| Initiative |
Achievement |
Shortcomings |
Opportunity for the Pan-European Biological and
Landscape Diversity Strategy |
| Convention on Biological
Diversity |
International framework
for national action, agreed to by all countries in Europe. |
Does not fully link biodiversity
to cultural landscape diversity. Deals at the national level and currently
lacks response at a coherent Pan-European level. |
The fundamental framework
for national and pan-European action and strategies. |
| Agenda 21 |
Develops guidelines in multi-sectorial
approach, combining needs under economics, society and ecology. |
Deals at the national level
and currently lacks response at a coherent Pan-European level. Does
not sufficiently highlight landscape needs. |
Acts as a framework model
to incorporate guidelines on integrating sectors. |
| World Conservation Strategy
and Caring for the Earth |
Major global initiative
which encouraged the global view of conservation as wise use. |
Does not fully incorporate
landscape needs. |
A fundamental framework
of value for the Strategy. |
| World Heritage Convention |
Identifies sites of global
significance for natural heritage and cultural landscape. |
Only deals with individual
sites, and then at the global level rather than European. |
Not strategic for Europe,
however nature, culture and cultural landscape selection criteria
of value for the Strategy. Incorporate sites into the coherent Pan-European
Ecological Network. |
| Ramsar Convention |
Well established and large
number of parties, relatively simple to implement. Devised wise use
of wetlands concept. |
Mainly individual country/site
related and does not cover all countries of Europe. |
Apply Ramsar wise use policy
in the Strategy's wetland actions. Integrate Ramsar sites into the
Pan-European Ecological Network. |
| Bern
Convention |
Key initiative focusing
on wider European biodiversity conservation. |
Concentrates only on habitats
and species. Not all European countries are parties. Lack of funding
mechanism. |
Potential mechanism for
CBD implementation in pan-Europe and hence to help provide legal framework
to support the Strategy. Potential of landscape annexes being incorporated
in the Annexes as confirmed in the Monaco recommendations. |
| Bonn Convention |
Integrated flyway/migratory
pathways approach involving all Range States. Regional agreements
possible. |
Administrative process towards
technical agreements are time consuming. |
Integrate elements of Bonn
Convention into the Strategic framework and the Pan-European Ecological
Network. |
| European Cultural Convention |
Important framework convention
for cultural heritage and identity. |
Lacks cultural landscape
details. |
Support to framework of
the cultural elements of the Strategy. |
| European Convention on Architectural
Heritage |
Important for architecture
conservation in the landscape. |
Lacks cultural landscape
details. |
Support to the architectural
and cultural landscape components of the Strategy. |
| European Convention on Archaeological
Heritage |
Important for archaeology
conservation in the landscape. |
Lacks cultural landscape
details. |
Support to the architectural
and cultural landscape components of the Strategy. |
| Environment Programme for
Europe |
Broad framework from which
concerted actions in a European context are supported by sovereign
states. Promotes the Dobrís report and elements towards the
Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy. |
Not full incorporation of
nature and landscape elements into all environmental actions. |
Promotes the Strategy in
the process leading up to the Sofia Conference in 1995. |
| EU Habitats and Birds Directives
(Natura 2000) |
The Birds and Habitats
Directive provide the framework towards conservation of threatened
species and habitats within priority areas linked to the wider countryside.
Forms the basis for a coherent European Ecological Network in the
EU. |
In process of implementation,
and effectiveness will not be known till post 2004. Does not focus
thoroughly on wider species/habitat or landscape conservation. Birds
Directive weaker in coverage and procedures. |
Integrate into the framework
of the Strategy and ensure that the SACs are a fundamental part of
the Pan-European Ecological Network. Review coverage of essential
ecosystems, including semi-natural ecosystems. |
| EU Environmental Impact
Assessment Directive |
Requires Member States to
identify, describe and assess effects of economic, social and environmental
projects on ecosystems, habitats, landscapes and cultural heritage. |
Implemented at each Member
State level only. Merely ensures that the authority is informed of
environmental impact. Inadequate application by Member States. |
Potential to broaden the
scope of the EIA principles to encompass the wider Europe. Integrate
into the Strategic framework. |
| EU Agri-Environment Measures |
Assists and encourages the
maintenance of extensive agriculture or set aside, provides the framework
to establish Environmental Sensitive Areas as integrated areas for
environmental and socio-economic use. |
Not widely applied for the
benefit of biological or landscape diversity in all countries of the
EU. |
Important principles, opportunities
and demonstrations to be used in Strategy actions. |
| EU Fifth Environmental Action
Programme |
Framework programme of the
EU to coordinate European Commission multi-sectorial policies in relationship
to the environment. |
Identifies the need for
integrating the environment into all the sectors, but does not yet
identify clear priority actions. |
Consider the integration
of the Strategy into the review process of the Fifth Environmental
Action Programme.
|
| Environmental Action Programme
for Central and Eastern Europe |
CEE countries in collaboration
with the Council of Europe and IUCN, have developed biodiversity conservation
priorities as examples of integrated approach serving both conservation
and development objectives. |
Limited number of site-based
projects; limited attention to nature and landscape elements. |
Incorporate the case study
biodiversity conservation priority sites as demonstrations in the
Strategy actions.
|
| Draft Recommendation to
Member States on the Integrated Conservation of Cultural Landscape
Areas as part of Landscape Policies |
When signed and implemented
will ensure integrated conservation of cultural landscape areas as
part of l andscape policies for all Council of Europe countries. |
Not yet signed or implemented. |
With the link to the Strategy
would provide an important framework for integrating cultural landscape
areas into landscape policies.
|
| Helsinki Summit Declaration |
Encourages the development
of a network of protection areas in the CSCE region to conserve and
safeguard large-scale biotopes and ecosystems, and conservation of
species. |
|
Integrate the environmental
principles of the Declaration into the Strategy. |
| European Conservation Strategy
of the Council of Europe |
Integrates landscapes and
economic sectors into biodiversity conservation. |
Not fully acknowledged throughout
Europe. |
Basic conceptual framework
for the development of the Strategy. |
| MAB Biosphere Reserve Programme
|
Establishes integrated areas
for environment, research and socio-economic use, basing areas on
networks in key biogeographical regions of the world. Focus in Europe
is through EuroMAB. |
No legal framework. Limited
funding support. |
Important tool to support
the Strategy's aims for integration of sectors into areas established
for cultural and natural heritage.
|
| IUCN Parks for Life: Action
for Protected Areas in Europe |
The first European Strategy
towards concerted European protected areas action, large ownership/support.
|
Concentrates on protected
areas issues. |
Important in linking protected
areas issues to other sectors within the Strategy.
|
| EECONET Declaration Maastricht
1993 |
The first initiative to
call on the need for a European Biological and Landscape Diversity
Strategy, emphasis on pan-European ecological coherence. |
Still to be developed at
the Pan-European level. |
Apply the principles as
the guiding mechanism for pan-European Ecological network. |
| European Biogenetic Reserves |
Practical Pan-European network
of biogenetic reserves of conservation value. |
Lack of legislative framework. |
Integrate into the coherent
Pan-European Ecological Network process. |
