Biodiversity

Is Berlin only for people and urban buildings?

Many people believe that in big cities like Berlin, there is little space for wildlife, such as animals and insects. However, this is not true in Berlin’s case. The city is rich in biodiversity, hosting a variety of animals, birds, and coleoptera species. Berlin also boasts a significant number of European Union Natura 2000 sites, a network of protected areas extending across all EU member states, including Germany.

Berlin has regulations in place to keep the city as green as possible. One such regulation is the Biotope Area Factor, which ensures that new developments include a proportional amount of green space.

In 2021, the city of Berlin initiated the Berlin Urban Nature Pact, a framework aligned with the Edinburgh Declaration, the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, and the Montreal Pledge. Its goal is to mobilize efforts to protect and restore urban biodiversity while promoting green spaces. By 2030, Berlin is committed to achieving at least 15 of 28 targets to lead the way toward a nature-positive urban future.

The target areas include green infrastructure, trees and forests, blue infrastructure and water management, food and agriculture, education and nature experiences, soil health, co-habitation, and the conservation of species and habitats.