PAN-EUROPEAN ECOLOGICAL NETWORK

1. PAN-EUROPEAN ECOLOGICAL NETWORK

2. Biodiversity and landscape conservationActivities implemented by the Council of Europe • Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Bern Convention) • Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy (CoE and UNEP) • Three networks to protect nature: • Emerald Network • Pan-European Ecological Network • European Diploma for Protected Areas • European Landscape Convention • European Conference of Ministers Responsible for Regional Planning • Information and awareness

3. Emerald Network • Emerald Network is a pan-European network of Areas of Special Interest Conservation Objectives: • hamonisation of policy in protected areas • helping accession states to adapt ecological networks to EU requirements Creation of the network: • Recommendation 16 (1989) on list of habitats • Resolution 3 (1996) on list of species • Legal basis • Bern Convention (Articles 1, 2, 3, 4, 6b and 9) • Resolution No. 1 (1989) and Recommendations Nos. 14, 15 and 16 (1989); Resolution No. 3 (1996)

4. Building up of the Emerald Network

5. Emerald Network implementation • First phase (1999-2005) Pilot projects programme, launched in 1999. • Aim: Setting up a pilot database covering a number of ASCI tasks: • Setting up project team • Training of the team (workshop) • Scientific work: • gathering data on relevant species and habitats • field study for a specific pilot site • drawing up of a map of species and habitat distribution • Creating the pilot database: • installing software • inputting information on sites into the database • creating standard data sheets on designated sites • Transmitting the report of the information on ASCIs to the Secretariat Ref: Practical guide: T-PVS/Emerald (2002) 16 Setting up of the Emerald Network: guide for leaders of national Emerald Network teams

6. Emerald Network Pilot Projects Programme 1999 – Bulgaria, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Slovenia, Iceland 2000 – Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Turkey 2001 – Ukraine, Lithuania, Cyprus, Hungary,Malta 2002 – Albania, Croatia, "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", Georgia 2003 – Senegal 2004 – Burkina Faso, Norway 2005 – Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro, Azerbaijan

7. Role and place of the Emerald Network among other European ecological networks? Relationship of the Emerald Network with Natura 2000 • Bern Convention (1979) and Habitat Directive (1992) have exactly the same objectives – both are international legal instruments aimed at conserving wild flora, fauna and natural habitats. • Habitats Directive applies to European Union members. Bern Convention applies to the whole Europe and part of Africa. • Member States of European Union will satisfy the habitats requirements of the Bern Convention through Natura 2000 (Special Areas of Conservation of Natura 2000 will become ASCIs of the Emerald Network). • EU accessing countries will do the preparatory work to comply with the European Union by designating the Emerald Network sites. • Non EU-member States will benefit from an ecological network completely compatible with the EU requirements. • Emerald Network takes the philosophy of Natura 2000 beyond the EU borders, developing a common European approach to protection of natural habitats.

8. Pan-European Ecological Network Objectives: - Seeks to conserve ecosystems, habitats, species, their genetic diversity and landscapes of European importance - It intends to link core areas physically through corridors and buffer zones, includingrestoration areas where needed in whole Europe - It is a tool for conciliation of socio-economic activities and the preservation of biological and landscape diversity NOTE: foundations of the PEEN will be national and regional networks and, where possible, crossing-borders networks.

9. Political Context Pan-European Ecological Network • 1995 3rd Ministerial Conference “Environment for Europe” endorsed the Pan-European Biological Diversity and Landscape Strategy (PEBLDS) and its main proposal : the setting up of the Pan-European Ecological Network. • 2003  5th Ministerial Conference “Environment for Europe” agreed to halt the loss of biodiversity at all levels by 2010. • Adoption of the Kyiv Resolution on Biodiversity which: • - established the following targets: •  2006 identification of the PEEN in all States of the Pan-European Region (core areas, restoration areas, corridors and buffer zones) and establishment of coherent maps; • 2008 adequate conservation of all core areas of the PEEN. • endorsed a Statement supporting strongly the Pan-European Ecological Network; • - invited UNESCO to co-operate to the implementation of PEEN through its programme Man and Biosphere, Biosphere Reserves and World Heritage Sites.

10. Follow up to the Kyiv Ministerial Resolution Adoption of an Action Plan for PEEN by the PEBLDS Council aiming to:  - Involve in the establishment of PEEN the conventions and international instruments (EU Natura 2000, Bern Convention Emerald Network, Ramsar Convention, Bonn Convention, World Heritage Convention, European Diploma sites, etc); - Ensure that the PEEN will give guidance by 2008 to major national, regional and international land use and planning policies; - Identify and reflect by 2006 all the constitutive elements of PEEN, also on maps; - Conserve all core areas by 2008; - Enhance institutional support for the implementation of PEEN.

11. Responsible intergovernmental bodies • Council for the Pan-European Biological and LandscapeDiversity Strategy Secretariat : Council of Europe and UNEP • Committee of experts for the development of the Pan-European Ecological Network Secretariat : Council of Europe and ECNC

12. Relationship between PEEN andother international policy initiatives Natura 2000 and the Emerald Network are considered as the main core areas of the PEEN : therefore the setting up of both networks may be considered as the first step for the establishment of PEEN. All the other European initiatives aiming at identifying and protecting specific areas are invited to contribute to this initiative.

13. Concrete achievements: - Numerous studies and reports (e.g. Corridors and ecosystems: coastal and marine areas, 2003) - Series of symposia (e.g. Colloquy on “Marine and coastal ecological corridors”, Wales, 20024th International Symposium of the Pan-European Ecological Network “Marine and coastal biodiversity and protected areas”, Dubrovnik, 2003) - National meetings - Publication of an indicative map for Central and Eastern Europe (presented at the Kyiv Ministerial Conference) - Identification of the whole Emerald Network in Switzerland Projects: - Preparation for 2006 of a report on the state of implementation of PEEN in European States - Preparation for 2006 of specific indicative maps (general indicative map, South East European Region, Caucasus region and Central Asian regions).

14. Co-ordinated programme of activities between the Council of Europe and the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme in the field of Natural Heritage and Landscape • CoE Ecological Networks and the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves in Europe • European Diploma of Protected Areas and UNESCO biosphere reserves • Bern Convention’s activities and UNESCO biosphere reserves • Integration of biodiversity considerations into sectoral policies • Contribution of the CoE and UNESCO to the Conferences of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity • Public awareness, information and education • European Landscape Convention

15. For more detailed information on the environment activities, please consult the Internet site: http://www.coe.int/biodiversity