At its meeting in Medellin (Colombia), the World Biodiversity Council (IPBES) presented its studies on biodiversity and ecosystem services in various regions of the world. They show that the increasing intensity of conventional agriculture and forestry is leading to a decline in biodiversity. Findings concerning Europe and Central Asia indicate that the appropriation of nature for human needs, such as the production of food and energy, goes at the expense of important ecosystem functions, such as pollination or soil formation. One of the main authors for this region is the sustainability expert Prof. Berta Martín-López from Leuphana University of Lüneburg.