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The Strategy Guide
the Clearing-House for the Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy
About the Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy
The Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy presents an innovative and proactive approach to stop and reverse the degradation of biological and landscape diversity values in Europe. Innovative, because it addresses all biological and landscape initiatives under one European approach. It is proactive, because it promotes the integration of biological and landscape diversity considerations into social and economic sectors. The Strategy reinforces the implementation of existing measures and identifies additional actions that need to be taken over the next two decades. The Strategy also provides a framework to promote a consistent approach and common objectives for national and regional action to implement the Convention on Biological Diversity.
History
Many important initiatives have already been taken to conserve Europe's natural heritage, but - in spite of efforts by government bodies, non-governmental organizations and individuals - the biological and landscape diversity of Europe continues to decline at a rapid rate. An analysis of gaps in existing nature conservation initiatives and mechanisms indicates that they will be better used when:
  • a coherent framework is set up to mobilize all existing initiatives towards the one goal of conserving biological and landscape diversity throughout Europe;
  • key factors contributing to the deterioration of biological diversity and landscape diversity are recognized, addressed or influenced.
Recent political and social developments in Europe offer a number of unique opportunities to act in favour of the conservation of biological and landscape diversity. Throughout the continent forestry and agricultural and forestry practices are changing; former military, industrial and agricultural land is becoming available and has a potential for nature conservation; international cooperation is increasing in all areas, and there is growing public awareness and concern for biological and landscape diversity issues. It is recognized in the European context that:
  • conserving Europe's natural heritage is a basic necessity for securing sustainable development in Europe;
  • conserving Europe's natural heritage is a shared responsibility of all European countries and regions and a task which can only be successfully undertaken in a Pan-European context;
  • Pan-European cooperation will strengthen the effectiveness of national action under the Convention on Biological Diversity;
  • the issue of landscape diversity is as yet not adequately integrated into mechanisms aimed at protecting and enhancing the natural environment;
  • public attitude, awareness and understanding of conservation issues is a very effective safeguard for maintaining biological and landscape diversity;
  • far-reaching political and economical changes over the past decade require new answers to new challenges in land use and use of natural resources;
  • sustainable management of the natural environment as an economic resource is a prerequisite for continued economic and social development and prosperity in Europe;
  • the threats to biological and landscape diversity require urgent action that both integrates and builds on existing national and international activity;
  • the decline in Europe's natural environment has been caused by economic and social action, and thus the integration of conservation considerations into socio-economic policy is a prerequisite for restoring and maintaining biological and landscape diversity;
  • by facilitating local initiatives towards sustainable development, involving all land users, a new balance may be achieved in rural areas between social and economic dynamics and ecological stability.

These considerations have led the Council of Europe in 1994, in cooperation with other national and international organizations, both governmental and non-governmental, to take the initiative to originally develop the Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy.The Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy is a European response to support implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity. The Strategy was proposed in the Maastricht Declaration Conserving Europe's Natural Heritage (1993), and builds on the Bern Convention, the European Conservation Strategy (1990), the Dobrís and Lucerne Ministerial Conferences (1991, 1993), UNCED (1992), and other existing initiatives and programmes. The Strategy aims to strengthen the application of the Bern Convention in relation to the Convention on Biological Diversity, following the Monaco Declaration. The drafting group for the Strategy was lead by ECNC.The Strategy introduces a coordinating and unifying framework for strengthening and building on existing initiatives. It does not aim to introduce new legislation or programmes, but to fill gaps where initiatives are not implemented to their full potential or fail to achieve desired objectives. Furthermore, the Strategy seeks to more effectively integrate ecological considerations into all relevant socio-economic sectors, and will increase public participation in, and awareness and acceptance of, conservation interests.

Following the decision from the Budapest Conference in 2002 the First Action Plan was revised and resulted in the Rolling Work Programme.

The Strategy's vision
The Strategy's vision for the future is to achieve conservation and sustainable use of biological and landscape diversity for the whole continent of Europe and all its regions within 20 years, and will seek to ensure that:

  • the threats to Europe's biological and landscape diversity are reduced substantially, or where possible removed;
  • the resilience of European biological and landscape diversity is increased;
  • the ecological coherence of Europe as a whole is strengthened;
  • public involvement and awareness concerning biological and landscape diversity issues is increased considerably.
Because of the urgent need to deal with certain pressing problems, the Strategy will be implemented through a series of five year Action Plans. The Action Plans address the issues that are considered most pressing and important. They make optimal use of opportunities as they occur over the next 20 years by prioritising the themes that need to be addressed at the European level and the ecosystems, landscapes, species and regions that require priority attention.
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ECNC - the European Centre for Nature Conservation

Last modification: 19 July 2003