildlife Day give us the chance to honour the diverse and captivating array of wild fauna and flora, while also spotlighting the numerous advantages that their preservation offers to humanity. Likewise, the occasion helps us to remind the urgent need to intensify global action in combatting wildlife crime and human-induced reduction of species, as these issues carry far-reaching economic, environmental, and societal consequences.

The European Union has long been at the forefront of international efforts to conserve and protect wildlife, both within its borders and beyond. 

In December 2023, the European Parliament and Council released a proposal for an enhanced directive to protect the environment through criminal law. The new Directive — replacing existing Directive 2008/99/EC — will help ensure that serious environmental offences, with devastating effects on nature and human health, will not go unpunished.

Also, through various initiatives and partnerships, the EU has played a pivotal role in promoting conservation, sustainable management of natural resources, and biodiversity preservation worldwide. 

For example, NaturAfrica, is an EU Global Gateway Flagship initiative that is cooperating with sub-Saharan Africa stakeholders to tackle mounting pressures on African ecosystems from population growth, climate change, conflict over access to natural resources and illegal exploitation of wildlife and forest products. NaturAfrica covers a total of 44 countries in East, West, Central and Southern Africa and 33 transboundary and national landscapes. This corresponds to a total of 3.19 million square kilometres, an area that is home to 59.86 million inhabitants, with a population density ranging from 1 to 308 people/km².

In neighbouring countries, EU4Green and EU4Environment support the implementation of the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine. These projects aim to help countries preserve their natural capital; enhance people’s environmental well-being; promote the transition to a circular economy; ensure the long-term survival of species, and halt land and habitat degradation.

As we commemorate World Wildlife Day, under the theme ‘Connecting People and Planet - Exploring Digital Innovation in Wildlife Conservation’, let’s reaffirm our commitment to protecting and preserving our planet's biodiversity by harnessing collective efforts to explore innovative solutions, and sustainable practices for a more resilient and harmonious coexistence with nature. Together we can discover current digital innovations, address any intersectional discrepancies encountered, and envision the evolution of digital connectivity for the betterment of all people and the planet.

If you need some advice, get in touch with the EU Greening Facility by writing to:

NEAR-GREENING-FACILITY@ec.europa.eu  |  INTPA-GREENING-FACILITY@ec.europa.eu