CEEweb for Biodiversity was founded by several NGOs from CEE countries in 1993 and was registered in 1994 in Hungary. Since then, more than 60 organizations from the region have joined CEEweb Network.

Since its establishment CEEweb has become more and more oriented towards EU and regional level policy developments in order to respond to the major challenges in the the field of nature conservation. It has become closely engaged in policy processes related to nature conservation, rural development, wildlife trade and tourism on national, regional and EU levels. With its lobbying and awareness raising work CEEweb successfully contributed to favourable decisions at international meetings and to the elaboration of effective policy frameworks. In order to link international processes with local level implementation, CEEweb initiated model projects in tourism, rural development and nature conservation with the active participation of its members. In addition with dozens of conferences, workshops and seminars the network contributed to the development of civil society in Central and Eastern Europe.

Some of the main achievements in the previous years:

2016

• Campaigning on the Fitness Check of Nature Directives
• Mapping and Assessing Ecosystem Services
• Raising awareness about the importance (and beauty) of green infrastructure and its integration with other sectors, starting with the health sector 
• Starting work on our innovative sustainability proofing of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF)
• Working on our Sustainable Rural Development Indicator that could support a result-based, new Common Agriculture Policy (CAP)
• Raising awareness about small-scale farming, circular economy and European nature with the 6th Green-Go short film contest, reaching 4 million people
• Successfully organized CEEweb Academy on EU Agriculture and Green Infrastructure
• Counted our carbon footprint of our events and compensated the CO2 consumption
• Expanded our team with seven new colleagues

2015

• Organizing the 5th Green-Go Short Film competition reaching almost 5 million people within the European Year for Development
• Restoring three wetland sites in Central and Eastern Europe with Michael Otto Foundation and raise capacities on wetlands, Water Framework Directive and Natura 2000
• Fighting for sustainable and fair minerals’ use and resources 
• Training Serbian small-scale farmers about CAP and cooperation opportunities
• Improving Natura 2000 management through the biogeographic seminar process
• Mapping and assessing ecosystem services in three Natura 2000 sites with Milvus and ÖBKI in Romania
• Continuing building a stronger network with new projects, new partners and diversification of funds

2014

• Created a network of Green Infrastructure experts and a resource hub to help implementing the Green Infrastructure Strategy
• Aided management of the Natura 2000 network
• Raised awareness among more than 900.000 EU citizens on Natura 2000 and ecosystem services by our photo contest and short film contest
• Aided greening the national rural development plans and advocated for more biodiversity-friendly agriculture
• Worked for more biodiversity funding and biodiversity-proved EU funding
• Supported the development of the Strategy for Sustainable Tourism Development of the Carpathians
• Aimed to show synergies of ecosystem services assessments and projects
• Fought against illegal wildlife trade
• Advocated for a more sustainable Europe by promoting resource efficiency, resource cap and the sustainable development goals
• Celebrated 20 years of nature conservation and set the bases for yet a more progressive organization

2013

• CEEweb Academy on Preserving Europe’s Ecosystem and Natural Capital
• CEEweb activities on Green Infrastructure with the cooperation of ECNC
• Contribution to the Alpine Biogeographic Workshop and Seminar
• Coordinating the Natura 2000 management Working Group of the European Habitats Forum
• Organizing Workshop on Natura 2000 management in Bulgaria
• Organizing the 3rd Green-Go Short Film Contest and Festival on Water, Waste and Endangered Species
• Advocating for energy use capping at European as well as at global level
• Enhancing cooperation between businesses and green NGOs
• National activities for the ecosystem-based mitigation and adaptation to climate change in Bulgaria, Estonia and Poland
• Participating in the CarpathCC (Carpathian Climate Change) international project as coordinator and expert

2012

• Organizing the 2nd International Green-Go Short Film Contest and Festival
• Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the EU Habitats Directive
• CEEweb Academy on Synergies between Biodiversity, Water and Land use Policies
• CEEweb workshop on Natura 2000 management and Agri-Environmental Schemes, and lobbying for its findings at EU level

2011

• Launching the Green Go short film contest and festival in order to raise awareness on environmental issues, such as overconsumption
• New CEEweb policy element on resource use, input to EC’s work on resource efficiency and related events (CEEweb Academy on resource use and Green Week satellite side event on resource use)
• Analysing the green infrastructure elements in the four Visegrad Countries and providing input to the work of the Polish Presidency and EC on green infrastructur

2010

• Launching a European coalition to advocate for the limitation of natural resource use
• Organising the Pan-European NGO preparatory meeting before CBD COP10
• CEEweb Academy in Romania, with the main focus on ecosystem-based approach in mitigation and adaptation to climate change

2009

• In collaboration with ECO Forum, CEEweb was coordinating the Pan-European NGO input into the 5th Biodiversity in Europe Conference
• Successful continuation of the Pan-European Biodiversity Picnic

2008

• Establishment of the Policy Working Group, realization of its three meetings, during which main policy directions of CEEweb have been defined
• CEEweb Academy on biomass used as agrofuels
• Successful continuation of the Central- and Eastern-European Military Training Areas Programme – organization of an international high-level event for decision-makers with the title “Military training areas: an opportunity for nature?”

2007

• Finalising and presenting the CEETES assessment about the implementation of CITES in Central and Eastern Europe at the CITES COP-14
• Co-organizing a pre-conference on biodiversity and production, consumption patterns and the Biodiversity Stakeholders’ Roundtable on behalf of ECO Forum in cooperation with PEBLDS at the 6th Environment for Europe Conference in Belgrade
• Finishing the Rural Development Model Project in the Carpathians with various on the ground results

2006

• Coordination of the NGO input into the Boreal and the Continental Biogeographic Seminars in the Natura 2000 designation process
• CEEweb Academy III: Management of protected areas and Natura 2000
• Regional NGO coordination on the 4th Biodiversity in Europe Conference

2005

• CEEweb Academy I: Sustainable Development
• CEEweb Academy II: Sustainable Tourism
• CEEweb became an accredited NGO with observer status to the UNEP Governing Council and an observer member of the Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy (PEBLDS) Bureau

2004

• Time is Life: Conference on Halting Biodiversity Loss by 2010 in the Central- and Eastern European countries
• Assessing the achievements of CEE countries towards the 2010 target

Further information on past projects implemented by CEEweb can be found on the following link. Check the list of the projects here>>