Representatives of the governments of eight countries – Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo*, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia – have endorsed on December 2, 2013 in Budva-Montenegro, a key agreement for the protection of the environment in the Adria region in South-Eastern Europe.
The agreement sees the Adria countries formally commit to strengthen regional cooperation in conservation and sustainable development, and the establishment of a first trilateral transboundary protected area between Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia. The first two marine protected areas in Montenegro were also approved for creation. This agreement increases the eight countries’ protected territory by more than 13% and is endorsing the creation of two new national parks, 10 protected landscapes, and three marine protected areas.
The eight countries have committed to assess the economic value of their natural capital, while integrating nature conservation goals into economic development plans for fisheries, forestry, agriculture, energy, spatial planning, and cross-sectoral cooperation.