by Jan Sliva
On 11 and 12 December 2003 Hans Joosten and Jan Sliva (EC IMCG), Richard Lindsay (former IMCG Chairman) as well as Donal Clark (IPS) spent their time on “mission” in Bruxelles to spread the Wise Use of Mire and Peatlands idea and to promote and raise funds for the GPI initiatives in a time that the city was in the chaotic state of emergency because of the disastrous EU summit and the general strike of the public traffic.
On 11 December the four of us met representatives of the European Commission (EC). From the EC side, Mr. Michael Hamell (Head of Sector Agriculture and Soil, European Commission, Environment Directorate-General) and Dr. Micheál O’Briain (Principal Administrator Nature Protection and Biodiversity, European Commission, Environment Directorate-General) attended the meeting.
After the extensive introduction of the current status of global peatlands (presentation Hans Joosten), Donal Clarke launched the WUMP Book and handed over 10 copies for responsible EC offices. After this, a discussion started on the recognition of mires and peatlands in the current EC documents and activities and on the opportunities of implementing the WUMP principles in the EC regulations in the future.
It was stated that there are major opportunities to consider the WUMP in the next EC Agricultural and Structural Funds. The preparation for that has to be done in the next two years; otherwise the door will be closed until 2013. The mechanisms of the involvement of IMCG/IPS expertise should be figured out.
In the afternoon of the same day, Jan, Hans, and Richard met representatives of the National Botanical Garden (Belgium) - Prof. Jan Rammeloo (Director NBG), Prof. Elmar Robbrecht (Head of Dept. Vascular Plants), and Dr. Ir. Jérôme Degreef. The aim of the meeting was to evaluate possibilities and opportunities for a joint project work (in scope of the Global Peatland Initiative) in the central African region.
After the introduction of the attendees,
Jan Sliva presented the current status of GPI activities in
At this moment the NBG is not able to support
the GPI initiatives directly but is seriously interested in direct cooperation.
This cooperation offer significantly increases the possibilities to reach (to
work in) this very critical, sensitive, and peatland-rich African region. A
development of a book project proposal: Aquatic flora of
Several new contacts were proposed by the NBG colleagues to enhance our knowledge on central African peatlands: Dr. Eric Coppejans, Ghent University (Tropical Mangroves, Systematics and Classification), Dr. N. Koedam, University of Brussels (Tropical Magroves, Functionality), and Dr. Symoens, Aquatic Flora of the central African region.
On Friday 12 December Jan continued the mission. The next two meetings took place with the representatives of the Ministry of Flanders
First, Dr. Rudy L. Herman, (Senior Researcher,
Science and Innovation Administration Technology and Innovation Division) was
informed about the IMCG and GPI-related activities in southern
As a result one can state that there is a chance of GPI activities on the field of wise use water management and biodiversity conservation within the UNESCO program SIMDAS (Sustainable Integrated Management and Development of Arid and Semiarid Regions of Southern Africa), approved by the UNESCO General Conference just in the autumn of 2003 (detailed program material handed out). The rather broadly concepted program document includes, among others, activities on (i) integrated management of river basins and groundwater resources and (ii) integrated national and transboundary ecosystem protection, where peatlands and mires play a significant role.
It was proposed that IMCG - on behalf of Dr. Herman - directly approaches the UNESCO representatives responsible for the research and project network development to introduce GPI and GPI projects in Southern Africa (UNESCO is seriously interested in the inclusion of already ongoing activities into the SIMDAS program), to figure out the possibilities for the further funding of SIMDAS-related GPI activities from the prepared SIMDAS fund (total $19,878,960).
Proposed contacts are:
Dr. A. Szollosi-Nagy, ADG UNESCO, Executive Secretary IHP/UNESCO, Paris
Ms. Alice Aureli, UNESCO officer for SIMDAS, Paris
Dr. Luc Brendonck, Laboratory of Aquatic
Ecology, K.U.Leuven,
Mr. Jurgen Tack, Institute for Nature Conservation (EU Plattform for Biodiversity Research Strategy)
Later, Mr. Jan Ceulemans, and Mr. Peter Desmet joined the meeting and the discussion concentrated especially on the social-related environmental projects in KwaZulu Natal, where the Ministry is currently actively involved. After Jan’s introduction of the GPI project Maputaland, its main objectives and goals, and the envisaged second phase, Mr. Ceulemans and Mr. Desmet informed on the development cooperation project between the Flamish Government and the South-African Government: Implementation of the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park Authority Tourism Skills Development Project KwaZulu Natal (detailed material handed out). The project was approved asd had started two months ago. There is still a realistic chance to participate in project parts which meets the interests of all partners. Thus, IMCG will a.s.a.p. prepare a concept how to participate with already existing MAPUTALAND capacity in the Flamish project.
The mission can be considered as successful, opening new partnerships and joint opportunities. We thank Geert Raeymaekers who organized the contacts with the NBG and the Ministry.