Context
South-East Europe is exceptionally rich in terms of biodiversity and is home to a large number of ecosystems that range from Mediterranean coastal zones and river, forest and steppe areas, right through to mountainous Alpine regions. Many of the animal and plant species that are found here are endemic – meaning that they are unique to this region. As a consequence, the plants and animals that have been identified in the Western Balkans so far have a crucial role to play in the preservation of biodiversity. However, protection of natural resources is inadequate. Biodiversity aspects are rarely taken into account when focal points of development are specified and development plans are drawn up – despite the fact that biological diversity provides foods, helps to maintain air and water quality, and is also of great socio-cultural and economic value (in the form of local products and tourism potential, for example).
Biodiversity is under serious threat in rural areas and in mountainous, forest and coastal areas in particular. This is largely due to inappropriate land use, sprawl and invasive building, the construction of infrastructure, excessive demands on soils, the intensification or abandoning of agriculture, and climate change. There are many national borders in South-East Europe that run through ecosystems and regions of high ecological value. The consequence of this is the necessity and also the opportunity to protect and use these common resources sustainably by means of cross-border regional cooperation.
The countries in the region share the goal of EU accession. However, adaptation to the EU’s complex environmental legislation is a major challenge. In the context of biodiversity, this means that South-East European countries have to implement the Birds Directive, the Habitats Directive and the EU 2020 Biodiversity Strategy. All the countries in the Western Balkans have also undertaken to protect biodiversity within the framework of the international Convention on Biological Diversity.
Objective
Regional cooperation between Western Balkan states is strengthened with regard to fulfilling international and, in particular, EU-relevant obligations concerning the preservation of biodiversity.
Approach
The Open Regional Fund for South-East Europe – Biodiversity supports regional projects that aim to implement the EU Biodiversity Strategy by means of intensified regional cooperation. The project plans and implements these measures jointly with partners from South-East Europe. As well as cooperating with the relevant state bodies responsible for nature conservation, biodiversity and environmental management, the project works with the authorities responsible for tourism, agriculture, forestry, energy and finance, and with civil-society organisations and relevant networks in the region. In addition, the project fosters networking and partnerships with regional and bilateral GIZ projects and with international organisations and initiatives. These contacts help to ensure greater efficiency and better coordination of the measures that are implemented; they support the implementation of new strategies to anchor the biodiversity concept at political and institutional levels.
Impact
The Biodiversity Task Force is established as an intergovernmental advisory body for biodiversity conservation and has already made a decisive contribution to the formulation of the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans.
Furthermore, the importance of ecosystem services is communitarised through the integration into curricula and can be taken into account in the long-term development planning of specific target sectors (for example tourism and agriculture).
The formalisation of Local Action Groups has been supported in order to promote transboundary cooperation for the conservation and sharing of natural resources in the Sharr/Sar Plannina /Korab-Koritnik region (Kosovo, North Macedonia and Albania).
In addition, a non-governmental organisation platform working for biodiversity conservation in the region has been able to sensitise broad sections of the population to nature conservation issues through a regional campaign.
Finally, partners from Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Montenegro have a universal information management on nature conservation. They are able to prepare the national reporting in accordance with the Biodiversity Convention and other EU requirements.