The Pan European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy (PEBLDS) has been convening regional preparatory conferences for the Meetings of the Parties to the CBD since the year 2000. The main objective of these Intergovernmental Biodiversity in Europe Conferences is for Governments to be able to discuss the priority issues of the CBD and shape the positions that will eventually be taken at the Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. The first, second and third Intergovernmental Biodiversity in Europe Conferences, held in Riga, Budapest and Madrid, respectively, have also been successful in promoting pan-European cooperation and the development of activities for the regional implementation of the CBD.

The Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Croatia has offered to host the 4th Intergovernmental Biodiversity in Europe Conference at the Plitvice Lakes National Park from 22 to 24 February 2006.

"Sastavci" and Big Waterfall in winter

The Plitvice Lakes are a specific geological and hydrogeological karst phenomenon made up of 16 bigger and a few smaller lakes, gradually lined up, and separated by travertine barriers. As an area of special natural beauty they were declared the first Croatian national park in 1949. In 1979 UNESCO inscribed the Plitvice Lakes on its List of World Heritage sites

Plitvice Lakes - UNESCO World Heritage Site

"Croatia Conference" - Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia, 22-24 February 2006

The Conference considered the issues on the agenda of the 8th Conference of the Parties to the CBD (20 to 31 March 2006, Curitiba, Brazil) and explored the status of implementation of the biodiversity commitments in the pan European region in order to recognize important achievements and recommend steps to address the gaps and needs of the region.

Croatia Conference

Almost 200 participants from the Pan European region attended the Conference - 41 governmental delegations, 42 international and regional governmental organizations and international, regional and national non-governmental organizations and representatives of the private sector.

Opening of the Conference

Dr. Ivo Sanader, Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia opened the Conference and in his welcoming speech stated: "One of the greatest challenges is to harmonize the interests of nature with economic interests, financial and commercial sectors, to establish an ecological network and develop systems for the remaining valuable areas for endangered species and habitats which are mutually functionally connected and to ensure mechanisms for conservation and management of such habitats."

Chair of the conference HE Mr. Božo Biškupić, MA

Keynote addresses at the Conference were given by HE Mr. Aleksandar Popović, Minister of Science and Environmental Protection, Republic of Serbia, Serbia and Montenegro; Mr. Wolfgang Stalzer, Director General, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management, Austria, representing the EU presidency; Mr. Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat; Mr. Ladislav Miko, Director, Protecting the Natural Environment, Directorate General - Environment, European Commission; Dr. Jeffrey McNeely, Chief Scientist, IUCN-the World Conservation Union; Ms. Ana Liro, Deputy Director, Department of Nature Protection, Ministry of Environment, Poland; Mr. Bulat Yessekin, Regional Environment Centre-Central Asia; Ms Marie Belling, European Landowners Organisation and Mr. Alex Kirby, journalist.

Republic of Croatia donated the first exhibit to the newly founded Museum on Nature and Culture of the Convention on Biological Diversity - a painting by Tihomir Lončar, Croatian artist. During the opening of the Conference the painting was presented to dr. Ahmed Djoghlaf, the Executive Secretary of the CBD by Mr. Božo Biškupić, Minister of Culture on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Croatia.

Painting "Uvala" - the first exhibit to the Museum on Nature and Culture of the CBD

During tree days of the Conference the Governments considered following issues:

• Island Biodiversity
• Global Taxonomy Initiative
• Communication, Education and Public Awareness
• Implementation of the Kyiv Resolution on Biodiversity
• Monitoring progress and Reporting Progress: streamlining European 2010 biodiversity indicators
• Forest and Biodiversity
• Agriculture and Biodiversity
• Protected Areas and Ecological Networks
• Invasive Alien Species.

"Croatia Conference"

The objective was to reach a common understanding in the pan European region on these issues. The Conference adopted conclusions which the Government of Croatia on behalf of all Pan European region will present at the 8th meting of Conference of the Parties to the CBD to be held in Curitiba, Brazil in March this year in order to explore the status of implementation of the biodiversity commitments in the pan European region and recognize important achievements and recommend steps to address the gaps and needs of the region.

Conclusions of the Chairman (.pdf)

Croatian contribution to the Conference:

Panelists:

• "Island Biodiversity Protection - Croatian perspective" - dr. sc. Goran Sušić, Caput Insulae Beli
• "Agri - Environment Programme" - Sonja Karlogan Todorović, Ecologica
• "Lonjsko polje - Pasturing and flood control" - Goran Gugić, Nature Park Lonjsko polje

• "Invasive green algae Caulerpa in the Adriatic Sea" - dr. sc. Ante Žuljević, IZOR Split
• "Pastureland rehabilitation and invasive species management with endangered authochthonous breeds" - Goran Gugić, Nature Park Lonjsko polje
• "EU Habitats and Birds Directive for new habitats and new species proposals in the Dinaric Alps" - dr. sc. Nikola Tvrtković and Royal Dutch Society for Nature Conservation
• "RDBMS web enabled GIS designed to manage biodiversity data (Natura 2000), EEA state of the environment indicators" - Marija Bajica, OIKON

Exhibition: TrashArt - Konstantin Kostov

Joshua Sclocham by Konstantin Kostov