Story | 23 Dec, 2016

Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning of Macedonia joins IUCN

IUCN ECARO is extending a warm welcome to its new member, the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning of Macedonia (MoEPP). “We believe that by joining IUCN and enhancing our cooperation we will improve our results on the ground related to conservation status of habitats, species and ecosystems, management of protected areas, valorization of natural values, the re-proclamation of protected areas under the new IUCN categorisation of protected areas. Furthermore, we will increase our knowledge of nature, biodiversity monitoring and scientific data collection, needed for designation of future Natura 2000 Network,” said Vlatko Trpeski, Head of Department for Nature, Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning of Macedonia. “We expect to improve the cooperation and harmonize activities also with other sectors in the country that have or might have impact on nature. We will work with IUCN on the implementation of the Aichi targets within the Convention on Biodiversity and on other international documents (conventions and agreements), programmes and activities in the field of nature conservation,” he concluded.

The Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning i.e. Administration for Environment, through its sectors for Nature, Waters, Industrial Pollution and Risk Management, Environment and Waste, is the key state institution working to improve the quality of environment, through an efficient and integrated system of environmental protection.

Some of the current activities of the Department for Nature, Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning are:

  • Participation in the IUCN project "Toward Strengthened Conservation Planning in South-Eastern Europe" through the preparation of two expert reports (State of Nature Conservation Systems in South-Eastern Europe and Capacity Development Needs and Priorities for Nature Conservation in South-Eastern Europe),
  • Staff capacity building in the area of nature protection, with the focus on the development and implementation of protected areas’ management plans, identification of potential Natura 2000 sites, 

  • Involvement in the project “Nature Conservation Programme Macedonia” funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) whose result is a Draft National Strategy for Nature Protection and National study on geodiversity and geological heritage of the republic of Macedonia and other components of nature (biological and landscape diversity) prepared in 2015/2016,
  • Draft Management Plan for Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid region (2016-2025) was prepared in 2015 in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture,

  • Coordination of the EU IPA (TAIB 2011) project “Strengthening the capacities for implementation of Natura 2000”. The project aims to harmonize national with EU legislation on nature protection, identify habitats and species of EU importance, raise public awareness and strengthen capacities for the implementation of Natura 2000.

Amongst the recent achievements of the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning the following should be mentioned:

  • Coordination of the activities in the process of development of Draft National strategy for nature protection (2017-2027) together with Study for geodiversity and geological heritage of the Republic of Macedonia and other components of nature (biological and landscape diversity),
  • Preparation of the nomination file for Ohrid-Prespa transboundary Biosphere Reserve that was officially considered and approved at the Meeting of MAB Committee of UNESCO,

  • Support to the European Green Belt, through the Joint Declaration of Intent,

  • Strong support to the establishment of Ohrid-Prespa Trust Nature Fond.

 

For the purpose of this article the name Macedonia has been used to refer to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.