Volkswagen supports German government campaign to preserve biodiversity

Volkswagen is systematically expanding its nature conservation commitment by supporting the German government campaign to preserve biodiversity. The objective of the government’s information campaign is to raise public awareness for preserving the diversity of species and prepare for the UN conference on biodiversity to be held in Bonn in May 2008. The campaign gets underway in Berlin on September 26 and ends in Bonn on October 20. The info bus organized by Volkswagen and the German government will visit the capital cities in a total of 15 German states.

Together with the Federal Environment Ministry and Karstadt AG, and supported by MAN, Volkswagen has converted a modern travel bus into a mobile ambassador for the preservation of biodiversity. The tour departs from Berlin on September 26 and will be spending four weeks traveling round Germany, stopping at central locations in the capital cities of 15 German states. Activities such as talk shows, walk-through nature trails and info boards will draw attention to the significance of biodiversity. The tour ends on October 20, United Nations Day, in Bonn, the venue for the May 2008 UN international conference on biodiversity.

“Preserving biodiversity has become a global challenge. Species extinction not only means a deterioration in the quality of our world, but also threatens growth and prosperity. Wherever we look - design, climate technology or packaging, sensor technology and architecture, material development, micro- and nano-technology – researchers and developers take their lead from nature, just as we do in the automotive industry. In this sense, biodiversity also has an economic value. That is one reason why Volkswagen decided to proactively support the German government’s campaign,” said Stephan Grühsem, Head of Group Communications, commenting on Volkswagen’s commitment.

For Volkswagen, preserving biodiversity is not a new commitment. The company already supports projects to protect endangered animal and plant species in Germany and many other locations around the world. Together with NABU, Volkswagen launched the “Willkommen Wolf” information campaign on the remigration of wolves to Germany, and joined up with the city of Wolfsburg for the renaturisation of the Aller River and the surrounding low-lying areas. Volkswagen supports the scientific exploration of nature conservation areas in Mexico, panda research in China and the preservation of the Andean condor in Brazil. During the German government’s information campaign, visitors can learn more about these and other Volkswagen nature conservation projects.