Countdown 2010

Tamas Marghescu, Frieda Brepoels, Ignace SchopsNature Conservation and Regional Development - Limburg is setting examples for Europe!

Public Seminar in the European Parliament
26 January 2006, 11:00

Organised by IUCN (the World Conservation Union), Countdown 2010, Member of the European Parliament Frieda Brepoels, Province of Limburg, Regionaal Landschap Kempen en Maasland.

Participants of the SeminarConserving the natural environment can provide a great deal of benefits for regional economic development. Coming together in a unique coalition, the organisers show how a single national park creates 400 jobs and a total benefit of 25M for the people in the region. Understanding its characteristic nature and landscape as an asset, Limburg encourages its municipalities to protect endangered species and thus halt the loss of their biodiversity by 2010. This case illustrates how local actors can work together and set examples for Europe. We will ask: Can these projects serve as an example for economic development without jeopardising natural resources and systems? Or are the Lisbon Agenda and the 2010 Biodiversity Target mutually contradictory?

Speakers:

Organisers:

Limburg is the easternmost region of Flanders, rich in biodiversity and developing an active nature conservation policy for decades, which recently started a project for conservation of endangered species, in cooperation with ‘Regionale Landschappen’ and local communities. For more information see: www.limburg.be

The NGO Regionaal Landschap Kempen en Maasland (RLKM) is situated in the North East of the province of Limburg and has been a trendsetter in Flanders since several years, working on the balance between nature conservation, landscaping and tourism. For more information see: www.rlkm.be

Launched in May 2004, Countdown 2010 is an alliance working to support governments and other stakeholders in achieving the 2010 Biodiversity Target. For more information see: www.countdown2010.net

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