Environmental protection includes measures that enable the preservation of the natural environment. The natural environment includes entire ecosystems as well as animal and plant species and non-living systems such as mountains and rivers. The overall aim of environmental protection is to preserve the natural basis of human life, but also to preserve the systems out of respect for nature. Environmental protection measures can be categorised as preventive (prevention), reductive (repression) and restorative (reparation). Due to the complex interrelationships of natural systems, it is important to act in accordance with the precautionary principle and to minimise damage or change as much as possible.
The most important fields of action in environmental protection are climate protection, forest conservation and water protection.
Environmental protection became particularly important in the middle of the 20th century, when the consequences of human activity, especially intensive industries, on the environment became tangible. Since then, more and more people have become involved in environmental protection organisations such as Greenpeace or BUND. As a result, environmental protection has also become increasingly important for companies.
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