coral reef
Dossier

Dossier

Biodiversity

The habitats of plants and animals are becoming smaller and smaller – with serious consequences. Numerous KfW projects aim to protect biological diversity and overcome the biodiversity crisis. We report on this in our special feature to mark the 17th Conference on Biological Diversity (COP17), which will take place from 19 to 30 October 2026 in the Armenian capital, Yerevan.

Image-Reference

On our website, pictures taken, among others, by the following photographers/photo agencies are used:

Agentur photothek.net, Deutsche Messe Hannover, Andreas Arnold, Jörg Böthling, Dominik Butzmann, Carsten Costard, Susanne Esche, Charlie Fawell, Rendel Freude, Torsten George, Gaby Gerster, David Greedy, Peter Himsel, Barbara Högner, Frank Homann, Fred Hoogervorst, Steffen Jagenburg (BRANSCH EUROPE), Thomas Klewar, Studio Kohlmeier , Florian Kopp, Georg Lopata, Jürgen Lösel, Kirsten Milhahn, Rüdiger Nehmzow, Rolf Obertreis, Rubén Arnaldo Farina Ortiz, Holger Peters, Joachim Röttgers, Mika Schmidt, Bernhard Schurian, Jens Steingässer, Pietro Sutera, Uwe Tölle, Jan Zappner.

Fotolia.com: amandare, Yuri Arcurs, Kitch Bain, Ingo Bartussek, Sergio Donà, drizzd, Dmitry Ersler, eyewave, Zoltán Futó, Eric Gevaert, Fotolia XXV, Friedberg, goodluz, Dirk Hoffmann, imageteam, Christian Jung, Abdelhamid Kalai, Sergej Khakimullin, Vladimir Kolobov, krizz7, Kzenon, lumen-digital, marog-pixcells, Mindwalker, Miredi, mirpic, Nebuto, Tino Neitz, Christian Pedant, Franz Pfluegl, prognone, Gina Sanders, Henry Schmitt, spree berlin, SVLuma, Kheng Guan Toh, tom, Torbz, typomaniac, VRD, Joachim Wendler, Sreedhar Yedlapati.

To the article
Two Tigers

The tiger is alive!

A success story that shows that international cooperation in nature conservation pays off. International Tiger Day is celebrated every year on 29 July. This day was established to draw attention to the protection of tigers and their habitats.

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underwater photograph of a shoal of fish

A protected area as large as Germany

In 2017, KfW established a new and innovative fund for marine conservation. In doing so, it is helping to stem the dramatic loss of biodiversity in the oceans on behalf of the German Federal Government. KfW Stories talks to Executive Director Markus Knigge about what the Blue Action Fund has achieved since then.

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Forests as Saviour

14 September "International Day for the Conservation of Tropical Forests": The world's tropical forests store billions of tons of CO2 per year and are the cradle of biodiversity: protecting forests therefore plays a key role in climate protection.

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Interview with Joan Carling
View over the national park Bukit Tigapuluh

“Our rights should be respected”

Indigenous populations are safeguarding a large part of the essential biodiversity on Earth but very often have no land titles. The Secretary-General of the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact, Joan Carling from the Philippines, says her peoples should finally be recognized as partners.

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To the picture gallery
Plastic waste

Endangered diversity

Plastic waste gets stuck in coral reefs and mangrove forests and destroys sensitive ecosystems. Our picture gallery takes you to Indonesia: an area with the highest marine biodiversity worldwide, but also extreme waste concentration.

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To the article about orangutans on Sumatra
Win Gayo, an adult orangutan in the rainforests of Sumatra

Back to the forest

The Bukit Tigapuluh protection programme has been running on the Indonesian island of Sumatra for more than 20 years. The focus is on resettling orangutans and conserving the living environment for the area's unique flora and fauna. KfW supports this work.

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Malachite sunbird in the Bale Mountains National Park in Ethiopia

Legacy Landscape Fund

Director Stefanie Lang talks about her fund and the biodiversity crisis.

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Interview with marine biologist Professor Hans-Otto Pörtner
Mr Pörtner sitting at a table, speaking into a microphone

“We keep ignoring the red light”

Despite the Ukraine war and uncertain energy supplies, global warming and species loss are still the major issues and combined, they remain one of the greatest challenges of our time. KfW Stories talks to Hans-Otto Pörtner, marine biologist and co-chairman of an IPCC working group, about why it is especially important that we do not lose sight of these issues now and what the consequences might be if we do.

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Blue Action Fund Pacific coral reef

Advocates of the oceans

With the Blue Action Fund, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and KfW created an important institution for marine and coastal protection in developing countries. The difficult beginning was followed by an extraordinary success story.

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Fauna rain forest Brazil

The rainforest as a green lung

The famous photographer Sebastião Salgado has succeeded in planting 2.5 million trees on his parents’ farm in his native Brazil. He now wants to share his experience with KfW, which is working on a new reforestation project in Brazil. KfW Senior Project Manager Karim ould Chih reports on KfW’s involvement in Brazil and the fight against deforestation.

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To the interview
Katrin Böhning-Gaese

“People need nature – not the other way around”

Biologist, author and winner of the German Environmental Award 2021, Prof Dr Katrin Böhning-Gaese spoke to KfW Stories about the dangers of diminishing biodiversity and why the coronavirus crisis has offered a unique opportunity to make our economies greener.

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Interview with Sylvie Goulard about the risks of of biodiversity loss for economies
Portrait of Sylvie Goulard

„We need personalities and a narrative“

The loss of biodiversity is one of the most serious challenges the world is facing right now. Sylvie Goulard, a former Minister and Deputy Governor of the Banque de France, talks about the risks of nature deterioration for economies and why green bonds are not enough to solve the crisis.

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seed bank Norway

A vault for seeds

Crop Trust is helping to save valuable seeds from all over the world in Svalbard, Norway. The seeds are stored in an underground chamber at a temperature of minus 18 degrees.This is a vital project for feeding humanity in times of advancing climate change.

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Tolumnia henekenii

Biodiversity at solar park

The largest solar park in the Caribbean has been built in the Dominican Republic. For this project, KfW subsidiary DEG not only provided a German photovoltaic manufacturer with the necessary capital, it also ensured the survival of rare plants growing on the site.

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An ecological treasure

The Caucasus is home to an enormous environmental treasure. To ensure that it stays this way, KfW has been actively working in Georgia for ten years. The protected areas located here are growing and the country is attracting tourists – a success story.

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Prespasee

A place without borders

A vast biosphere reserve is spreading throughout the border region between Albania, North Macedonia and Greece. Star photographer Valerio Vincenzo visited the area for KfW Stories and documented the changes in the region where, 30 years ago, the Iron Curtain separated friends and family.

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To the article about forest preservation in the Annamite Mountains
Rangers wade a river in the protected forest of the Annamite Range.

A treasure trove for biologists

The rainforests in the border area of Laos and Vietnam are endangered by deforestation and poaching. Together with the WWF, KfW is committed to preserving biodiversity in the Annamite Mountains.

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Coral reef in Belize

Out of the danger zone

To preserve the legacy of our planet, KfW finances hundreds of protected areas for engendered flora and fauna around the world. Our photo gallery shows who benefits.

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To the article on invasive species in the Galapagos Islands
Luis Enrique Buitrón López

Invasion in paradise

The Galapagos Islands are known throughout the world for their unspoilt nature and unique wildlife. But unwanted intruders are threatening the native species. A fund to control invasive species is intended to save them.

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Angelique Songco Tubbataha Reef

”It's not a job, it's a mission“

Angelique Songco is committed to protecting 10,000 hectares of coral reefs in the Philippines' Sulu Sea. KfW Stiftung presented her with the KfW-Bernhard-Grzimek Prize 2019 for Biodiversity in recognition of her work.

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