Implementation of the Carpathian Convention

The Conference of the Parties

1. Welcomes the progress made in the implementation of the Programme of Work, in particular the results achieved by the Working Groups, but notes, that apart of the areas with good progress in the implementation of the Carpathian Convention there are areas where the progress has been less satisfactory, and reiterates the need to implement all the articles of the Carpathian Convention and its Protocols in a balanced way;
2. Welcomes the idea of a comprehensive National Report on Implementation of the Carpathian Convention covering all the Protocols and other relevant sectors (in line with Article 14, paragraph 2a of the Convention, Article 28 of the Biodiversity Protocol, Article 25 of the Forest Protocol and Article 32 of the Tourism Protocol) with the aim to indicate strong and weak areas of the implementation and to suggest further steps, and in this respect, requests the Secretariat to develop guidelines and reporting template in consultation with the Parties, to be approved by the COP;
3. Encourages the Parties to promote, at the national level, efficient and consistent processes for implementation of the Carpathian Convention, including information, involvement and capacity building of relevant stakeholders and civil society, and in this regard welcomes the establishment of the national Carpathian committees in Poland and Slovakia;
4. Recommends the Secretariat to develop projects establishing outreach programmes targeting local and regional authorities, universities and other relevant stakeholders to increase their awareness of the importance of the protection and sustainable development of the Carpathian region, and of the Convention’s activities;
5. Requests the Secretariat to continue to promote the Carpathian Convention and sustainable mountain development in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals.
6. Requests the Secretariat to continue taking all necessary efforts, in collaboration with the Parties and stakeholders, to mobilize financial means for development and implementation of projects in order to foster the implementation of the Carpathian Convention and its Protocols;
7. Invites the Parties to further solicit support for the implementation of the Carpathian Convention from European Territorial Cooperation funds, the International Visegrad Fund, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) cohesion funds, Norway grants, LIFE, European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument, Eastern Partnership, and Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance, and other relevant instruments;
8. Welcomes and appreciates organization of the following meetings of the Carpathian Convention Working Groups: the Sixth meeting of the Working Group on Sustainable Tourism (hereinafter WG Tourism), held on 24 – 26 November 2014 in Belgrade, Serbia; the Third meeting of the Working Group on Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development (hereinafter WG SARD) held on 20 – 22 April 2015 in Stara Planina Serbia; the Seventh meeting of the WG Tourism held on 18 – 20 May 2015 in Aggtelek, Hungary; the Fourth meeting of the Working Group on Adaptation to Climate Change (hereinafter WG Climate Change) held on 30 September – 2 October 2015 in Szolnok, Hungary; the Eight meeting of the WG Tourism held on 12 – 14 April 2016 in Brasov, Romania; the Fifth meeting of the Working Group on Sustainable Forest Management (hereinafter WG Forest) held on 26 – 27 September 2016 in Brasov, Romania; the Fifth meeting of the WG Climate Change held on 27 – 28 October 2016 in Vienna, Austria; the Sixth meeting of the WG Forest held on 16 – 18 May 2017 in Sopron, Hungary and the Ninth meeting of WG Tourism held on 12 – 14 September 2017 in Brasov, Romania;
9. Welcomes the first joint meeting of the Working Group on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biological and Landscape Diversity (hereinafter WG Biodiversity) and the Working Group on Spatial Development (hereinafter WG Spatial Development), held on 22 – 24 October 2014 in Kluszkowce, Poland, appreciates support given by Ekopsychologia Association and UN Environment/GRID-Warsaw Centre within the project Carpathians Unite – mechanism of consultation and cooperation for implementation of the Carpathian Convention, supported by Switzerland through the Swiss Contribution to the enlarged European Union, resulting in project ideas that were further developed and submitted as TRANSGREEN and ConnectGREEN projects and recognizes potential benefits of joint meetings of the Working Groups;
10. Welcoming the joint meeting of WG Biodiversity and WG Spatial Development as a good example of enhancing synergies and ensuring the integration of the objectives of the Convention and its Protocols, requests the Working Groups to liaise and cooperate, as appropriate.