Michael Kloepfer, Toralf Ließneck

Zeitschrift für Europäisches Umwelt- und Planungsrecht, Volume 21 (2023), Issue 4, Page 409 - 429

Having been adopted under the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) in December 2022 the „Global Biodiversity Framework“ (GBF) is the most recent step towards the preservation of nature’s variety on a global scale. Unfortunately it cannot be seen as the successor of coherent actions taken under the Convention before. On the contrary, the actions promised so far – as in the Aichi-Biodiversity-Targets of 2010 – where not even close to being fulfilled. Hence the new Framework appears as incorporating the last measures that are able to counter the globally deteriorating state of genetic multiplicity without devastating losses. This made it immensely pressuring to formulate immediate and concrete action at the Conference of the Parties of the Convention (COP) in December 2022. As shown in the following article the new framework has admittedly produced some ambitious targets as the natural preservation of one third of the global surface. Nevertheless, the question remains, how this Framework wants to overcome the deficits of the past in formal effectuation of the given goals. This article aims to analyze and criticize the new measures as well as it intends to offer and reiterate long-term solutions, that partly already have been mentioned in the field. Since there is no official German translation of the Global Biodiversity Framework this article shall also serve as a detailed overview of this communique in the German language.

Michael Kloepfer, Jan-Louis Wiedman

Zeitschrift für Europäisches Umwelt- und Planungsrecht, Volume 20 (2022), Issue 3, Page 304 - 320

Nicht nur das Klima, auch das Klimaschutzrecht befindet sich im Wandel. Gerichtsentscheidungen, ambitioniertere Klimaziele und ein stetig wachsendes Bewusstsein für die sich zuspitzende Klimakrise sorgen dafür, dass Neuerungen des Rechtsgebiets nicht abreißen. Der folgende Beitrag strebt eine gesamthafte Darstellung derjenigen Strukturen an, die das dynamische Klimaschutzrecht schon heute prägen und wohl auch künftig prägen werden.

Michael Kloepfer

Zeitschrift für Europäisches Umwelt- und Planungsrecht, Volume 19 (2021), Issue 2, Page 185 - 190

The new Coal-fired Power Generation Termination Act (KVBG), as a part of the German coal exit law, aims to steadily reduce coal-fired power generation in Germany. By doing so, it contributes to Germany's international and supranational commitments in dealing with the challenges of climate change. This article explains the content of the KVBG with its different approaches concerning brown and black coal. A closer focus is then put on the law's combination of regulatory and consensual/contractual tools. The paper goes on to look for parallels and differences between the German coal-exit and the German exit from nuclear power generation of 2011 and concludes with addressing general issues of long-term political responsibility.

Michael Kloepfer

Zeitschrift für Europäisches Umwelt- und Planungsrecht, Volume 16 (2018), Issue 1, Page 34 - 41

The concepts of adequacy (Angemessenheit) and adaption (Anpassung) have been rarely discussed in social and political contexts so far. Adequacy is a fundamental principle in a society governed by the Rule of Law. Without being identical, adequacy is strongly associated with the prohibition of disproportionate measures (Übermaßverbot) in constitutional balancing processes. Adequacy is an extensive notion, which transcends the governmental sector. It is characterised by considerations of coherence and harmony in different settings. Changing actual situations, scientific knowledge and constitutional requirements may result in adaptions of law. All governmental branches are capable of adjusting their decisions due to actual and legal changes. A particular example for legal adaptions are adjustments made due to climate change. Those changes already lead to new regulations, especially in planning and zoning acts and construction law (Klimawandelanpassungsrecht).

Michael Kloepfer

Zeitschrift für Europäisches Umwelt- und Planungsrecht, Volume 13 (2015), Issue 3, Page 214 - 220

Public procurement and environmental protection have commonly been regarded as conflicting public tasks, sometimes even as antagonists. However, in recent years, a trend towards ecologically motivated public procurement has emerged. The European Court of Justice and legislation by the European Union have fostered ‘green procurement’. Today, it is legally allowed and to some extent even compulsory for German public authorities to consider ecological aspects when they purchase goods and order services.