On 10 November, a CIC Delegation was invited to give an address in the Austrian Parliament in Vienna, with the President of the CIC, Dr. Philipp Harmer, and the President of the CIC Applied Science Division, Dr. Klaus Hackländer, speaking at a session on “Land Use and Biodiversity – Hunting as Nature Conservation in Action” yesterday evening.
Organised by the Green Cross Association (Verein Grünes Kreuz) as part of their Green Academy event, the session came as part of a larger exploration into the importance of hunting and nature both in an Austrian and global context.
Founded in 1905, the Green Cross Association is a charitable organisation that works to support the hunting and forestry sectors, as well as the conservation efforts and academic research associated with them.
As part of his speech, Dr. Hackländer spoke about the human pressures on wildlife species, largely attributed to habitat loss, overexploitation, pollution, climate change and more. Within this context, the principal aim of hunting as a management tool was highlighted, as well as the individual actions of hunters that benefit ecosystem health.
The 2023 Green Cross Biodiversity Prize – for which Dr. Hackländer sits on the jury – was therefore praised for its importance in bringing attention to the exemplary work carried out by individuals to support biodiversity.
The CIC President – Dr. Harmer – gave further context to the benefits of hunting and the sustainable use of natural resources by outlining the work of the CIC and its extended network.
In particular, the CIC’s commitment to working in conjunction with wider conservation targets was emphasised, referencing the EU Biodiversity Strategy and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, on which the upcoming 2030 CIC Programme is based.
The CIC extends its thanks to the Green Cross Association for their kind invitation to this event. For more information on the upcoming CIC Programme, please stay tuned for updates on the 70th General Assembly in Cascais (18-21 April, 2024), where the Programme is set to be adopted.
