The Caucasus is a region of extraordinarily rich biodiversity. Many threats and challenges to its biodiversity can only be addressed on a regional level. Transboundary cooperation therefore plays a key role in promoting sustainable development, and can contribute to peace and understanding. Ecologic supports the organisation of a conference that aims to strengthen the dialogue between governmental and non-governmental stakeholders. It brings together the Ministers of Environment from the Caucasus countries and representatives of international conservation and donor organisations. The conference takes place in Berlin on 9-11 March 2006.

Aim of the conference
The conference provides a high-level political platform for governments and international organisations to present activities and to announce commitments towards the implementation of an Ecoregional Conservation Plan (ECP) as a contribution to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). CBD was ratified by all six Caucasus countries (Armenia 1993, Georgia 1994, Russia 1995, Iran 1996, Turkey 1997 and Azerbaijan 2000).

Ecoregional Conservation Plan
The Ecoregional Conservation Plan (ECP) was developed in order to address overarching challenges and threats to the extraordinary biodiversity of the Caucasus. It is a blueprint for biodiversity conservation and regional development – a comprehensive strategy for action to conserve and restore the biodiversity of the ecoregion over the span of several decades. It is a guiding document for governments, aid agencies and donor organisations, and is an effective planning instrument for the implementation of the CBD.

The development of the ECP was coordinated by WWF together with more than 160 regional stakeholders from governments, universities and NGOs. This effort was supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and KfW Development Bank in the framework of the BMZ Caucasus Initiative [pdf, 3.8 MB, German], by the MacArthur Foundation and by the Critical Ecosystems Partnership Fund (CEPF).

Further information (programme, participants, location etc.) can be found on the event’s website: www.caucasus-conference.org
[English/Russian]

Keywords: Caucasus, CBD, Convention on Biological Diversity, nature, protection, conservation, biodiversity, regional, transboundary, cooperation, sustainable, development, conference, stakeholder, dialogue, donor, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, Iran, Turkey, ecoregion, planning, Ecoregional Conservation Plan, ECP

Sponsor: KfW Development Bank, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Germany, German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Team: Melanie Kemper, Stefanie Wurm
Duration: 21.04.2005 until 31.05.2006
Project number: 1939

Last update: 16.06.05