9th meeting of the CCIC in Vienna

From 17th to 18th December 2018 the 9th meeting of the Carpathian Convention Implementation Committee (CCIC) took place in Vienna. The Carpathian Convention is a consortium of the seven Carpatian countries (Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Ukraine, Romania and Serbia) to foster the sustainable development and protection of the Carpathian region. The fifteen years old convention is one of only two sub-regional treaties for the protection and sustainable development of a mountain region worldwide. Following the Carpathian Convention progress and events since several years, the European Wilderness Society attended this event as an observer.

The Carpathian Convention implements their objectives through the work of several working groups. For example for Biodiversity, Spatial Development, sustainable forest management or sustainable tourism. In particular the work done in the Biodiversity working group played an important part of the meeting. The European Wilderness Society is part of the Large Carnivore Working Group, a subgroup of the Biodiversity working group. The discussions on the numerous projects where the convention is involved presented another important task of the meeting. One of them is the Interreg project CENTRALPARKS, which is currently under evaluation. The European Wilderness Society is involved as a partner in this project.

WWF Gift of the Earth Award

The Carpathian Convention co-operates with numerous national and international organisations. For example the WWF and ICPDR (International Commission for the protection of the Danube River). This international co-operation and the successfull work resulting from it, were some of the reasons for receiving the WWF Gift of the Earth Award. This highest award of the WWF awards the work in protection and sustainable development of the Carpathian Convention. It recognises the important role the Convention has played in the preservation of the natural values of the Carpathians and for the promotion of sustainable development in the region.

Free Svydovets represented at the CCIC meeting

The Free Svydovets initiative was also present at the meeting. Roman Cherepanyn, scientist and lecturer at Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University, represented the initiative.  He informed the present parties on the international ecological value of the Svydovets massif. His presentation also gave an updated on the current status of the planned construction of the Svydovets ski resort. He called on the Carpathian Convention to support the proper conduction of the Environment Impact Assessment of the recreational complex of Svydovets and to support the initiative group Free Svydovets. The Appeal from Free Svydovets initiative, stating the need and importance of the international support of the Carpathian Convention, was sent to the Secretariat of the Convention. Tamara Malkova, head of the NGO “Green Dosier”, supported Roman Cherepany’s cause. Green Dosier is taking care of the proper conduction of the Environment Impact Assessment.