Reviewing the Coherence and Effectiveness of Implementation of Multilateral Biodiversity Agreements in Estonia
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Stockholm Environment Institute Tallinn Centre, Publication No 25, Project Report – 2014 Reviewing the coherence and effectiveness of implementation of multilateral biodiversity agreements in Estonia Kaja Peterson, Piret Kuldna, Plamen Peev, Meelis Uustal Reviewing the coherence and effectiveness of implementation of multilateral biodiversity agreements in Estonia Kaja Peterson, Piret Kuldna, Plamen Peev, Meelis Uustal Reference: Peterson, K., Kuldna, P., Peev, P. and Uustal, M. 2014. Reviewing the coherence and effectiveness of implementation of multilateral biodiversity agreements in Estonia. Project Report, SEI Tallinn, Tallinn: 70 p. Project no 41064 Stockholm Environment Institute Tallinn Centre Lai Str 34 Tallinn 10133 Estonia www.seit.ee January–December 2013 Language editor: Stacey Noel, SEI Africa Lay-out: Tiina Salumäe, SEI Tallinn Photos: Kaja Peterson, SEI Tallinn ISBN: 978-9949-9501-4-0 ISSN: 1406-6637 TABLE OF CONTENTS List of acronyms and abbreviations ..................................................................................................................................................7 List of figures .............................................................................................................................................................................................8 List of tables ..............................................................................................................................................................................................8 Executive summary ................................................................................................................................................................................9 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 10 1 General framework ........................................................................................................................................................................... 12 1.1 Country profile: Estonia ........................................................................................................................................................ 12 1.2 Overview of nature protection framework .................................................................................................................... 14 2 Methodology of the evaluation ................................................................................................................................................... 17 3 The Conventions: objectives and main concept ................................................................................................................... 20 3.1 Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) ...................................................................................................................... 20 3.2 Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar Convention) ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 21 3.3 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES/Washington Convention) ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 22 3.4 Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS/Bonn Convention) .......... 23 4 Review results and observations ................................................................................................................................................. 24 4.1 Category 1. Adequate legal and policy framework .................................................................................................... 24 4.2 Category 2. Coordinated institutional and administrative framework ................................................................ 28 4.3 Category 3. Development of an integrated national implementation/action plan(s) ................................... 32 4.4 Category 4. Effective implementation and review of the plan(s) .......................................................................... 34 4.5 Category 5. Effective monitoring of the MEAs in question ...................................................................................... 35 4.6 Category 6. Consideration of objectives of the MEAs in decision making ......................................................... 37 4.7 Category 7. Adequate financing of the implementation ......................................................................................... 38 4.8 Category 8. Strong competencies and capacity .......................................................................................................... 40 4.9 Category 9. Stakeholder engagement ............................................................................................................................ 41 4.10 Category 10. Effective enforcement system ............................................................................................................... 43 4.11 Category 11. Cross-border cooperation ....................................................................................................................... 45 4.12 Category 12. Achieving the objectives ......................................................................................................................... 47 4.13 Category 13. Coordination across the cluster of MEAs ........................................................................................... 49 4.14 Category 14. Benefits for the environment ................................................................................................................. 50 4.15 Category 15. Socio-economic benefits ......................................................................................................................... 53 5 Overall assessment of implementation of four biodiversity conventions and ways for improvement ............ 56 5.1Observations and suggestions to the methodology .................................................................................................. 59 References ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 60 Annex. Checklist for reviewing the national implementation of a cluster of MEAs ..................................................... 64 STOCKHOLM ENVIRONMENT INSTITUTE TALLINN CENTRE LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Administration of nature conservation in Estonia ................................................................................................. 15 Figure 2. Examples of protection regimes applied to protected areas of various designations ............................. 15 Figure 3. The relationships between the score of implementation and the overall assessment of implementation effectiveness of the MEAs ................................................................................................................................ 18 Figure 4. Governance of the biodiversity-related conventions in Estonia ....................................................................... 31 Figure 5. CITES permits issued in Estonia, 2003–2010 ............................................................................................................ 36 Figure 6. Total number of environmental violations registered by all supervisory authorities and number of persons fined, 2005–2011 ................................................................................................................................................................. 44 Figure 7. Number of violations and persons fined in the field of protected objects of nature, 2005-2011 ........ 44 LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Review categories and the type of effectiveness they address .......................................................................... 17 Table 2. Ratification (or accession) of the biodiversity conventions, protocols and agreements in Estonia ....... 24 Table 3. Biodiversity-related objectives and references to biodiversity-related conventions in relevant national policy documents, in effect as of October 2013 ....................................................................................................................... 26 Table 4. Relevant sectoral legal acts for biodiversity protection ........................................................................................ 27 Table 5. National focal points for scientific advisory bodies and initiatives under the four conventions ............ 29 Table 6. Specific action plans for biodiversity protection relevant for the four conventions ................................... 33 Table 7. Sub-programmes of the state environmental monitoring relevant for the biodiversity conventions . 35 Table 8. Membership fees of the biodiversity conventions for Estonia in 2013 ............................................................ 39 Table 9. Total number of seizures/confiscations of CITES specimens in Estonia, 2003–2010 ................................... 45 Table 10. Bilateral, regional or multilateral agreements or arrangements relevant for the biodiversity