European Green Belt from Iron Curtain to Pan-European Lifeline Dr

Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) European Parliament, Brussels 19th December 2011

European Green Belt From Iron Curtain to pan-European Lifeline Dr. Kai Frobel, Dr. Liana Geidezis BUND, Friends of the Earth Germany Regional Coordinator Green Belt Central Europe Green Belt Europe – beginning of the Initiative

1989: BUND initiates the Green Belt Germany Early 1990ies: Activities for a Fennoscandian Green Belt and Balkan Green Belt

2002: First idea of a “Green Belt Europe” 2003: Conference “Perspectives of the Green Belt” in Bonn (Germany) organised by BfN 2004: First Pan-European Green Belt Conference “Connecting Europe’s Biodiversity” in national park Fertö-Hansag (Hungary) organised by IUCN and BfN © BfN ► Common structure of the initiative ► Programme of Work (PoW) © BfN Green Belt Europe – Structure of the Initiative 12.500 Kilometers, 24 Countries

Fennoscandian Green Belt National Focal Points Patronage:

Central European Green Belt National Focal Points

National Focal Points Balkan Green Belt Vision of the European Green Belt

“Creating the backbone of an ecological network running from the Barents to the Black Sea that is a global symbol for trans-boundary cooperation in nature conservation and sustainable development”

Stara Planina Bulgarian-Serbian border area 1 a/b Øvre- Pasvik (NOR) / Zapovednik Pasvik (RUS) 2 Urho-Kekkonen (FIN) 1 3 Riisitunturi (FIN) 2 39 National Parks /Zapovedniks 4 a/b Oulanka (FIN) / Paanajärvi (RUS) 3 4 5 Kalewala (RUS) along the European Green Belt 5 6 6 Hiidenportti (FIN) 7 Koli (FIN) 7 8 9 8 Patvinsuo (FIN) 9 Petkeljärvi (FIN) 10 10 Valkmusa (FIN) 11 11 Laheema (EST) 12 14 13 12 Matsalu (EST) 13 Kemeri (LV) 17 16 15 14 Slitere (LV) 18 15a/b Ku řių Nerija (LV) / Kurschkaja Kossa (RUS) 19 16 Slowinski (PL) 17 Jasmund (D) 18 Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft (D) 20 21 19 Harz (D) 22 20a/b Šumava (CZ) / Bayerischer Wald (D) 21a/b Thayatal (A) / Podyjí (CZ) 23 25 24 22a/b Neusiedler See (A) / Fertő Hanság (H) 27 23 Triglav (SLO) 26 28 24 Donau-Drau (H) 29 25 Golubac (SRB) 30 26 Skutari (MNE) 27 Prokletije (MNE) 28 Mavrovo (MK) 29 Shebenik-Jablanica (AL) 30 a/b/c/d Galicia (MK) / Prespa (AL) / Pelister (MK) / Prespa (GR) Green Belt Europe: cross-section of biogeographical and climatic regions of Europe

Important migration corridor (South – North) concerning climate change The European Green Belt is an......

Distribution of the European Wild Cat ...important migration route

Distribution of the European Wild Cat

Green Belt Europe Green Belt Europe - Initiative Geopolitical and Cultural Relevancies

Connection of - 15 EU-member states (yellow) - 3 candidate countries (dark grey) - 4 potential candidate countries and -non-EU-countries (Russia, Norway)

Unique Chance for: Trans-boundary exchange and cooperation in nature conservation, regional development and nature tourism Development of an European civil society, preserving the common cultural heritage Green Belt Europe European community of “hundreds” of stakeholders

A range of organisations: Baltic Green Belt and GreenNet Running Projects on EU-Level

Baltic Sea Region, INTERREG IV B-Project January 2009 – January 2012 Lead partner: University Kiel 22 partners (13 partners and 9 associated partners) 7 participating countries: Germany, Poland, Russia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Sweden (Coalition Clean Baltic) www.balticgreenbelt.uni-kiel.de

Central Europe Project (Interreg IVB) April 2011 – March 2014 Lead-Partner: Thüringer Landgesellschaft (ThLG)/ Association for Rural Development Thuringia 22 Project partners (thereof 11 associated partners) 6 participating Countries: Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Slovenia and Italy www.greennet-project.eu Green Belt Europe Memorial Landscape Green Belt Europe Requirements

► European Parliament should adopt a resolution for the protection of the European Green Belt, also expressing support for the associated European Green Belt Initiative.

► The EU Parliament is asked to initiate and support further trans-boundary projects and activities and to establish a financial support programme for the Green Belt (nature conservation, nature tourism and regional development).

► A special focus should be put on harmonising conservation management on both sides of the former Iron Curtain and closing gaps by extending nature reserves across borders.

► Green Infrastructure: The Green Belt is already an indispensable part of a Green Infrastructure. Green bridges or similar measures should be applied for unavoidable crossings of the Green Belt.

► Due to its outstanding significance for nature conservation and its historic dimension as a European commemorative landscape, the EU should support a possible nomination of the Green Belt as UNESCO-World Heritage. Green Belt Europe – European Biodiversity Contact

BUND-Project Office Green Belt Regional Coordinator Green Belt Central Europe Hessestrasse 4, 90443 Nuremberg, Germany Phone 0049-911-575294-0 Fax 0049-911-575294-20 [email protected]