|
Proposal for the scope of application of the Carpathian Convention
Home |
Research departments |
Sustainable Development |
Institute for Regional Development and Location Management |
Projects |
Scope of application Carpathian Convention
"The Carpathians are a unique natural treasure of great beauty and ecological value […] and a major economic, cultural, recreational and living environment in the heart of Europe" (EURAC-Research, 2004[1]). Until now the impacts of human activities have not severely disrupted the region's environmental processes and its ecological coherence. Despite its immense value, the Carpathians are currently facing many threats, which put the mountain ecosystem under various types of pressure (e.g. infrastructure projects). Transition and structural changes now underway in the Carpathian countries affect the relation between Carpathian inhabitants and their environment in many ways (Carpathian Ecoregion Initiative, 2005)
At the 5th Ministerial Conference "Environment for Europe" in Kiev, Ukraine, in May 2003, the Carpathian Countries adopted and signed the Framework Convention on the Protection and Sustainable Development of the Carpathians. This international agreement has been signed by the seven participating countries: Czech Republic (CZ), Hungary (HU), Poland (PL), Romania (RO), Serbia & Montenegro (S&M), Slovak Republic (SK), Ukraine (UA) (fig.1). The CC provides a "framework of cooperation" outlining general objectives and principles of the cooperation. Hence, it does not assign any specific duties to its parties. It includes general provisions concerning the thematic areas of cooperation, which can be further specified through decisions of a future "Conference of the Parties", as well as future protocols. Any party will be able to propose protocols to the convention. The ratification process has progressed quite far in the signatory states. With the deposition of the instrument of the ratification by Hungary on the 6th Oct 2005 after Slovak Republic, Czech Republic, Ukraine and Hungary the CC entered into force on the 4th Jan 2006.
Fig. 1: The Carpathian mountains from space (Alpine Network for Protected Areas, 2004[2]).
The Convention applies to "the Carpathian region", to be defined by the Conference of the Parties (Art. 1). Consequently, this "purposefully vague spatial definition" (Fall & Egerer, 2004[3]) led to complex considerations, pointing to problematic aspects of defining such a region. Until now no proposal has found mutual acceptance from all Member States. A commonly accepted definition of the scope of application of the convention, though, is of importance to its ratification and implementation. Therefore UNEP commissioned the European Academy of Bolzano (EURAC-Research) to develop an approach for a transparent delimitation of the convention perimeter, based on homogenous criteria.
The process of a spatial definition of the area undertaken by the Convention is characterised by the difficulty in defining biophysical and political ideals, as well as finding a compromise between them and socioeconomic considerations. The interaction of different realities, views, and necessities shapes the delineation process in a complex manner. This poses a great challenge. These complex dynamics are furthered by intensive discussions and additions on part of the participating Member States. These discussions on different approaches to the delimitation of the Carpathians are certainly reasonable and comprehensible, in fact, mountains are defined by local perception and this perception might be different from region to region.
1.Collectio Alpenkonvention 2004, EURAC/Ministero dell´Ambiente e della Tutela del Territorio, Direzione PIA.
2.ALPINE NETWORK OF PROTECTED AREAS/ANPA (2004): Towards a Carpathian Network of Protected Areas - Final Report. Bundesministerium für Umwelt, Naturschutz und Reaktorsicherheit.
3.Juliet J. Fall, Harald Egerer, Constructing the Carpathians: the Carpathian Convention and the Search for a Spatial Ideal, La revue de géographie, June 2004, N° 2.
|
|
