Did you know that ...
... one-third of all European vascular plant species can be found in the Carpathians? That means almost 4,000 plant species, and 481 of them are found only in the Carpathians!
… Gerlachovsky Peak (2,655 m altitude) in the High Tatras in Slovak Republic is the highest peak of the Carpathians?
… the European Union’s largest populations of brown bears, wolves, lynx, European bisons and imperial eagles (globally threatened species) are found in the Carpathians?
… 36 national parks, 51 nature parks and protected landscape areas, 19 biosphere reserves and 200 other protected areas are member of the Carpathian Network of Protected areas
… there are 36 registered UNESCO World Heritage sites and 49 important pilgrimage destinations in the Carpathian area?
… the number of hotels in the Carpathians has increased by nearly 60% in the last ten years?
… the Carpathians contain the continent's largest remaining natural mountain beech and beech/coniferous forest ecosystems and the largest area of pristine forest in Europe (outside Russia)?
... the Carpathians are the largest, most twisted and fragmented mountain chain in Europe? They are Europe’s largest mountains by area.
… in the 1970’s, about 1,000,000 people worked in the mining sector in the Carpathians? Today, the number of employees in this sector is about 340,000.
… the Carpathians were put on the WWF ‘Global 200’ list of major ecoregions in need of biodiversity and habitat conservation?
… more than half of the Carpathians are covered by forests? The Carpathian forests are a vital link between the forests of the north and those of the west and south-west of Europe.
Events
Mountain Biodiversity 2002-2022: achievements and next challenges at global and regional level
The Alpine and Carpathian Conventions and the Mountain Partnership are launching the event "Mountain Biodiversity 2002-2022: achievements and next challenges at global and regional level", to be organized within the frame of the International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development 2022.
You are kindly invited to save the date of this important event that will take place in virtual modality and will be held on 16 September 2022.
In 2002 the United Nations General Assembly called on governments, national and international organizations, non-governmental organizations and the private sector to make voluntary contributions, in accordance with the Economic and Social Councils; guidelines for international years and anniversaries, and to lend other forms of support to the Year.
After 20 years, the United Nations General Assembly has designated 2022 as the International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development. Throughout the year, governments, international organizations and stakeholders are invited to raise awareness of the importance of conservation and sustainable use of mountain ecosystems.
In the past twenty years several important milestones have been achieved, and new challenges and threats for the mountain ecosystems emerged due to climatic and anthropic pressures, which require the knowledge of the mountain biodiversity and an harmonized monitoring system, in order to adopt effective and science-based sets of adaptation and mitigation measures, to strengthen climate-resilient sustainable mountain development.
The Alpine and Carpathian Conventions and the Mountain Partnership have been played an essential role in increasing public awareness and in the achievement of the protection and sustainable mountain development, supporting transboundary governance, promoting cooperation and the establishment of knowledge networks across mountain regions.
The purpose of this event is to contribute in implementing the UN resolution “International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development, 2022” (document A/76/L.28) raising awareness of the importance of the protection of mountain ecosystem, providing an overview of the main achievements of the past years at global and regional level, and to discuss the way forward and the main challenges related to the protection of mountain biodiversity.
The registration opne until 13 September!
For any question or clarification please do not hesitate to contact the Secretariat
