Council of Europe

Background

Biodiversity is vital for current and future human wellbeing. Wild flora and fauna have an essential role in maintaining biological balance. The Council of Europe plays an active role in preserving biodiversity since 30 years.
The Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats is a Council of Europe binding treaty to foster the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity in Europe. The designation of protected areas is a cornerstone for the conservation of biodiversity. Since 1996 the Council of Europe is working on the setting-up of the Emerald Network, an ecological network of protected areas which provides a model for conserving biodiversity, based on ecological principles, while allowing a degree of human exploitation of the landscape. The Emerald Network is to be set up in each Contracting Party and observer state to the Bern Convention.

Description

The Group of Experts on Protected Areas and Ecological Networks meets in Strasbourg on 14-15 September 2010 for the second time. This two-day meeting will contribute to state the progress towards the setting-up of the Emerald Network. The experts will also discuss the implementation of the Pan-European Ecological Network (legal instruments, good practices and challenges for the future). The meeting will count with the participation of officials from the Council of Europe, the European Union, and other international agreements on biodiversity, as well as with representatives of Contracting Parties and Observer states and NGOs to the Bern Convention.

Meeting information

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Agenda

Information documents

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Bern Declaration

General principles of the procedure for examining and approving Emerald sites proposed by States - T-PVS/Emerald(2005)09E

Proposal for setting up criteria for assessing the National Lists of proposed Areas of Special Conservation Interest (ASCI) - T-PVS/Emerald(2007)03E

Report, meeting of the Group of experts 2009 - T-PVS/PA(2009)15E

Report, 2nd meeting of the Group of Experts on Protected Areas and Ecological Networks (14-15 September 2010, Strasbourg)- T-PVS/PA(2010)11E

Extract from the report of the 29th meeting of the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention, 23-26 November 2009 - T-PVS/PA(2010)04E

The designation of protected areas in Morocco. Report by the Government - T-PVS/PA(2010)07F [french only]

Working documents

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State of Progress as for 30 August 2010 - T-PVS/PA(2010)06revE

Draft Calendar for the implementation of the Emerald Network of Areas of Special Conservation Interest 2011-2020 - T-PVS/PA(2010)08revE

Draft programme of activities and budget 2011 - T-PVS/PA(2010)03E

Draft Information Form for Species or Habitats - T-PVS/PA(2010)02E

Setting-up of the Emerald Network - Summary review of the constitution process and progress report - T-PVS/PA(2010)05E

The Emerald Network, a network of Areas of Special Conservation Interest for Europe - Information document - T-PVS/PA(2009)08revE

PrEsentations

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Mr Marco CIPRIANI, European Commission

Mr Boris ERG, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

Mr Abderrahmen GANNOUN, Regional Activity Centre for Specially Protected Areas (RAC/SPA)

Mr Yann Kohler, Alpine Convention

Mr Giacomo LUCIANI, Carpathian Convention, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Ms Hayat MESBAH, The Moroccan High Commission for Waters, Forests and Combating. Desertification (HCEFLCD)

Mr Alexandre MIGNOTTE, International Commission for the Protection of the Alps (CIPRA)

Mr Atef OUERGHI, Regional Activity Centre for Specially Protected Areas (RAC/SPA)

Dr Jan PLESNIK, Agency for Nature Conservation and Landscape Protection of the Czech Republic

Dr Leonid PROTSENKO, InterEcoCentre

Ms Dominique RICHARD, European Topic Centre on Biological Diversity

Mr Tobias SALATHE, Ramsar Convention Secretariat

Mr Jacques STEIN, Public Service of Wallonia  |   Presentation document