The German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (Bundesamt für Naturschutz, BfN) is the central scientific authority of the German federal government for both national and international nature conservation.

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From 15 to 19 October 2018, representatives of 24 European countries are gathering at the Wartburg World Heritage Site for the "Pan-European Green Belt Conference". In the Thuringian state parliament, the law to protect the Green Belt of Thuringia as a National Nature Monument is about to be passed. This would create the longest contiguous protected area along the European Green Belt. The aim is to ensure that both history and nature benefit equally from the new conservation status.

Read more: https://www.europeangreenbelt.org/

Are plants created with the help of new genome editing methods such as CRISPR/Cas to be regarded as genetically modified organisms? Are they covered by European genetic engineering law? The European Court of Justice ruled on these questions on 25th of July 2018: Organisms obtained by new genetic engineering are in principle subject to the European genetic engineering law.

Astana, 22 June 2018: Eight countries in the Caucasus and Central Asia have committed to restore 2,5 million hectare of forest landscape under the “Bonn Challenge” by 2020. The commitment was made at the first Ministerial Roundtable on Forest Landscape Restoration and the Bonn Challenge in the Caucasus and Central Asia, held on 21-22 June 2018 in Astana, Kazakhstan. The meeting also adopted the Astana Resolution, committing the region to strengthen partnerships and regional cooperation to conserve and restore forest landscapes. The conference was officially opened by BfN President Prof. Beate Jessel.