Public Participation and Awareness
> 10 October 07
Kyiv commitment
By 2008, at least half of the countries in the pan-European region are implementing national Communication, Education and Public Awareness action plans, in line with the CBD’s Global Initiative on Communication, Education and Public Awareness, in order to communicate biodiversity and landscape policies and to increase multi-stakeholder participation, particularly indigenous and local communities, in their implementation.
Assessment
Many awareness and education activities have been undertaken in Europe which will contribute to meeting the Kyiv commitment. These include the following:
- the UNEP/ECNC/IUCN/REC Biodiversity Service has supported the preparation of a CD-ROM with relevant CBD and PEBLDS documents as well as the translation of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation into Russian
- CEEWEB is aiming to engage NGOs in Southeastern Europe through training and capacity-building activities
- IUCN and ECNC are actively involved in the development of biodiversity-relevant communication and public awareness tools as well as efforts to increase media participation and promote the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity in Southeastern Europe and other countries
- the Baltic Sea countries have developed expertise in the area of environmental education through the Baltic 21 Education Sector Network and the Agenda 21 for education for sustainable development in the Baltic Sea region and action programme
- the Countdown 2010 is currently supported by nearly 300 partners, which include the CBD, national ministries in 23 countries, 33 regional and local governments (including Paris, Barcelona and Amsterdam), 30 business and private sector organizations and a wide range of agencies, research institutes, museums and NGOs.
The EC is developing a Biodiversity Communication Campaign for the 2010 target and for overall long-term biodiversity conservation. The main messages for key target groups will be identified and a variety of tools will be taken into account. The Communication Campaign will be developed and implemented in 2008–2010. EU support to Countdown 2010 has assisted work with the German Presidency, regions and local authorities, and the European Parliament.
The third national reports to the CBD that were due in 2005 provide insight into progress in implementing national action plans. Of the 52 pan-European countries covered by this analysis, nine have finalized public participation and awareness action plans and nine other countries are preparing such plans (although most of these countries are located in Western and Central Europe). A lack of capacity and sufficient funding was identified as the biggest barrier to more public participation and awareness activity. A further crucial challenge is to improve the awareness of the general public on biodiversity issues. However, despite these problems, the Kyiv target can probably be achieved in at least half of the countries by 2008, although efforts should be increased in countries in Eastern Europe, Southeastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia.
About this page
This document is part of the Countdown 2010 Readiness Assessment 2007. Download the entire study in English or Russian or read the chapters online.
Pan-European Progress Towards Achieving the 2010 Biodiversity Target
Introduction
Forests and Biodiversity
Agriculture and Biodiversity
The Pan-European Ecological Network
Invasive Alien Species
Financing Biodiversity
Biodiversity Monitoring and Indicators
Public Participation and Awareness
Additional Challenges
Annex 1: Status and trends of 2010 indicators
Annex 2: C2010 Readiness Assessment Questionnaire
Annex 3: Online Survey on the 2010 Biodiversity Target
Annex 4: Recommendations for high nature value farmland
Annex 5: SEBI2010 Indicators
