Key agreement puts natural capital at the heart of economic development

BUDVA, Montenegro, Nov 30 – Representatives of the governments of eight countries – Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia – have endorsed a key agreement for the protection of the environment in the Adria region in South-Eastern Europe.
The agreement sees these countries formally commit to strengthen regional cooperation in conservation and sustainable development, and the establishment of a first trilateral trans-boundary protected area between Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia. The first two marine protected areas in Montenegro were also approved for creation. This agreement increases the eight countries’ protected territory by more than 13 percent and is endorsing the creation of two new national parks, 10 protected landscapes, and three marine protected areas.
The eight countries have committed to assess the economic value of their natural capital, while integrating nature conservation goals into economic development plans for fisheries, forestry, agriculture, energy, spatial planning, and cross-sectorial cooperation.
The Adria countries commit to evaluate the contribution of protected areas to their own and the region’s economy, and to draft sustainable financing schemes for protected areas. This will include plans to build sustainable tourism in these areas over the next five years.
Adria is the most water-rich area in the Mediterranean, and hosts the largest European virgin forest and healthy populations of large carnivores – including bear, lynx, wolf and golden jackal. The region also boasts the second deepest canyon in the world and is home to more than 5,000 unique species.