European ECO-Forum Delegation Joint Statement 3rd Intergovernmental Conference “Biodiversity in Europe”, Madrid, 19 January 2004 NGOs participating in the Conference welcome the proposals prepared by the Governments of the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, and Norway; the Council of Europe, the European Environment Agency, and the United Nations Environment Programme; the European Centre for Nature Conservation, the World Conservation Union-IUCN, and the Central and Eastern European Working Group for the Enhancement of Biodiversity (CEEWEB) to achieve the targets set out in the Kyiv Biodiversity Resolution (STRA CO (2004) 3). We strongly believe that all targets may only be achieved with active participation of different stakeholders in biodiversity conservation policy development and implementation. That is why we urge Governments and international organisations to make steps toward real implementation of the “Participatory Democracy” principles in the spirit of the Aarhus Convention. Starting from the First Intergovernmental Conference “Biodiversity in Europe” (Riga, 2000) European ECO-Forum as a broad ad hoc environmental NGOs coalition of the Pan-European region, continues to appeal to Governments and international organisations to incorporate into the PEBLDS Action Plans measures and activities insuring real public participation in decision making and active NGO involvement in implementation of different actions and programmes. Despite of the Aarhus Ministerial Conference we face different attempts to limit public participation to public awareness programmes only, and to conceive “public hearings” as a self-sufficient tool of public participation, neglecting socio-economical mechanisms of involvement of different stakeholders in biodiversity conservation policy development and implementation. At the same time we have promising examples of effective common work of national governments and intergovernmental bodies with non-governmental organizations, like, for example “Public evaluation of environmental policy development in Ukraine”. This was done by a broad group of Ukrainian NGOs during preparation to Kyiv-2003 Ministerial Conference. As another excellent example of real public participation in the planning and implementation of biodiversity conservation activities we could refer to the current GEF/UNEP - WWF project “Development of the Ecological Network for long-term conservation of biodiversity in the Central Asia Eco-Regions”. In this project regional and majority of national coordinators presenting not governmental agencies, but NGOs. Ministries and Inter-State Commission on Sustainable Development for Central Asia accepted this distribution of responsibilities. That is why we urge all participants of the Third Intergovernmental Conference “Biodiversity in Europe” to provide sufficient space and resources for active civil society involvement in PEBLDS activity to achieve all nine key targets of the Kyiv Biodiversity Resolution. Forests and biodiversity: For the theme ‘Ecosystem approach’ we suggest:
For the theme ‘Protected forest areas’ we suggest to enlarge analysis of European networks of protected forest areas by analysis of management practices regarding conservation goals. This analysis should be done with active involvement of NGOs and other relevant stakeholders being widely discussed among them. Governments should make urgent actions to include intact, ancient and old growth forests into European networks of protected forest areas. Agriculture and biodiversity: In order to ensure synergy between different PEBLDS actions we suggest promoting creation of ecological corridors in agricultural lands through cooperation of environmental and agricultural ministries and local authorities and farmers. The network of environmentally sensitive areas, which is being developed by EU, should integrate this network in the PEEN. The current revision of the CAP must consider the objectives spelled out in the EU Biodiversity Strategy in a more coherent fashion. Pan European Ecological Network: While enhancing the institutional support for implementing the PEEN Kyiv targets, we propose evaluation of implementation of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans regarding creation of national ecological networks. We propose to include between Activity “Pilot project to
enhance the integration of conservation, management and sustainable use
of biodiversity into sectoral policies…” and Activity “Develop guidelines
and pilot projects for ecological networks and spatial and regional planning…”
an extra Activity: Invasive Alien Species: We need to emphasize that information and awareness raising should particularly address two sectors:
Financing Biodiversity: We support development of partnerships with the finance and business sectors, but strongly believe that public participation in decision-making should be a key element in any investment activity. That is why we suggest incorporating public participation and public monitoring and evaluation into all proposed activity from its inception to implementation. With this we want to ensure that programs are not implemented because of financial interests, but for protecting nature, following the guidelines of CBD. Biodiversity Monitoring and Indicators: There is strong need to set up a number of simplified biodiversity indicators, which must be understandable and appropriate for use at the level of local communities. The indicators should be accepted widely in Europe, including the EU and used to assess nature conservation efforts, including implementation of CBD, the EU Biodiversity Strategy, and Natura 2000 Network, but also other sectoral policies, among others agriculture and transport policies. The developed and agreed indicators should be used for monitoring the progress towards the 2010 target. Public Participation and Awareness: We support efforts of UNEP and CEEWEB regarding public participation and awareness, but it needs to emphasize that in proposed action plan (STRA-CO (2004) 3 g) public participation in biodiversity conservation is substituted by public awareness. This needs to be changed. The core set of indicators of public participation at all stages of PEBLDS development - from planning and decision-making up to implementation should be agreed upon by 2006. We suggest:
We also see a strong need for development a synergy
between PEBLDS and other initiatives of the Environment for Europe process.
Thus, regarding public awareness, we suggest to cooperate with the UNECE
Strategy for Education for Sustainable Development to ensure inclusion
of biodiversity aspects in education for sustainable development at all
levels. Today's draft of the UNECE Strategy for Education for Sustainable
Development contains just two references on biodiversity conservation.
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