International conference "EU Biodiversity strategy implementation"

Project passport
Project Duration
01.01.2015. - 30.06.2015.
Project Beneficiary
Latvian Fund for Nature
Project Partners

European Environmental Bureau, Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development of the Republic of Latvia

Project Funding
Sabiedrības integrāfijas fonds
Project Location

Riga, Latvia

Project Manager
Ģirts Strazdiņš
Project Co-ordinator
Project Contact Information
Project Phone
+371 67830999
Project Email
Project Address
Dzirnavu Street 73 - 2, Riga, LV - 1011, Latvia
Project Home Page

The goal of the project is to raise and discuss on EU level the importance of ecosystem services and their impact on economy, as well as to assess the strategies for sustainable development, by involving NGOs in this process.

Conference topics and questions are directly related to the 6-month Presidency work program priorities (contribution to the EU Biodiversity Strategy mid-term report preparation, focusing on the EU Biodiversity Strategy implementation). Implementation of the EU Biodiversity Strategy is not an easy task for any Member State and they need to share experiences on the implementation of the strategies and actions. The Presidency will organize an extensive conference with the participation of state and the non-governmental sector representatives, landowner and user organizations from all EU countries. The different participants of the Conference will provide a transfer of the results for all levels of EU.

As mid-tem review of the implementation of the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 is scheduled for late summer 2015, Conference will be an excellent opportunity to discuss with the major stakeholders on the success and failures in the implementation – achievements in the implementation of the EU Biodiversity Strategy’s targets, success to secure funding, collaboration with different stakeholders, etc.

On 26-27 May 2015 the conference “EU Biodiversity strategy 2020 – implementation” was organised in Riga. The conference was organized by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development of Latvia in collaboration with the European Commission, Latvian Fund for Nature,  Friedrich Ebert Stiftung and LIFE “Birds in Adazi”. The Latvian Fund for Nature implemented the project that enabled participation of  NGOs in the conference, receiving  support of Latvian state budget funded programme „Support for public participation in implementing the Latvian Presidency of the Council of the European Union”

The conference was well attended by representatives of governmental and non-governmental sector, representatives of landowner and land user associations. The wide representation of the participants will ensured a wide transfer of conference findings on the EU level. The conference took place in the premises of the National Library.

During the conference the issues related to implementation of the Europe 2020 Strategy and EU Biodiversity Strategy were discussed, focusing on ecosystem services. The timing of the conference, before mid-term review of the EU Biodiversity Strategy provided a very good opportunity to address the importance of the ecosystem services and agree on further steps on EU level.

NGOs had a prominent role in the event, and, thanks to the project they were ensured of a sufficient capacity to contribute to the process. The position document was prepared prior to the event; NGOs were well represented at the conference (38 representatives from 18 countries), and policy recommendations were prepared after the event. In parallel to the conference Eureopean Enivornmental Bureau (EEB) organised the meeting of the EEB Biodiversity working group on 25 May 2015, to align the messages before the conference. Furthermore, the conference outcome was discussed during the EEB Board meeting that took place on 28-29 May 2015. Latvian Minister of Environment Kaspars Gerhards attended the meeting.

Active support of the Latvian presidency for NGO participation and the good results of the conference were among the reasons for EEB’s good evaluation for Latvian performance on biodiversity issues during the Presidency.

28.05.2015. Nature conference concluded, dialogue between NGOs and ministry of environment ongoing

26.05.2015. Case study: Economic value of the pollinating service provided by bees in Switzerland

25.05.2015. NGOs take active part in the Conference on 26-27 May in Riga

22.05.2015. European Commission publishes State of Nature report, European Environmental Bureau highlights the importance of EU nature regulations

22.05.2015. European Environmental Bureau criticizes the European Commission's "Better Regulation" package

21.05.2015. NATURE ALERT: nature protection organisations call on the EC to keep the nature conservation legislation unchanged

21.05.2015. Research: One in ten wild bee species face extinction

20.05.2015. Case study: Estimating economic benefits of protected areas in Finland – making a case for continued public investment

20.05.2015. New LIFE publication on freshwater fish conservation

19.05.2015. Supporting the protection of the Baltic Sea: assessment of cultural and recreational values

19.05.2015. New LIFE publication on climate change mitigation

18.05.2015. Case study: Assessing recreational values of Danish forests to guide national plans for afforestation

15.05.2015. Case study: Regional branding as an instrument for sustainable, environmentally-friendly development – The “Prüfzeichen” of the biosphere reserve Schorfheide-Chorin

15.05.2015. European Green Capital 2017 to be announced in June

14.05.2015. Case study: Organic farming in private protected area, Russia

13.05.2015. Case study: Peatlands restoration in Germany – a potential win-win-win solution for climate protection, biodiversity conservation and land use

12.05.2015. BirdLife Europe and European Environmental Bureau: there is no future for crop-based biofuel

11.05.2015. Natural Spaces and Health: Mapping Accessible Natural Greenspace in Wales

08.05.2015. Voting for NATURA 2000 award candidates

08.05.2015. Managed realignment of sea walls can enhance coastal protection provided by natural habitats and save costs

07.05.2015. Short films about Natura 2000

05.05.2015. Dutch nature NGOs sound the alarm

21.04.2015. Europe's Green Week 2015 is coming soon

18.04.2015. Developing the first national park in Belgium together with stakeholders

17.04.2015. Case study: From Mudflow Prevention to Ecosystem Services Development: Sint-Truiden, Belgium

15.04.2015. International conference "EU Biodiversity strategy implementation"

A conference “Implementation of the EU Biodiversity Strategy” took place on 26-27 May, in National Library of Latvia. It was attended by governmental and non-governmental sector representatives (140 persons), including representatives from all EU member states, European Commission, European Topic Centre on Biological Diversity, European Environmental Agency, environmental NGOs, land owner and user organisations. Latvian Fund for Nature, in cooperation with European Environmental Bureau organised the participation of the NGO sector representatives in the event.