A rallying cry is currently circulating amongst scientists and experts, in response to a European Commission proposal to downgrade the grey wolf’s protection
During their meeting on 2-6 December 2024, the Bern Convention’s Standing Committee will consider a proposal by the European Union to lower the protection status of the wolf (Canis lupus) by moving it from Appendix II to Appendix III of the Bern Convention, i.e. from “strictly protected fauna species” to “protected fauna species”. The EU intends to subsequently downlist the species from Annex IV to Annex V of the EU Habitats Directive.
If the proposal is adopted, it will open the door to large-scale culling of wolves, which will threaten the ongoing recovery of wolf populations across Europe and jeopardise efforts to promote coexistence between humans and large carnivores.
As numerous conservation and legal experts, including the IUCN/SSC Specialist Group Large Carnivore Initiative for Europe (LCIE), have pointed out, the EU proposal lacks the scientific basis required for downlisting species under the Bern Convention. Rather, the proposal appears to be driven by political motivations. As the LCIE noted in its statement dated 13 November 2024, “the LCIE is not aware of scientific evidence convincingly supporting the assumption that downlisting can be expected to alleviate social and economic conflicts associated with wolves. In fact, the deeper social conflicts that appear to be the real drivers of the present discussions over wolf management (rather than livestock damages as such) are unlikely to be resolved by downlisting, as this will predictably please some stakeholders while upsetting others”.
Two Scientific Statements, open for signatures to Scientists and Academics only, have been launched by a small group of experts in the field of conservation and environment. You can find them here.
Hundreds of scientists have already signed and signatories are increasing by the day. We hope that more scientists will join the initiative by reviewing, and if in agreement, signing the statements.
The statements will be sent to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe and the Secretary of the Bern Convention on 1st December 2024.
