Institution/Author: Ministry of environmental protection/Jelena Dučić
Biodiversity Task Force (BD TF) of the South East Europe was inaugurated at its 1st meeting held on 14 November 2017 in Belgrade, Serbia. Since its establishment, representatives of Serbia have been very active in its work. The BD TF acts as the technical and advisory body of the RCC Regional Working Group on Environment (RWG Env) and is composed of focal points and deputy focal points with expertise in biodiversity and related intervention fields. The objective of the regional Biodiversity Task Force is to advise the Regional Working Group on Environment (RWG Env) on how to mainstream biodiversity concerns into the overall and specific targets of the South East Europe 2020 Strategy, in particular into the Dimension J – Environment. Furthermore, BD TF will stimulate regional cooperation and enable progress towards international and regional biodiversity commitments, including the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity and its Aichi Biodiversity Targets adopted under the Convention on Biological Diversity, and implementation of EU biodiversity-related directives. The IUCN ECARO acts as the Secretariat of the Biodiversity Task Force (BD TF). The establishment of the BD TF was supported by the German organisation for international cooperation – Open Regional Fund for South-East Europe – Biodiversity (GIZ/ORF BD), funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany (BMZ). For more information, please visit: https://balkangreenenergynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/GIZ-ORF-BD-ESAV-regional-recommendations-2018.pdfhttps://balkangreenenergynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Regional-Assessment_ENG.pdf
Contribution of the BD TF to Aichi Target 14: Ecosystem Services Assessment and Valuation (ESAV) – a regional approach. Two exceptional case studies were conducted in the framework of the regional GIZ ORF Biodiversity project offering considerable opportunities to strengthen socio-economic growth and development, one of them is Advocating Ecosystem Services Assessment and Valuation (ESAV) in Bosut Forests area – integrating biodiversity and ecosystem services in natural resource uses and management. According to the conclusions of the study, it is shown that if environmental flooding of the forest complex of the Bosut Forests and an increase of traditional animal husbandry are implemented along with the joint management and establishment of a protected area, the value of four ecosystem services selected as the most important for the area, which lays between Serbia, B&H, and Croatia – wood production, flood prevention, meat production and biodiversity, is expected to rise. Contribution of the BD TF to Aichi Target 19: Biodiversity information management and reporting (BIMR) – Aiming at the conservation and sustainable use of the rich South East European biodiversity assets, a regional consensus on principles and key elements of a biodiversity information management and reporting (BIMR) mechanism in line with CBD and EU requirements is needed. Addressing this need, the Regional Assessment of the BIMR Baseline for SEE was developed, focusing on the assessment of current stakeholders, as well as on the policy and institutional frameworks and information system set-ups in the field of biodiversity. Based on this assessment, the BIMR Regional Guidelines were developed to assist all governmental and non-governmental stakeholders in achieving effective data management, thereby systematically improving both the quality and usability of data, as well as ensuring compliance with the EU and CBD standards and requirements. The Guidelines highlight aspects to be considered when planning, designing and developing biodiversity information systems, and also in the process of biodiversity data management and reporting (biodiversity data standards, standardised forms for biodiversity data collection, geo-referencing, data usage and authorship rights, and so on).
Additional information: The IUCN has released at the CBD COP14 in Sharm El Sheikh the “State of nature conservation systems in South-Eastern Europe”, first comprehensive report on institutional arrangements for nature conservation in the region that will serve decision-makers, experts and the donor community to shape and implement nature-related policies and activities. State of nature conservation systems in South-Eastern Europe was finalised in cooperation with state authorities and agencies from the region, as one of the results of the three-year project ‘Towards strengthened conservation planning in South-Eastern Europe’ implemented by the IUCN ECARO.