THE CASPIAN BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN IS UNDER PREPARATION

The Caspian Environment Programme (CEP), a regional programme approved by the Caspian Governments and supported by international donors such as U. N. Development Programme (UNDP), U.N. Environment Programme and the World Bank, in co-operation with a team from the UK based NGO Fauna and Flora International is holding a participatory workshop on the development of the Caspian Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan on the 12^th-14^th February 2002 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

The existing threats to biodiversity in the Caspian, demonstrate the need to take immediate action to protect Caspian unique biodiversity. The Caspian Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (BSAP) is a culmination of a work done within the last thee years, including:

• a number of general surveys relating to biodiversity and conservation issues within the Caspian Sea and it’s coastal zone
• a technical regional workshop to assess transboundary priorities in the Caspian biodiversity (Atyrau),
• and a training for biodiversity specialists (St. Petersburg).

The BSAP outlines a regional vision, which defines the priorities for conservation, the necessary actions to protect biodiversity in the light of sustainable development, taking into account current socio-economic conditions. These actions aim to promote biodiversity conservation, sustainable use and regeneration. The BSAP will contribute to the five National Caspian Action Plans and a Strategic Action Plan for the Caspian being developed by the CEP.

The BSAP provides an opportunity to coordinate actions to mitigate and reverse impacts on biodiversity at both a national and regional level. Some of the Caspian countries have already produced BSAPs as part of their obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity.

The BSAP is a process, which brings together players from a wide range of different sectors and background with a common aim of maintaining and protecting biodiversity. Therefore, the workshop brings together all the Caspian countries at expert level, representatives from the CEP, as well as private sector in the face of bp Azerbaijan, Shell, State Oil Company and ISAR NGO.

In brief the workshop will result in:

• Identification of key issues
• Development of the BSAP
• Development of objectives of BSAP
• Identification of actions within BSAP

The workshops will be held in the premises of the Caspian Environment Programme at Government Building, 40, Uzeyir Gajibekov St.

Dr Zbig Karpowicz, Fauna and Flora International
E-mail: zbig.karpowicz@fauna-flora.org
Fax: +44 1223 461481

Nigar Kocharli, the Caspian Environment Programme, Programme Coordination Unit, Room 108, Government Building, 40 Uzeir Gadjibekov Street, Baku 370016 Azerbaijan,
E-mail: nkocharli@caspian.in-baku.com
Phone: + (99412) 97 17 85, 93 80 03
Fax: + (99412) 97 17 86

Elina Farmanova, the Caspian Environment Programme, Programme Coordination Unit, Room 108, Government Building, 40 Uzeir Gadjibekov Street, Baku 370016 Azerbaijan,
E-mail: efarmanova@caspian.in-baku.com
Phone: + (99412) 97 17 85, 93 80 03
Fax: + (99412) 97 17 86