The wolf is a strictly protected species and, according to current scientific knowledge about the status of this species, it should remain so. Driven out of Europe by persecution, hunting and habitat destruction, the wolf has made a remarkable return to our forests, largely thanks to legal protection provided by international and EU law. However, wolf populations are still far from achieving a good conservation status. Meanwhile, a long-standing campaign by lobbyists representing breeders and hunters, who want to weaken wolf protection in Europe, is starting to have alarming effects.
The Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Governments of the Member States to the European Union (COREPER) will meet on Wednesday, September 25, 2024. The agenda includes a proposal from the European Commission to change the status of the wolf under the Bern Convention, moving it from Appendix II (strictly protected species) to Appendix III (protected species). This formal change may lead to a weakening of wolf protection in practice.
According to unofficial information Poland previously abstaining from voting on this matter, is now leaning towards supporting this controversial initiative. This is a decision that could have serious consequences for nature conservation in our country and throughout Europe.
Society for the Protection of Wolves
The proposal to lower the protection status of the wolf has the hallmarks of a political move aimed at appeasing conservative voters of the European People's Party, the largest political family in the European Parliament (which includes, among others, Civic Platform and PSL). Last year the service Politico described that the party was trying to win votes from rural areas in this way.
First of all, it is devoid of scientific basis. Wolves have still not achieved a favourable conservation status in the European Union. According to the latest analyses carried out under Article 17 of the Habitats Directive, wolf populations in the EU are in an unsatisfactory or bad conservation status in six of the seven biogeographic regions.
The decision to support this proposal by Poland also contradicts public opinion. In a survey conducted on behalf of the European Commission in December 2023, as many as 71 percent of over 18,500 respondents were in favor of maintaining the current legal status of the wolf in the EU. In Poland, this percentage was as high as 90 percent. Over 300 non-governmental organizations are calling for the strengthening, not weakening, of protection for this species.
The path to weaker wolf protection
Pushing ahead with the Commission’s proposals could lead to the deliberate or unintentional reopening of the Habitats Directive, weakening its effectiveness not only for wolves. Currently, the Bern Convention acts as a gatekeeper against attempts to undermine species protection under the Habitats Directive. Opening the door to a change to the Directive would also jeopardise the protection of Natura 2000 sites, a key network of breeding and habitats for rare and threatened species across the EU, which would be contrary to the environmental objectives of the EU Treaties and the latest scientific findings on the current state of biodiversity in the EU.
Instead of weakening wolf protection, Member States should use available EU funds for effective methods of preventing conflicts or losses among farmers, such as electric fences or dogs EU funds are available to support such initiatives, and many countries are already implementing them successfully. Ignoring these solutions and focusing on reducing the wolf population is a step backward and could undo conservation achievements to date.
Polandas a country with rich natural traditions and a significant wolf population, should protect this species. Support for changing the status of the wolf in the Bern Convention is not only contrary to the will of society, but also to the promises of the government Donald Tusk in terms of strengthening nature protection. Decisions on such key issues should be based on solid scientific foundations, and not on political pressure or lobbying groups.
In the face of the global biodiversity crisis, we cannot afford to weaken the protection of species that are key to our ecosystems. Poland should support maintaining the current, strictly protected status of the wolf under the Bern Convention. The fight to protect the wolf is a symbol of a broader approach to protecting nature and biodiversity. Poland has a chance to show that it is a responsible member of the European community, guided by the long-term good of the natural environment.