Georgia: The First Deputy Minister of Environment and Agriculture, Nino Tandilashvili opened the first meeting of the Coordinating Council of the State System of Biodiversity Monitoring.
Nino Tandilashvili spoke about the importance of preserving, conservation and monitoring biodiversity in the country and thanked the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Caucasian Nature Foundation (CNF) and the Swedish Government (SIDA) for their special support in this regard.
The first deputy minister said, “Strengthening the monitoring of biodiversity in the country is one of the important directions of the Association Treaty with the European Union. I’m glad that the process of updating the state biodiversity monitoring system has entered an active phase. Indeed, a strong monitoring system is the foundation to help protect and preserve biodiversity.”
“I think, with the effective work of the Coordinating Council, we will be able to develop a transparent system based on European principles”, said the Environmental Protection and First Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Nino Tandilashvili.
As Executive Director of the Caucasus Nature Foundation (CNF), Elisabeth Mesudi said that working on strengthening the state system of monitoring of Georgia’s biodiversity is an important step forward in the direction of biodiversity protection. Caucasus Nature Foundation is ready to continue supporting the process in the future.
At the meeting, members of the Coordination Council elected Zoologist Professor Zurab Gurielidze, Chairman of the Coordination Board of the State System of Biodiversity Monitoring.
Within the framework of the event, representatives of the Coordination Council member organizations presented presentations on biodiversity monitoring implemented and planned projects.
Participants of the meeting discussed the development of research-monitoring methodology of individual species, the renewal of the national indicators of the biodiversity monitoring system and the formation of a working group to create an electronic platform.
It was noted that in order to develop an effective state system of biodiversity monitoring, the Biodiversity and Forestry Department of the Ministry of Environment Protection and Agriculture, a Biodiversity Monitoring Authority was created.
The first meeting of the Coordination Council was attended by representatives of the member organizations and people interested in the issue.
