LIFE RENATA “Roadmap for the alignment of EMERALD network establishment and management to NATURA 2000 standards in Moldova” is a project co-financed by the European Union, LIFE Programme, aiming at supporting the Republic of Moldova in advancing the establishment and management of the Emerald Network of protected sites and to move closer to the EU standards for the conservation of habitats and species, by providing support in legal, technical and operational level. The project started in February 2024 and is expected to be completed in two (2) years.
Lever Development Consultants S.A., member of «Samaras & Partners» Group of Companies, is the Project Coordinator, with the role of overall project management, effective communication and dissemination of its results, but also support in matters of monitoring the project’s indicators, its sustainability and the exploitation and use of its tools and methods after its completion.
The project is also implemented by five (5) organisations from Greece and Moldova: the Institute of Forestry Research and Development (ICAS) (Moldova), the Goulandris Museum of Natural History – Hellenic Center for Habitats/Wetlands (EKBY), the consulting company for environmental and energy engineering kartECO (Greece), the NGO EcoContact (Moldova) and the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Moldova.
The official launch of LIFE RENATA took place with the project’s kick-off meeting held in Chisinau, Moldova, on March 13-14, 2024, with the presence of representatives of all partners, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Environment of Moldova, the Czech Environmental Protection Agency and the Programme Officer EU Delegation in the Republic of Moldova.
At the kick-off meeting, in addition to the presentation of the project and its objectives, the current status of the EMERALD Network sites in Moldova, the habitats and species included, as well as the “sister” project ConNaturLIFE “Project Conservation of Natural Heritage for Life in Ukraine” implemented by the Czech Republic and Ukraine, were presented.
The project is expected to improve the competence of relevant authorities and stakeholders by providing: a) understanding of the European Union Directives on habitats and species protection, b) understanding of the characteristics of Natura 2000 sites and identification of the Emerald sites in Moldova that have these characteristics, c) monitoring and reporting methods and tools, and d) a Knowledge Repository regarding the networks of protected areas, and a GIS database to record and map the sites of the EMERALD network in Moldova.
https://www.lever.gr/life-renata/