On Thursday, 26 June 2025, an online press conference organized by Scientists For Future Austria, with the participation of Franz Essl and colleagues from IIASA, was held. An Open Letter, signed by more than 1,500 scientists across Europe, was released to the media. The Open Letter calls on the European Commission to live up to its commitments and close the large and growing biodiversity funding gap in the currently negotiated next EU financial period. This funding gap puts European nature — and human livelihoods — at increasing risk.
Several media have have reported on the topic (e.g. https://www.derstandard.at/story/3000000275574/wer-wird-die-renaturierung-bezahlen-forschende-fordern-zusagen-im-eu-budget), and the Open Letter was delivered in parallel to the European Commission.
