On 24-25 February 2022, a Ministerial Conference was held in Strasbourg on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Natura 2000 network in the European Union. The meeting was co-organised under the French Presidency of the EU by the French Ministry of Ecological Transition and the European Commission. The Ministerial Conference was attended by Mr. Andreas A. Gregoriou, Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment and Ms. Elena Stylianopoulou, Senior Environmental Officer of the Department of Environment.
During the meeting, the achievements of the 30 years of the Network's existence were reviewed, such as the increased protection of species and habitats that the Natura 2000 Network has provided, as well as its contribution to halting biodiversity loss.
In his intervention, Mr. Gregoriou stressed that there are still challenges that need to be addressed in order to implement changes on a larger scale for the protection of habitats and biodiversity. He made special reference to the LIFE IP PHYSIS Programme, which has been running for 10 years and supports efforts also in Cyprus to address the challenges of engaging local communities, managing private land in the network areas, improving knowledge and raising awareness. The Director-General also referred to the important contribution of the implementation of the Habitats and Birds Directives to the protection of Cyprus' rich biodiversity.
At the end of the meeting, the Strasbourg Declaration in support of the efforts made for the sustainable management of the Natura 2000 network and the protection of biodiversity was unanimously adopted. In particular, the EU Environment Ministers declared their commitment to the protection of biodiversity, stressing the potential of the Natura 2000 network to contribute efficiently to improving the conservation status of species and habitats. In addition, it was noted that the LIFE programme will continue to contribute through its funding to the management of the Natura 2000 network. The need for immediate action to achieve the objectives of the EU's 2030 biodiversity strategy in all sectors, taking into account the impacts of climate change, was also recognised.
(BG/EXP)
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