Transboundary cooperation plays a key role in promoting sustainable development in the Caucasus, and can contribute to peace and understanding. Ecologic Institute supported the organisation of a conference that aimed to strengthen the dialogue between governmental and non-governmental stakeholders. It brought together the Ministers of Environment from the Caucasus countries and representatives of international conservation and donor organisations. The conference took place in Berlin from 9 until 11 March 2006.

Aim of the conference

The conference provided 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, by the MacArthur Foundation and by the Critical Ecosystems Partnership Fund (CEPF).