About 4,000 delegates have gathered in Bonn to try to agree on ways to slow the rate of loss of plant and animal life.

Experts have warned the world is facing the worst spate of extinctions since the dinosaurs died out 65 million years ago because of a loss of habitats linked to rising human populations, climate change and pollution. One of the main topics is how to encourage countries to use "protected areas" which, studies show, help slow the destruction of life. The convention aims to safeguard at least 10 percent of the world's ecological regions in such areas.

"Protected areas are our safety net for life on earth," said German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel, adding that global efforts so far were insufficient to safeguard biodiversity.

About 12 percent of the world's land area is set aside for wildlife but only some 0.5 percent of the oceans have been designated, and almost none outside national territorial waters.

Existing protected zones include part of the Brazilian rainforest, marine areas off Vietnam, national parks in Zambia and peat bogs in Germany.

Jochen Flasbarth, head of nature protection at Germany's Environment Ministry, said Europe's biggest economy wanted to get things moving by creating a "clearinghouse" for the areas.

"We want to invite countries to nominate and designate further areas as future protected areas," he said. Developing nations could also estimate how much money they would need to set aside new areas.

JEWEL IN THE CROWN

He argued it was important to raise awareness of the zones' benefits, monitor them and create alternative livelihoods for inhabitants of the areas, noting that to do that, developing countries needed cash.

It is unclear how much money donors will end up giving but Germany said it would contribute 40 million euros ($62 million).

"This is a welcome step but it is a drop in the ocean," said Christoph Thies, a campaigner for environmental group Greenpeace which says industrialised countries need to spend a total of 30 billion euros annually on global protected areas.

Convention Executive Secretary Ahmed Djoghlaf told reporters the German idea was a big contribution to the so-called "jewel in the crown" of conservation.

"We believe the Life Web Initiative will be a major breakthrough ... we hope that those with expertise will join Germany and commit themselves," he added.

Flasbarth said he expected the Democratic Republic of Congo to sign up and announce an additional commitment to protect forests. Germany is also talking to Latin American and Central American countries and hopes donor countries will stump up over the next two years.