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Astrid Schomaker – the voice of nature at the UN

A German is heading the Secretariat of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. Her work is crucial in protecting the environment. 

25.10.2024
Astrid Schomaker announced as Executive Secretary in UNEP.
Astrid Schomaker announced as Executive Secretary in UNEP. © UNEP

Astrid Schomaker also named the voice of nature at the UN: she is to head the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity at UNEP. Its task is to protect biodiversity on our planet. She could equally as well be named as the voice of the future or of the people, because nature is the foundation for our lives – it provides air, water and food. Schomaker’s work is therefore more important than ever in these times of climate change and species extinction. “We need to conserve nature if we want to survive”, she said in an interview with Spektrum magazine.  

Biological diversity is not a luxury for nature lovers or tourists, but rather a basis for human life. The world’s ecosystems are frequently deemed to be in a poor condition, said Schomaker to the Deutschlandfunk radio network, and are often thus no longer able to provide groundwater and a climate that would have been available and vital to agriculture centuries ago. But that’s not all: “This means we can no longer assure sufficient drinking water for everyone in the future.” 

Conserving nature and considering people’s needs 

Schomaker and UNEP are collaborating closely with governments, researchers and NGOs to develop strategies that conserve nature and at the same time consider people’s needs. This involves focusing on sustainable development and environmental justice. 

Schomaker studied English, History and Law in Hamburg and Norwich. She subsequently worked at the European Commission. Since switching to its Environment Department in 2004, she has remained faithful to this topic. UN Secretary-General António Guterres announced in April 2024 the German’s appointment as Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity at UNEP. In this function, she is also managing the 16th United Nations Biodiversity Conference COP 16 in Cali, Columbia. What Schomaker formulates in quite general terms is also applicable to its objectives: “When we’re dealing with nature conservation, then it primarily involves conserving nature for mankind.”