Nature
Ecological Networks
 The pace of biodiversity decline is quickening worldwide. Habitat break-up, pollution, over-use of natural areas and the
creation of artificial landscapes increase the rate of erosion, while reducing species' opportunity for migration,
dispersion and exchange. How and by what means can this situation be put right?
In 1995, the European Ministers of the Environment meeting in Sofia, launched the Pan-European Biological and Landscape
Diversity Strategy (PEBLDS), so as to strengthen environment and biodiversity conservation policies. They called “for
the promotion of nature protection, both inside and outside protected areas, by implementing the European Ecological
Network, a physical network of core areas and other appropriate measures, linked by corridors and supported by buffer
zones, thus facilitating the dispersal and migration of species” (PEBLDS).
The setting up of a Pan-European Ecological Network covering Eurasia was one of the key steps taken under the Strategy.
Work has continued on this project, and it is now based on the numerous national, regional and transregional ecological
networks being set up throughout Europe.
Ecological networks can positively influence the conditions for the survival of species populations in the fragmented
natural areas and human dominated landscapes in Europe. In addition, they allow a suitable and sustainable use of natural
resources through the interconnectivity of their physical elements with the landscape and existing social/institutional structures.
The preservation and ecological restoration of the green heart of Europe is contemplated by the Council of Europe as a
contribution to the setting-up of a coherent spatial structure and the maintenance of ecological processes and services.
Group of
Experts on Protected Areas and Ecological
Networks
At its 28th meeting, the Standing Committee to
the Bern Convention decided to enlarge the
mandate of the Group of Experts for the
setting up of the Emerald Network by
including in its terms of reference all the
activities of the Convention related to
protected areas and ecological networks. The
newly established Group of Experts on Protected
Areas and Ecological Networks has therefore held
its first meeting in 2009. The inclusion of
protected areas in the mandate of the Group aims
to reinforce the contribution of the Council of
Europe to the Convention on Biological
Diversity’s Programme of Work on the topic.
Today, the Group of Experts on Protected Areas
and Ecological Networks continues to do the
necessary work to implement Recommendation No.
16 (1989) of the Standing Committee on Areas of
Special Conservation Interest (ASCI), by
providing guidance on the setting-up of the
Emerald Network. In addition, the Group follows
closely, debates and makes proposals on the
implementation at national level of the
Pan-European Ecological Network (PEEN). The
final aim of the Group is to present to the
Standing Committee specific proposals and/or Recommendations to help
Parties progress further in the implementation of
both the Emerald Network and PEEN, as well as
improve their contribution to the conservation
of threatened species and habits from the Bern
Conventions lists.
The Group will hold its 4th meeting on 18-19
September 2012.
Report of the 3rd meeting of the Group of Experts -
T-PVS/PA(2011)13E
Report of the 2nd meeting of the Group of Experts -
T-PVS/PA(2010)11E
Report
of the 1st meeting of the Group of Experts -
T-PVS/PA(2009)15E
Emerald Network
The Emerald Network is an ecological network made up of “areas of special conservation interest”, which was launched by
the Council of Europe as part of its work under the Bern Convention. It is to be set up in each Contracting Party or
observer state to the Convention.
It involves all the European Union states, some non-Community states and a number of African states (Tunisia, Morocco,
Senegal and Burkina Faso are Contracting Parties; Algeria, Cape Verde, and Mauritania have been invited to accede).
The European Community, as such, is also a Contracting Party to the Bern Convention. In order to fulfil its obligations
arising from the Convention, particularly in respect of habitat protection, it produced the Habitats Directive in 1992,
and subsequently set up the Natura 2000 network. The Emerald Network is based on the same principles as Natura 2000, and
represents its de facto extension to non-Community countries.
Presentation and important documents
Joint CoE / EU
Programme for the development of the Emerald
Network in Central and Eastern Europe and
the South Caucasus
Launched in 1999, the Emerald Network is currently in its implementation phase. The cooperation between the Council of
Europe and the European Union is a logical consequence of their common commitment for the protection of biodiversity. The
European Union assists the Council of Europe, through different financial instruments, in the setting-up of the Emerald
Network in a regionalised approach.
A Joint Programme with the European Union has been launched in 2009, for a period of three years,
in order to substantially develop the Emerald Network in the seven following countries: Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and the European part of the Russian Federation.
The objective of this Joint Programme is to identify at the end of 2011 all potential sites of
the Emerald Network in the three countries of South-Caucasus and in Moldova. The objective set for
Belarus and the Russian Federation amounts 50 % of the potential sites and in Ukraine, 80 % of the potential sites.
Learn more
Development of the Emerald Network in South-East Europe
An Emerald Network development programme was implemented in 2005/2006, in South-Eastern Europe, as a continuation of the
initial pilot projects implemented by the Council of Europe. This CARDS/Emerald programme concerns the following countries:
Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, “the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” and Serbia. Its overall objective
was to identify 80 % of the sites in these countries. The programme benefited from a financial contribution of the
European Environmental Agency (through the CARDS fund) and represented an important tool contributing to preparing the
countries concerned for the future work on Natura 2000 and for advance compliance with the Habitats and Birds Directives.
2005-2008: Final report of the CARDS programme in South-East Europe
Pan-European Ecological Network (PEEN)
In the framework of the Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy,
the Pan-European Ecological Network (PEEN) aims to ensure that a full range of ecosystems, habitats, species and landscapes
of European importance is conserved; habitats are large enough to place species in a favorable conservation status; there
are sufficient opportunities for the dispersal and migration of species; damaged parts of the key environmental systems
are restored; the key environmental systems are buffered from potential threats.
The originality of this network is that it intends to link core areas physically through the restoration or preservation
of corridors.
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