The current study investigated how the Three Conditions-Approach developed by IUCN's World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) Post-2020 task force would work for the current German National Biodiversity Strategy (of 2007) and the Nature Conservation Action Programme 2020 launched by the Ministry of the Environment in 2015, the environmental conditions given in a densely populated and highly industrialized country like Germany, and Germany's global cooperation under the CBD. The Three Conditions map for Germany showed that most areas fell into conditions C1 (Cities and Farms) and C2 (Shared Landscapes) while condition C3 (Large wild areas) was nearly not found any more.

The study presented information about the situation in Germany with respect to different categories of protected areas and types of land use and compared the conservation measures undertaken in Germany for the implementation of the NBS with the activities proposed for each of the Three Conditions. The authors findings and conclusions were discussed with German experts in a workshop.

Overall, the study found that the Three-Conditions-Approach would work well for Germany as its proposed conservation objectives are to a large extent in line with the German NBS and the Nature Conservation Action Programme 2020, as well as with the implementing actions Germany is undertaking. The application of the approach could also add value to country level activities in Germany and help to develop implementation priorities. On a global scale the Three Conditions-Approach would provide a rational basis for measures to decrease Germany's footprint in the world and take tele-coupling effects into account. It could also help to prioritize Germany's efforts in nature conservation abroad, e.g. provided through Official Development Assistance (ODA).

Therefore, if the Three Conditions-Approach would be used for shaping the post-2020 biodiversity framework it could help to advance Germany's nature conservation efforts domestically to some degree and significantly in the global context.