Handbook on the Carpathian Convention

This volume describes, article by article, the Carpathian Convention: the principles of international environmental law beyond each article, giving uselful examples of best practices and a detailed overview of the international documents providing guidance to its implementation. It is targeted at policy makers and all stakeholders involved in the implementationof the Convention itself

Reti di aree protette nel progetto ESPON Targeted Analyses LinkPAs - Linking Networks of Protected Areas to Territorial Development

Il contributo sintetizza i risultati del progetto “Linking Networks of Protected Areas to territorial development – LinkPAs” (2018) il cui scopo è stato di indagare sull’estensione delle aree protette in Europa(classificazione IUCN e Rete Natura 2000), considerate quale “ossatura” della strategia di green infrastructures (GI) per le potenzialità da esse espresse in termini di servizi ecosistemici, azioni a sostegno di politiche di green economy e di mitigazione del cambiamento climatico. IL progetto propone un meccanismo di soft governance che, superando i confini e le competenze amministrative, consentirebbe una gestione più efficiente delle aree protette che andrebbero quindi ad organizzarsi in rete.The contribution summarizes the results of the project "Linking Networks of Protected Areas to territorial development - LinkPAs" (2018). The project aims was to investigate the extension of protected areas in Europe (IUCN classification and Natura 2000 network), considered the backbone of the green infrastructures (GI) strategy for the potential they express in terms of ecosystem services, actions in support of green economy policies and climate change mitigation. The project proposes a soft governance mechanism which, by overcoming the boundaries and administrative competences, would allow a more efficient management of protected areas which would therefore organize themselves in a networ

LinkPAs – Linking networks of protected areas to territorial development, Inception Report Version 30/08/2017

The overall objective of the Linking networks of protected areas to territorial development - LinkPAs project - is to explore the role of existing networks of protected areas (NPAs) to define and implement sustainable territorial development strategies and policies. This study was launched by ESPON upon the stakeholders’ request and it seeks to identify emerging trends in governance practices within complex socio-ecological systems (i.e. mountain regions) that are likely to shape a novel approach to natural resource management. Drawing on the activities carried out by existing NPAs, this project seeks to provide significant evidence of the impact that NPAs have on growth at different territorial levels of development. Consequently, the project shall offer recommendations to ensure the successful capitalisation of the natural resources management; it is furthermore suggested that these recommendations should be integrated to the framework of general and sectoral strategies. LinkPAs investigates four Protected Areas (PAs) that have joined different NPAs according to their specific territorial characteristics (e.g. PAs typologies, biodiversity, cultural heritage, etc.), institutional structure (e.g. legal status), geographical specificity and diversity (e.g. mountain with low accessibility, the population, poor services of general interest) and geographical location (within the scope of application of an international treaty). In order to raise awareness regarding PAs and NPAs among prospective stakeholders, the University of Rome Tor Vergata (project leader) has created a consortium comprising five more partners and started a close cooperation with the Stakeholders Steering Committee (Abruzzo Region, the EGTC European Park Alpi Marittime-Mercantour, the ALPARC territory, the Municipality of Razlog) As prescribed in the Terms of Reference (ToR), this Inception Report (IR) provides a description of the conceptual and methodological framework used to carry out this project, an overview of qualitative data to be collected and the relevant literature to be used throughout. It also outlines a preliminary overview of existing models of NPA and their governance and regulations within territorial development. This report concludes by discussing a preliminary set of policy recommendations

LinkPAs – Linking networks of protected areas to territorial development, Scientific report

The overall objective of the project “Linking networks of Protected Areas to territorial development” - LinkPAs project - is to explore the role of existing Networks of Protected Areas (NPAs) to define and implement sustainable territorial development strategies and policies. This study was launched by ESPON upon the stakeholders’ request and it seeks to identify emerging trends in governance practices within complex socio-ecological systems (i.e. mountain regions) that are likely to shape a novel approach to natural resource management. Drawing on the activities carried out by existing NPAs, this project seeks to provide significant evidence of the impact that NPAs have on growth at different territorial levels of development. The present Scientific Report provides a description of the conceptual and methodological framework used to carry out this project. It also outlines an overview of existing models of NPA and their governance and regulations within territorial development as well as within the current European policy on Green Infrastructures. In this framework a possible management approach has been proposed for NPAs in order to integrate them within sectoral and development strategies. Special focus on the potential role of local actors (particularly SME) in this process has been indeed developed. According to Targeted Analysis objectives large part of the discussion has devoted to case studies analisys. The report concludes by discussing a set of policy recommendations targeted to stakeholder’s territories

LinkPAs – Linking networks of protected areas to territorial development, Interim Report Version 9/02/2018

The overall objective of the Linking networks of protected areas to territorial development - LinkPAs project - is to explore the role of existing networks of protected areas (NPAs) to define and implement sustainable territorial development strategies and policies. This study was launched by ESPON upon the stakeholders’ request and it seeks to identify emerging trends in governance practices within complex socio-ecological systems (i.e. mountain regions) that are likely to shape a novel approach to natural resource management. Drawing on the activities carried out by existing NPAs, this project seeks to provide significant evidence of the impact that NPAs have on growth at different territorial levels of development. Consequently, the project shall offer recommendations to ensure the successful capitalisation of the natural resources management; it is furthermore suggested that these recommendations should be integrated to the framework of general and sectoral strategies. This Interim report provides first results of research activities carried out in the first six months