Strategic Action Plan for the Black Sea Biodiversity
and Landscape Conservation Protocol
(BSBLCP-SAP)
Contents
Preamble
I Aim and Objectives
II Geographical Scope
III Definitions
IV General Principles
V Biodiversity and Landscapes Conservation
5.1 Species
5.2 Habitats and Ecosystems
5.3 Landscapes
VI General Tools
6.1 Ecosystem Approach to Management of Human Activities
6.2 Integrated Coastal Zone Management
6.3 Biodiversity and Landscape Monitoring Programme and Indicators
6.4 Scientific Research, Education, and Information exchange
6.5 Public Awareness and Participation
VII BSBLP-SAP Implementation Framework
VIII Reporting
ANNEX A Map of BSBLCP-SAP Area
ANNEX B Reference for taxonomic names
ANNEX C BSC Work Plan for 2005 - 2007: Biodiversity and Landscape Conservation
PREAMBLE
Recognizing that the state of the environment, biodiversity and landscapes of the Black Sea and Azov Sea continues to be a matter of concern due to the ongoing degradation of its ecosystem and the unsustainable use of its natural resources;
Being Contracting Parties to the
Bucharest Convention on the Protection of the Black Sea against Pollution that was
signed in Bucharest,
Bearing in mind that all of the Black Sea countries have signed and ratified the Convention on Biodiversity (June 5, 1992, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil), World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) adopted a range of important decisions, including research and study of the marine environment and a target of halting the loss of biodiversity by 2010 in Johannesburg, in 2002, and European Environment Ministries adopted a Protocol on Strategic Environmental Assessment, as well as an Environment Strategy for countries of Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia in Kyiv, Ukraine, in 2003.
Further recalling the Black Sea Strategic Action Plan that was adopted in Istanbul, Turkey, October 1996 (amended 2002), with particular reference to Articles 60 - 63 on Biological Diversity Protection and Articles 64 - 66 on Protection of Habitat and Landscape;
Also being Contracting Parties to the Protocol on Black Sea Biodiversity and Landscape Conservation (previously Protocol on Black Sea Biodiversity and Landscape Protection) (“the Protocol” ) of the Bucharest Convention on the Protection of the Black Sea against Pollution that was signed in Sofia, Bulgaria on 14 June 2002, and entered into force on [...];
Noting that Article 4(6) of the Protocol calls on the Contracting Parties to produce and commonly agree on a Strategic Action Plan for the Protocol (“the BLAC-SAP”) within three years of the Protocol coming into force;
Aware that the production and implementation of a common Strategic Action Plan for the Protocol can and should facilitate the obligations of the Contracting Parties with respect to other multi-lateral environmental agreements to which they may also be Contracting Parties;
the Governments of:
the
Agree on the following objectives, principles, policies and actions:
I Aim and Objectives
Reflecting the purpose of the Black Sea Biodiversity and Landscape Conservation Protocol “to maintain the Black Sea ecosystem in the good ecological state and its landscapes in the favourable conditions; to protect, to preserve and to sustainably manage the biological and landscape diversity of the Black Sea in order to enrich the biological resource” the aim of the BLCP-SAP is to develop, harmonise, enforce and implement necessary environmental policies, strategies and measures in preserving, protecting and sustainably managing nature, historical, cultural and aesthetic resources and heritage of the Black Sea states for present and future generations.
The objectives of BLAC-SAP :
1. to halt losses of currently known threatened species and destruction of their habitats by 2010 arising from human activities in the BSBLCP area and to prevent appearance of new threatened species by human activities
2. to increase, where appropriate, protected areas and improve conservation of species, ecosystems and habitats, with particular attention to marine protected area, and manage them in a sustainable and environmentally sound way
3. to introduce sustainable practices and eliminate harmful practices promoting ecosystem approach to all human activities in the area of the Protocol in particular in exploitation of living marine resources
4. to restore and rehabilitate damaged areas of previously high biodiversity value where appropriate
5. to preserve restore and maintain in good quality condition the landscapes of high nature, historical, cultural and aesthetic value
6. to harmonize the relationship between landscape features and socio-economic development
7. to develop and introduce comprehensive system for assessment of impact of human activities and rehabilitation measures on he Black Sea ecosystem for decision and policy makers and to ensure comprehensive and up-to-date presentation of he Black Sea on the Pan-European scale and in the context of European Marine Strategy
II Definitions
Biological diversity means the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species and ecosystems. (The UN Convention on Biological Diversity, Article 2 a)
Biological resources include genetic resources, organisms or parts thereof, populations, or any other biotic component of ecosystems with actual or potential use or value for humanity.
Ecosystem means a dynamic complex of plant, animal and micro-organism communities and their non-living environment interacting as a functional unit
Habitat means the place or type of site where an organism or population naturally occurs
Protected area means a geographically defined area which is designated or regulated and managed to achieve specific conservation objectives
Sustainable use means the use of components of biological diversity in a way and at a rate that does not lead to the long-term decline of biological diversity, thereby maintaining its potential to meet the needs and aspirations of present and future generations.
Landscape means an area, as perceived by people, whose character is the result of the action and interaction of natural and/or human factors;
Landscape policy means an expression by the competent public authorities of general principles, strategies and guidelines that permit the taking of specific measures aimed at the protection, management and planning of landscapes;
Landscape quality objective means, for a specific landscape, the formulation by the competent public authorities of the aspirations of the public with regard to the landscape features of their surroundings;
Landscape protection means actions to conserve and maintain the significant or characteristic features of a landscape, justified by its heritage value derived from its natural configuration and/or from human activity;
Landscape management means action, from a perspective of sustainable development, to ensure the regular upkeep of a landscape, so as to guide and harmonize changes which are brought about by social, economic and environmental processes;
Landscape planning means strong forward-looking action to enhance, restore or create landscapes.
Integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) is a development management process realised at the state level with participation of all stakeholders, aiming at optimal balance among economic development, environment protection and social benefits. It is implemented by establishing the organisational legal framework and procedures, required for the provision of an optimal combination (integration) of development plans in coastal zones with the problems of environmental protection and resources conservation (including the social aspect).
The ecosystem approach is "the comprehensive integrated management of human activities based on best available scientific knowledge about the ecosystem and its dynamics, in order to identify and take action on influences which are critical to the health of the marine ecosystems, thereby achieving sustainable use of ecosystem goods and services and maintenance of ecosystem integrity". This description clearly places humans as part of natural ecosystems, and stresses that human activities in these ecosystems must be managed such that they are sustainable in the long term, not compromising ecosystem components that contribute to its structural and functional integrity (definition has been adopted by the Intermediate Ministerial Meeting (Bergen Declaration March 2002) and the Køge Stakeholders meeting (December 2002)
III Geographical Scope
1. The Contracting Parties shall delineate of the BSBLCP-SAP area (Annex A) and coastal zone within 2 years of the BSBLCP coming into force according to the Article of the BSBLCP following definition of BSBLC Protocol
2. In the interim period before the BSBLC Protocol coming into force the Black Sea Commission shall prepare a map of the BSBLCP area consistent with national legislation and with natural specific features of their coasts. .
IV General Principles
1. The BSBLCP - SAP shall be implemented as an integrated mechanism for Black Sea cooperation in the field of biodiversity and landscape protection to achieve its objectives and objectives set up in the Convention on the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution and its Protocols.
2. The Contracting Parties to the Protocol shall incorporate the provisions of the BSBLCP-SAP into their national strategies, plans and/or programmes for the conservation of biological and landscape diversity and the sustainable use of marine and coastal biological and landscape resources paying due attention to national sectoral and intersectoral interaction
3. The Contracting Parties shall endeavour to apply ecosystem approach to any human activities that may irreversibly damage or effect otherwise the Black Sea biodiversity or landscapes in line with European Marine Strategy
4. Implementation of the BSBLCP shall be closely coordinated with existing global and European initiatives and be consistent with already existing national obligations of the Contracting Parties.
V Biodiversity and Landscape Conservation
It is widely accepted that biodiversity, habitats and landscapes has been adversely affected by anthropogenic influences over recent decades, through:
pollution,
over-fishing,
agricultural intensification,
inadvertent and deliberate introduction of alien species,
loss of habitat e.g. anadromous fish species such as sturgeon, which have suffered from development of hydro-electric power schemes and other obstacles, thus preventing access to upstream spawning areas.
offshore exploration and maritime navigation
genetic disturbance
There is a clear need to integrate policies on economic development, agriculture and energy production with those concerning environmental sustainability and biodiversity, to ensure that the development policies do not conflict with the aims of the Black Sea Biodiversity and Landscape Strategy
5.1 Organizational and Institutional Arrangements
1. The Contracting Parties shall provide for measures for BSBLC-SAP implementation in their national strategies, plans and/or programmes for the conservation of biological and landscape diversity and the sustainable use of marine and coastal biological and landscape resources and related national sectoral and intersectoral policies, where appropriate and necessary national action plans shall be developed.
2. The BSC Institutional network shall be further strengthen through active involvement of science and scientific institutions through the properly developed mechanism
3. The coordination with existing or emerging international legally binding agreements shall be pursued in order to avoid overlapping and duplication of activities, exchange experience through joint workshops, research and databases
5.2 Biodiversity and Habitat Conservation
Objective 1: to prevent appearance of new threatened species and to halt losses of currently known threatened species and destruction of their habitats by 2010
a) by the year 2007 to make inventory of the biological species in the BSBLCP Area, create of the Register of the Species in the BSBDLCP and establishing a mechanism for regular update of the Register
b) by the year 2008 to make inventory, classification and mapping of habitats in BSBLCP area according to commonly agreed criteria (e.g. EUNIS) and methodology and based on shared Geographic Information System (GIS)
c) by the year 2007 to identify species status according to IUCN criteria and/or species protected under national legislation development of criteria for identification of biological species of Black Sea importance and establishing priorities for regional actions in species conservation and protection
d) develop criteria for identification of habitats of the Black Sea importance and prepare a List of Habitats of Black Sea Importance that shell form the second part of Black Sea Species and Habitats Red Data Book, Finalization of Annex II List of Species of the Black Sea Importance and Annex IV List of Species whose exploitation should be regulated to the BSBLCP by 2006 and establishing regional procedure for regular revision of the Annex I and II to the Protocol
e) publish the Black Sea Red Data Book of Species and Habitats and establishing a regional mechanism for its regular update
f) according to established priorities criteria for actions in preserving and rehabilitation of the of Black Sea species, and habitats to develop and implement corresponding protection/recovery plans and establish a procedure for follow up of their implementation
g) taking into account multilateral international obligations of the Contracting Parties in protection of the Black Sea Cetaceans (ACCOBAMS, IWC, Convention on Protection of Biodiversity) develop the Plan for Protection and Recovery the Black Sea Cetaceans in close cooperation with ACCOBAMS and initiate its implementation by the year 2007
h) in cooperation with ACCOBAMS establish the stranding network for the cetaceans of the Black Sea
i) organize a Black Sea network of rescue and rehabilitation centers for the Black Sea cetaceans
j) in cooperation with fisheries sector establish the biological safety limits for commercial exploitation of marine living resources and assess fisheries impact on biodiversity and habitats
Objective 2: to increase, where appropriate, territories and improve management of protected area, with particular attention to marine protected area, and manage them in a sustainable and environmentally sound way
a) enlarge where appropriate the networks of Black Sea Reserves taking into consideration the most important breeding, feeding and wintering grounds and migration routes of fish and marine mammals and birds and map them using the advanced information technologies and establish of regional mechanism for regular information flow between them.
b) promote designation of national and transboundary marine protected areas and prepare and agree methodological guidelines for management of marine protected areas
c) introduce and promote use of economic incentives for management of human activities allowed in protected area and adjacent territories
d) integrate the system of protected landscapes, Biosphere Reserves, National Parks and other types of protected areas with existing international initiatives aiming at establishing a Pan-European Ecological Network (“the PEEN”) under the auspices of the Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy (“the PEBLDS”) and complimenting existing national initiatives on ecological networks
Objective 3. Restore and Rehabilitate Damaged Areas of Previously High Biodiversity Value
a) conduct the study of identification of Black Sea areas of previously high biodiversity value that could be subject for restoration
b) develop the List of Areas for Potential Restoration of High Biodiversity Value
c) develop and implement recovery plans for damaged areas of potentially high biological values
Objective 4. Promote ecosystem approach to all human activities in the area of the Protocol in particular in exploitation of living marine resources by introducing sustainable practices and eliminating harmful practices
a) elaborate biodiversity quality objectives to be used for proper planning and monitoring of progress in implementing BCBLCP.
b) develop ecological criteria for environmental impact assessment for the Black Sea purpose in close collaboration with Convention on Biological Diversity, ESPOO Convention and Pan-European Biodiversity and Landscape Conservation Strategy.
c) ensure incorporation of these criteria into Black Sea regional procedure for conduction EIA in case of policies, projects or programs with explicit transboundary impacts in line with Espoo Convention
d) establish system for exchange of experience and technologies
5.3 Landscapes Conservaton
Objective 5: to preserve restore and maintain in good quality condition the landscapes of high nature, historical, cultural and aesthetic value
a) conduct study on strategies, objectives, actions, criteria, assessment methodologies, etc. for the landscape conservation in the coastal areas existing in the Black Sea Coastal States and internationally in order to properly formulate priority conservation actions for the Black Sea coastal in close cooperation with European Landscape Convention by the year 2007
b) develop where appropriate or to improve national legislation on landscape conservation and to incorporate measures for conservation of landscapes into the national and sectoral strategies and action plans in line with provisions of the BSBLCP and other relevant international agreements
c) improve an institutional settings for the landscape conservation by balancing interests of different involved groups and improving cooperation between involved authorities. primarily by expanding to the scope of the issues of protected areas for the biodiversity and habitats to the issues of aesthetic and historical values of landscapes
d) improve the cross sectoral cooperation for the purposes of landscape conservation by promoting Integrated Coastal Zone Management in particular land planning and zoning
e) agree on assessment criteria, methodologies, indicators etc, for identifying impact of multiple pressures using the landscape specific assessment methodologies e.g. GIS, satellite observations, classification systems, etc. including pressures from agriculture, urban development, infrastructure development, tourism, etc. in order to observe the changes of landscapes in time and space.
f) define priority actions for and develop a common mechanism to share positive experience of rehabilitation of landscapes between Black Sea coastal states
g) identify damaged valuable landscapes as possible target for rehabilitation measures by the year 2007
Objective 6: to harmonize the relationship between landscape features and socio-economic development
a) create a Manual of Best Available Practices in the Field of Landscape Protection
b) develop mechanisms for involvement of relevant economic sectors in the protection and conservation of landscapes
c) improve the cooperation between different stakeholders, including NGOs; to orient academic and research communities towards conducting the applied research for landscape conservation purposes in order
d) give the scientific justification of the decision making in the landscape conservation field.
VI General Tools
6.1. Ecosystem Approach to the management of Human activities
a) identify the types of developments which are still needed, consider the identification and designation of special areas and measures of conservation that will have impact on diverse sectoral activities, and set up the process for the integration of nature protection measures into other areas of policies of the Contracting Parties
b) establish ecosystem benchmarks, targets and/or quality objectives to ensure conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.
c) because human impacts on biodiversity, ecosystems, and habitats can be additive or synergistic, to support the ecosystem approach by a co-ordinated science and advisory process that provides information on all relevant impacts implying creation of mechanism for integration of science in a wider scope of reporting
6.2. Integrated Costal Zone Management
a) introduce nature management precautionary principles in social, ecological and economic programmes. These would be subject to favourable conditions and priorities for the development of tourism, fisheries and aquaculture, marine transport, and with the concurrent establishment of restrictions for developing of these activities if they would be unfavourable for the coastal zones (e.g., marine pollution, ecosystem degradation, etc.)
b) introduction of ICZM in the BSBLCP area should guarantee that today’s decisions would not exclude freedom of choice for the future
c) strict status of conservation to the natural features of coastal zone including landscapes of interest, flora and fauna, and habitats of importance .
6.3. Biodiversity and Landscape Monitoring and Assessment Programme
Objective 7: to develop and introduce comprehensive system for assessment of impact of human activities and rehabilitation measures on he Black Sea ecosystem for decision and policy makers and to ensure comprehensive and up-to-date presentation of he Black Sea on the Pan-European scale and in the context of European Marine Strategy
a) Develop and implement the Biodiversity and Landscape Monitoring Programme as an integral part of the Black Sea Integrated Monitoring and Assessment System with particular attention to development of proper indicators and harmonized methodologies for assessments and analyses of status and trends in species, ecosystems, habitats, and landscapes
b) Formulate and implement program of scientific research on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning for attracting targeted international and national funding
c) Prepare and publish thematic chapters on the status and trends of Black Sea biodiversity, habitats and landscapes to the annual and five years reports of the Black Sea Commission
6.4 Public Awareness and Public Participation
a) built biodiverisy and landscape conservation issues into public awareness and educational programmes to create a feeling of community care for the local environment
b) highlight the importance of remedial actions for conservation biodiversity and landscapes through the media and community related programmes
c) to involve local communities in actions and decision making process in order to create solid basis for a significant progress in landscape conservation
d) Promote International Black Sea Day, October 31 as a public forum for assessing progress in conservation of Black Sea biodiversity and landscapes
6.5 Scientific Research and Education and Information Exchange
a) formulate the program of scientific research needed in the field of biodiversity and landscape conservation of the BSBLCP area and regular update it based on the advice of the scientific community of the Black Sea coastal states by the year 2006 and facilitate attraction of national and international funding for its realization
b) develop and implement mechanism of continuous scientific contribution to the decision making process through dynamic development of system of indicators, classification, benchmarks, target values, quality objectives for the purposes of the national authorities and the Commission
c) create on-line bibliography of scientific literature on the biodiversity and landscape issues for the purposes of the scientific community of the Black Sea
d) develop a system for involvement of students into scientific research and monitoring for the assessment of the state of the biodiversity and landscapes of the Black Sea
e) conduct biannual scientific conferences reflecting the state of knowledge on biodiversity and landscapes of the Black Sea
f) create a system of on-going professional training and education, e.g. Black Sea Coast, summer schools on biodiversity and landscapes, exchange of curricula and students among the Black Sea Coastal states
g) to finalise development of the Black Sea Information System and to ensure its sustainable functioning
VII BSBLCP SAP Implementation
1. The BLCP-SAP shall be implemented by the Contracting Parties following the commonly agreed timeframe for achieving its objectives. The timeframe for operational actions listed in the Annex II shall be introduced annually based on the annual reporting of the Contracting Parties and based on annual work plan of the Black Sea Commission.
2. The Contracting Parties shall provide for proper financing of the measures and actions aimed at the conservation of Black Sea biodiversity and landscapes and ensure that research programs and projects identified as Black Sea importance are properly incorporated in national funding . International assistance shall be sought as far as possible to this end.
3. The Commission on the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution through its Permanent Secretariat shall coordinate regionally relevant activities as far as possible to ensure joint programmes and projects
4. Before BSBLCP coming into force the corresponding activities shall be conducted in line with provisions of the Strategic Action Plan for Rehabilitation and Protection of the Black Sea 1996, amended 2002
5. The BSBLCPSAP shall become an integral part of the updated Strategic Action Plan for Rehabilitation and Protection of the Black Sea, 1996, amended 2002 to be prepared and approved in 2007.
VIII Reporting
1. The implementation of the BLBLCP-SAP shall be monitored through the regular reporting of the Contracting Parties to the Black Sea Commission and its annual and five years reports. The reporting requirements may be changed on proposal of the relevant advisory groups and approved by the Commission on the Protection of the Black Sea Commission. The reporting requirements shall be streamlined with reporting to other international agreements of the Contracting Parties as far as possible, in particular Convention on Biological Diversity and Pan-European Biodiversity and Landscape Strategy.
| Measures | By Year | Possible funding source |
| delineation and mapping of BSBLCP area | 2007 | |
| Objective 1: to prevent appearance of new threatened species and to halt losses of currently known threatened species and destruction of their habitats by 2010 | ||
| list of species of Black Sea importance and related procedure for its amendments (Annex II to the BSBLCP) | 2005 | |
| list of Species Whose Exploitation Should Be Regulated | 2005 | |
| inventory of the Black sea species | 2007 | |
| red Data Book of Species and Habitats | 2007 | |
| lrocedure for updating Red Data Book of Species and Habitats | ||
| list of priority species recovery Plans for the Black Sea | 2006 | |
| recovery Plan for Cetaceans of the Black Sea in cooperation with ACCOBAMS | 2005 | |
| inventory of Black Sea rescue and rehabilitation centers | 2005 | |
| Preparation of regional stock assessment project proposal | 2005 | |
| harmonization of the stock assessment methodology and selection of regionally recommended stock assessment methodology and establishing biological safety limits for pelagic and demersal exploited fish stocks | 2006 | |
| Objective 2: to increase, where appropriate, territories and improve management of protected area, with particular attention to marine protected area, and manage them in a sustainable and environmentally sound way | ||
| create a register of the Black Sea Reserves and system for their regular update | 2005 | |
| prepare list of potential marine and transboundary protected areas in the Black Sea | 2005 | |
| prepare or adapt methodological guidelines for marine protected areas incorporating in necessary provision for marine cetaceans | 2006 | |
| prepare and pilot or demonstration project on economic incentives in protected areas attracting for this purpose international funding and | 2007 | |
| conduct a regional workshop on system of protected landscapes, Biosphere Reserves, National Parks and other types of protected areas with existing international initiatives aiming in close coordination with Pan-European Biodiversity and Landscape Strategy | 2005 | |
| Objective 3. Restore and Rehabilitate Damaged Areas of Previously High Biodiversity Value | ||
| conduct the study of identification of Black Sea areas of previously high biodiversity value that could be subject for restoration and preparation of the demonstration project for its restoration | 2006 | |
| Objective 4. Promote ecosystem approach to all human activities in the area of the Protocol in particular in exploitation of living marine resources by introducing sustainable practices and eliminating harmful practices | ||
| conduct a regional workshop on objectives, quality criteria and target values in biodiversity of the Black Sea in cooperation with Convention on Biological Diversity | 2005 | |
| establish a process of active interaction with European Marine Strategy | 2005 | |
| Objective 5: to preserve restore and maintain in good quality condition the landscapes of high nature, historical, cultural and aesthetic value | ||
| regional workshop in cooperation with European Landscape Convention on assessment methodologies, classification systems, and objectives | 2006 | |
| identify damaged valuable landscapes as possible target for rehabilitation measures | 2007 | |
| Objective 6: to harmonize the relationship between landscape features and socio-economic development | ||
| create a Manual of Best Available Practices in the Field of Landscape Protection | 2006 | |
| General Tools | ||
| Ecosystem Approach to Management of Human Activities | ||
| A feasibility study on planned economic and social development and potential threats to biodiversity and landscapes | 2006 | |
| Integrated coastal zone management | ||
| a workshop on integration of ICZM and BSBLCP-SAP | 2005 | |
| ICZM demonstration projects in Black Sea Coastal States with due attention to biodiversity and landscape conservation | 2006 | |
| dissemination of Land Planning methodology prepared by the ICZM Activity Center | 2005 | |
| Objective 7: develop and introduce comprehensive system for assessment of impact of human activities and rehabilitation measures on biodiversity and landscapes of the Black Sea for decision and policy makers and ensure comparability of the Black Sea on the Pan-European scale. | ||
| harmonization of analytical methodologies for phytoplankton, zooplankton, zoobenthos, macrophytobanthos | 2005 | |
| setting up regional QA/AC control system for analysing biota | 2005 | |
| methodology for species, ecosystems and habitat mapping, | 2006 | |
| methodology for Assessment of Cetaceans | 2005 | |
| update of regional reference literature on species and ecosystems | 2006 | |
| joint workshop with Regional Seas Convention on Biodiversity Assessment Scheme | 2006 | |
| proposal for regional BSIMAP on frequencies, location and components of routine monitoring of biodiversity and landscape | 2005 | |
| formulate program of scientific research on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning for attracting targeted international and national funding and setting up a regional procedure for its regular update | 2005 | |
| setting up expert groups for preparation of the five years State of the Environment report 2006 | 2005 | |
| setting up system of biodiversity and landscape indicators | 2006 | |
| participation in the European marine assessments | 2005 | |
| Public Awareness and Public Participation | ||
| International Black Sea Day, October 31 | 2004, 2005, 2006 | |
| BSC Position Paper on Public Participation | 2005 | |
| preparation of demonstration procedure for public involvement in decision making process on biodiversity and landscapes in cooperation with Aarhus Convention | 2006 | |
| BSC Newsletter Saving the Black Sea | 2004, 2005, 2006 | |
| 6.6 Scientific Research and Education and Information Exchange | ||
| formulate the program of scientific research needed in the field of biodiversity and landscape conservation of the BSBLCP area and regular update it based on the advice of the scientific community of the Black Sea | 2005 | |
| initiate creation on-line bibliography of scientific literature on the biodiversity and landscape issues for the purposes of the scientific community of the Black Sea | 2005 | |
| Establish electronic reference center on Black Sea experts in biodiversity and landscape research and assessment | 2005 | |
| form organizational committee for the BSC biannual scientific conference | 2004 | |
| conduct BSC biannual scientific conference | 2006 | |
| finalise development of the Black Sea Information System and to ensure its sustainable functioning | 2006 | |
| BSBLCP SAP Implementation | ||
| incorporate the BSSLCP-SAP in the update Strategic Action Plan for Rehabilitation and Protection of the Black Sea | 2007 | |
| Reporting | ||
| Annual reporting to the Black Sea Commission | By May 1st, annually | |
| Draft Annual report of the Black Sea Commission | September 15, 2004 | |
| Preparation of annual report of the Black Sea Commission | 2005 | |
| Preparation of Annual Report of the Black Sea Commission | 2006 | |
| Setting up expert group for drafting State of the Environment of the Black Sea and Five Years Report on Implementation of the BSSAP | January 2005 |