Side Event

Transboundary cooperation in the European and Fennoscandian Green Belt - a joint effort towards a European-wide ecological network

Organizer
Finland (Ministry of the Environment), European Green Belt Initiative (BUND as Representative of the Coordination Group), IUCN WCPA Transboundary Conservation Specialist Group

Date and Time
15 October 2014 18:15 - 19:45

Meeting
Twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity

Transboundary cooperation aiming for nature conservation and mainstreaming biodiversity has a great potential world-wide. Side-event provides inspiring insights, experience and possible solutions on transboundary nature conservation and peaceful and sustainable development of the larger border area. It presents models on transboundary cooperation on nature conservation and reaching the Aichi-targets. European Green Belt, running from the Barents Sea to the Mediterranean Sea and its northern part Green Belt of Fennoscandia are models of active and effective transboundary cooperation in pursuit of global biodiversity goals. Supporting and respecting the cultural, social and economic sustainability of the local communities and people are also essential elements of the Green Belt. The European Green Belt, the shared natural heritage along the line of the former Iron Curtain and the European backbone of biological diversity, is to be conserved and restored as an ecological network connecting high-value natural and cultural landscapes while respecting the economic, social and cultural needs of local communities. It serves also as the backbone of a Pan-European ecological network crossing nearly all of the continent’s biogeographic regions, which is of significant importance for various migrating species. Green Belt of Fennoscandia (GBF) consists of variety of Protected Areas including the five twin national parks along the 1300 km long border area of three countries of Norway, Russia and Finland. The GBF cooperation has its origins in research cooperation, but today it is based on strong political support confirmed by the Memorandum of Understanding of three countries. GBF cooperation aims for mainstreaming transboundary cooperation and benefits from biodiversity to the wider sectors of the societies.