EfE themes: Biodiversity and sustainable development in mountain areas
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On this page we present summary information on the current EfE work areas "biological and landscape diversity" and "sustainable development in mountain areas".
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Biological and landscape diversity
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Biodiversity and nature protection have been main themes in the Environment for Europe process since the 1993 Lucerne Ministerial Conference. At the 1995 Sofia Ministerial Conference the Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy (PEBLDS) was endorsed. The PEBLDS was developed by the Council of Europe in cooperation with the European Centre for Nature Conservation (ECNC), the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and other national and international institutions. The PEBLDS was designed as a European response to support implementation of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity and focuses on stopping and reversing the degradation of biological and landscape diversity values in Europe. Click here to view the text of the PEBLDS.
At the 2003 Kiev Ministerial Conference, the "Kiev Resolution on Biodiversity" was endorsed (see articles 56 and 57 of the Kiev Ministerial Declaration). This Resolution includes nine targets aimed at halting the loss of biodiversity in Europe by 2010. These targets relate to:
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Forests and biodiversity;
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Agriculture and biodiversity;
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the Pan European Ecological Network (PEEN);
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Invasive alien species;
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Financing biodiversity;
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Biodiversity monitoring and indicators;
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Public participation and awareness.
At the 2007 Belgrade Environment for Europe Conference the Belgrade Statement on Biodiversity was endorsed and the mandate was renewed for continuing PEBLDS related work.
PEBLDS work since the 2003 Kiev EfE Conference has focused on the above mentioned topics and PEBLDS partners have carried out various activities including the development of a pan-European system of protected areas and ecological networks, the development of biodiversity indicators, stakeholder activities in the agriculture and forest sectors, a 2010 Countdown Initiative to monitor and profile implementation of commitments, and biennial preparatory conferences for the meetings of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
Today, the PEBLDS primarily represents a forum for governments, inter-governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, the private sector and other relevant stakeholders to promote, coordinate and implement national and regional actions to conserve and use in a sustainable manner biological diversity in the pan-European region. For an overview of the bodies responsible for implementing the PEBLDS click here. More information on the PEBLDS process is available on the following websites:
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Sustainable development in mountain areas
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Sustainable development in mountain areas has been a work area/theme in the Environment for Europe process since the 2003 Kiev Environment for Europe Ministerial Conference. In Article 64 of the Kiev Declaration, Ministers stated:
"We welcome the progress made in the protection, sustainable development and management of mountain regions, and the strengthening of cooperation among transboundary mountain regions, such as the Alps, the Carpathians, the Caucasus and Tianshan, through the sharing of experiences and technical cooperation. We emphasize the importance of implementing the partnerships for sustainable development of mountain regions in order to effectively address imminent challenges in biodiversity conservation, sustainable local development, water management and flood prevention and control in mountains and adjacent lowlands. (...)"
At the 2003 Kiev Environment for Europe Ministerial conference, the Governments of all countries from the Carpathian region (Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia and Ukraine) adopted and signed the new Convention on Environment Protection and Sustainable Development of the Carpathians. Earlier, at the "Bishkek Mountain Summit", the "Central Asian Mountain Charter" was adopted.
Paragraph 22 of the Belgrade Ministerial Declaration states:
"We welcome the mountain partnerships within and between the Alps, the Carpathians, the South-East European mountain region, the Caucasus and the mountain regions of Central Asia. We recognize the benefits from the existing legally binding instruments for the protection and sustainable development of the mountain regions such as the Alpine and Carpathian Conventions, and welcome the initiative of South-East European and Caucasian countries to develop such instruments. We encourage the international Global Mountain Partnership to promote and foster exchanges of experience and expertise with other mountain regions in the world."
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Documents related to biodiversity and SD in mountain areas discussed at the 2007 Belgrade Environment for Europe Ministerial Conference
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The following documents related to the PEBLDS and sustainable development in mountain areas have been submitted to the 2007 Belgrade Environment for Europe Ministerial Conference:
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Draft Belgrade Statement on Biodiversity (submitted by: the Council for the Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy). View document: ENG, FRE, RUS.
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Report on the Status of Implementation of the Kiev Resolution on Biodiversity: Achievements, Challenges and Future Action to Reach the 2010 Pan-European Biodiversity Target (submitted by: the "Countdown 2010 Secretariat" in collaboration with UNEP, the Council of Europe, the EEA, WWF and the European ECO-Forum). View document: ENG, RUS.
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The Pan-European Ecological Network: State of implementation of the Network – message to the ministers and policy makers (submitted by: Council of Europe). View document: ENG, FRE.
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The Pan-European Ecological Network: Taking Stock (submitted by: Council of Europe). View document: ENG, FRE.
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Biodiversity for Europe Now! – European ECO-Forum's Recommendations for Pan-European Cooperation (submitted by: European ECO-Forum). View document: ENG, FRE, RUS.
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Integrating Environment in Key Economic Sectors in Europe and Central Asia (submitted by: the World Bank). View document: ENG.
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Protection and Sustainable Development of Mountain Areas in South-East Europe (submitted by: FYR Macedonia). View document: ENG.
- Cooperation and Frameworks for the Protection and Sustainable Development of Mountain Regions in Europe (submitted by: UNEP). View document: ENG, FRE, RUS.
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Europe's Environment: the Fourth Assessment (submitted by: European Environment Agency). Note: This report will be made available during the Belgrade Conference. View document: ENG, FRE, RUS.
- Policies for a Better Environment - Progress in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia (submitted by: EAP Task Force). View document: full text ENG/RUS, summary.
- Progress Report on Partnerships in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia (submitted by: EAP Task Force). View document: ENG, RUS.
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Environmental Policy in South-Eastern Europe (submitted by: UNDP). View document: ENG.
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Towards a Healthy and Productive Adriatic Ecosystem (submitted by: Croatia). View document: ENG.
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Project Preparation Committee Report to the Sixth Ministerial Conference "Environment for Europe" (submitted by: Project Preparation Committee). View document: ENG, RUS.
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Trends in Environmental Finance in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia (submitted by: EAP Task Force). View document: ENG, RUS.
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Environmental Financing Trends in South-Eastern Europe: 2001–2005 (submitted by: Regional Environmental Centre for Central and Eastern Europe). View document: ENG.
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Last update of this page: 17 April, 2008.
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