European protected areas: Why do they matter in the global context? The EU contribution to the IUCN World Parks Congress 2014

This preparatory event, organized by the IUCN EU Representative office, aims to inform EU policymakers and stakeholders on the EU contribution to and the expected outcomes of the IUCN World Parks Congress, which is to be held in Sydney in November 2014. It also encourages input from participants to strengthen the European voice at the Congress. Speakers and attendees will include representatives of EU institutions, national and regional governments, and environment and conservation organisations.

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The IUCN World Parks Congress, which takes place every ten years, is a landmark global forum on protected areas. The 2014 WPC will build on the theme "Parks, people, planet: inspiring solutions", and it will present, discuss and create original approaches for conservation and development. It will also set the agenda for protected areas conservation for the decade to come.

In 2014, the WPC will mark the launch of the Standard for the IUCN Green List of Protected Areas and the criteria for Key Biodiversity Areas, both of which are closely linked to the EU policy agenda in this field.

Successful protected areas are essential for securing our planet’s biodiversity future and they provide a wealth of essential ecosystem services that benefit communities and provide solutions to global challenges, such as water provision, food security, human health and welfare, disaster risk reduction and climate change.


Agenda

14.00 – 14.15: Opening
Kadri Tillemann, Member of CoR and Luc Bas, Director, IUCN Brussels

14.15 – 14.30: Keynote address
Eugenio Duprè, Ministry of the Environment, Italy (tbc)

14.15 – 15.45: EU’s protected areas in the global dialogue: Sharing European success stories and learning from international experience.

Trevor Sandwith, Director, Global Protected Areas Programme, IUCN

Ignace Schops, Council Member, EUROPARC Federation

Stefan Leiner, Head of Nature Unit, DG Environment

Cristiana Pasca Palmer, Head of Unit Climate Change, Environment and Natural Resources, DG Development and Cooperation

Alberto Marcos Arroyo Schnell, Senior Policy Advisor – Biodiversity, WWF

Senior representative of the Spanish government (tbc)

15.45 – 16.30: Interaction with the audience for Q&A

16.30: Closing
Kadri Tillemann, Member of CoR and Luc Bas, Director, IUCN Brussels

For more information, please visit the IUCN website, or contact brussels@iucn.org.

For registration, please click here.