Measuring progress in nature conservation
against the CBD and PEBLDS
Legislation review from the point of view
of National Ecological Network creation in Moldova
The lack of ecological poise, social-economic situation,
intensive and extensive exploitation of natural resources
and of the whole vital space of the country impose an urgent
need for the identification, recognition and development of
the National Ecological Network (NEN), which would include
the network of protected areas, representative natural geosystems
and ecosystems maintained in different landscape regions of
the country. The establishment of NEN will obviously contribute
to biodiversity restoration, maintenance and conservation.
At present in Moldova only Concept on NEN (BIOTICA Ecological
Society) and Draft Law on National Ecological Network (CBD
Focal Point in Moldova) exist that are not yet approved as
official documents.
As Part of CBD, Moldova has to have a system of protected
areas or areas where special measures need to be taken to
conserve biological diversity (Art. 8 (a)), also Minister
of Ecology and Natural Resources signed the Kiev Resolution
that provides that by 2006, the Pan-European Ecological Network
(core areas, restoration areas, corridors and buffer zones,
as appropriate) in all States of the pan European region will
be identified and reflected on coherent indicative European
maps, as a European contribution towards a global ecological
network. Our Government took some responsibilities that are
not fulfilled yet.
BIOTICA ES decided to make a review of some laws in force
at the moment in Moldova that stipulate responsibility and
options for the most important juridical persons, which coordinate,
regulate and implement land tenure in their competence with
respect to nature protection functions, because art. 10(a)
of CBD proposes to Parties to integrate consideration of the
conservation and sustainable use of biological resources into
national decision-making and Decision VII/28 on Protected
Areas 13 invites Parties to consider options in the context
of implementing the programme of work, such as ecological
networks, ecological corridors, buffer zones… These things
are stipulated also in National Action Plan on Biodiversity
of Moldova (more exactly in Action Plan on creating the National
Ecological Network).
These laws were reviewed from two points of view - first
- to discover some gaps in legislation regarding the Creation
of the Ecological Network as is indicated in point 1.1.5.
of Programme of Work on Protected Areasthat provides that
by 2006 complete protected area system gap analyses at national
and regional levels... should be developed. These findings
were presented to governmental and nongovernmental organizations
during a National Conference on Dniester Basin Biodiversity.
Another point of view is the powers and possibilities of local
authorities. The Action Plan on Biodiversity contains direct
indication with respect to planning the ecological network
for districts, including implementation of a pilot project.
All these provisions can be found also in some Laws (Laws
on Public Local Authorities, Land Code, etc.). As Programme
of Work on Protected Areas - Goal 1.1 provides among other
establishing regional systems of protected areas and point
1.1.4. provides possibility of creating local community
conserved areas, it is possible to start with creation of
local district ecological networks as pilot actions for creation
of the National Ecological Network, that is the only biodiversity
issue that is nominated as priority in Moldova - European
Union Action Plan adopted in 2005 (as is provided in Decision
VII/28 Protected Areas (11) that calls on Parties to integrate
within the development strategies protected area objectives).
