Message from Halvdan SKARD, President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe
Mayors Conference Local Action for Biodiversity - Bonn, Germany, 26-28 May 2008
26 May 2008
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe warmly welcomes this initiative. This conference puts urban biodiversity high on the international political agenda. We regret that we are unable to be with you, as we are holding our annual Plenary Session in Strasbourg at the same time.
Long before the word biodiversity entered into current usage, the Council of Europe took the lead in 1979 at pan–European level with the Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats. This binding international legal instrument covers the entire natural heritage of the European continent and some States of Africa, and now has 45 contracting parties including the European Commission.
The Congress believes that the global environmental crisis takes on specific forms in urban areas and calls for resolute action on urban ecology. We feel strongly that biodiversity is not confined to the countryside and protected natural areas, but should also be a thriving reality in urban areas.
Local authorities have a duty to take a proactive role. With this in mind, we have drafted recommendations calling for forceful action on the part of local authorities to protect and extend urban biodiversity. We believe that local authorities already have the necessary remit and political levers at their disposal to have a real impact on reversing biodiversity loss.
The relevant international texts on biodiversity should reflect the growing importance of biodiversity in urban areas and should take into account the role of local and regional authorities in reaching the 2010 biodiversity objectives.
I would like to confirm that the Congress is inviting local and regional authorities throughout Europe to join in and support the Bonn Call for Action.
More information on: www.coe.int/congress-biodiversity