Conservation, Biodiversity and the Mediterranean

16 April 2007

Andalusia’s regional government through the Consejería de Medio Ambiente has reaffirmed its commitment to the conservation of nature and natural resources at international level hand in hand with IUCN. Its gear towards sustainability was already reflected when la Junta led the process that would culminate in the official inauguration of the Mediterranean IUCN office in October 2001 in the Science and Technology Park of Andalusia in Malaga.

Fuensanta Coves, regional Minister of Environment welcomed Julia Marton-Lefèvre, IUCN Director General and Margarita Astrálaga, Director IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperación in a press conference held on 16 April in Malaga. The Consejería de Medio Ambiente highlighted the privilege of hosting an IUCN office in Andalucía, which renewed its formal support to the Mediterranean office in 2005. Stronger links have been reinforced in the joint objective of conserving nature by means of collaborating with IUCN and its worldwide scientific network in concrete initiatives related to the Mediterranean Mountain and climate change, the Intercontinental Biosphere Reserve Andalusia-Morocco, invasive alien species and international events such as the International Summit on Protected Areas (Almeria, 7-11 May), Mediterranean IUCN members meeting (Malaga, September 2007) and the World Conservation Congress 2008 in Barcelona.

Press release (Spanish)

For more information, please contact:

Sonsoles Sanroman, IUCN Malaga Communication Officer, Email: sonsoles.sanroman@iucn.org