Statement of the Biodiversity Issue Group of the European Eco-Forum for the Intergovernmental Conference “Biodiversity in Europe”, Riga, Latvia, 20-23.March, 2000 Pan European Environmental NGO Coalition suggests the following actions to be provided for implementation of the Convention On Biological Diversity in the region during the forthcoming period: 1. Aarhus Convention On Public Participation implementation assumes not only right for information, but active participation of international, national and local environmental non-governmental organisations in the decision-making process. High technical and scientific level and "third party" position of experts from non-governmental sector could give a real opportunity for dramatic enlargement of their role in the implementation process of the Convention On Biological Diversity in the Pan European Region. This opportunity could be used more effectively by national governments and international institutions through establishment of capacity building mechanism supporting NGO expertise. 2. The Clearing-House Mechanism On Scientific and Technical Co-operation for NIS region should be established with technical support of international and national non-governmental organisations working in NIS. 3. Biodiversity Indicators, Monitoring and Reporting should be focused on regional natural, economic and social features. Common, Pan European level indicators and monitoring programs should be supplemented with ones at the level of every biogeographic region. Indicators for NIS biogeographic regions, especially for arid, mountain and Arctic ecosystems should be redeveloped through collaboration of scientists, data-managers and decision-makers from interested parties, including international and national non-governmental organisations from the region. Adaptation of EU approaches for use in CEE and NIS regions should be an important part of data clarification. 4. International instruments and mechanisms working for implementation of the Convention On Biological Diversity in the Newly Independent States should assume NIS as holistic region with common natural and cultural heritage. NIS should be considered as an Eastern part of the Pan European Region covering Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. 5. Financial mechanism for biodiversity
in Pan European Region should be more oriented for field projects and
success story replicating than general policy statements and ambitious
action plans development. Developing the Pan European Biodiversity Strategy
Resource Plan should be based on special assessment of effectiveness of
biodiversity conservation projects, especially for NIS countries. |
|
Developed by BIOTICA Ecological Society Hosted by the Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide (E-LAW) |