ICPE ADG, Mr. Janez Podobnik, visited UNEP Vienna Office

On 5^th May 2014 Mr. Janez Podobnik visited United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) office in Vienna. Accompanied with Mr. Nenad Stankovic,ICPE Representative in Vienna, Mr. Podobnik met Mr. Harald Egerer, Head, UNEP Vienna - Interim Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention (ISCC). In discussion with Mr. Egerer, he presented ICPE programmes/projects and informed about ICPE efforts to establish partnership with other international organizations as well as public/private enterprises. The final output of such co-operation should be implementation of mutual projects designed in accordance with common objectives and specific needs of the member states. Mr. Podobnik especially underlined ICPE activities related to the Environment and proposed a few areas of potential co-operation with ISCC. As the very important and successful activity under integrated management of protected nature areas, he presented example of Nature Park Goričko, developed and managed by Academician Dr. Anton Vratuša, Honorary President of the ICPE Council.

Mr. Egerer appreciated meeting and expressed high interest for co-operation with ICPE. In that context he emphasized several ongoing UNEP activities in Western Balkans and Caucasus area. Among several project he underlined BioREGIO Carpathians Project “Integrated Biodiversity Management and Ecological Connectivity in the Carpathians” as well as the Resolution on the Sustainable Development of the Dinaric Arc Region, adopted at Brdo on 9^th March 2011.

Regarding co-operation with ICPE, Mr. Egerer expressed special interest for integrated costal area management, integrated management of protected areas and possibility for ISCC to contribute in preparing articles and ICPE publications. At the end of the meeting Mr. Podobnik invited Mr. Egerer to attend International Conference of the Integrated Management of Protected Areas, which is planned to be organized in Ljubljana in October 2014. This invitation was accepted and it was agreed to intensify dialog with aim to define proposals for concrete mutual projects/activities. Mr. Egerer also advised ICPE to contact Mr. Jan Dusik, Acting Director and UNEP Regional Representative for Europe, with whom ICPE could be able to discuss other programmes and projects which are not under ISCC mandate and responsibility.