The International Scientific Conference on the Sustainable Use of Biological Resources, held in Budapest from August 26th through 29th, aimed to contribute to scientific knowledge on sustainable use of nature and advance the global negotiations leading up to the next meeting of European environmental ministers in Copenhagen in 1998. The four-day event, chaired by well-known academician Istvan Lang, was organized within the framework of Naturexpo '96, an international exhibition and trade fair which was ongoing throughout most of August and the first week of September.
More that 250 environmental experts from nearly 30 countries participated in the discussions which focused on four major topics: biodiversity, wildlife conservation, freshwater fish management, and ecotourism. Conference organizers believe this event is the first of its kind: where both users and protectors of nature were brought together to express their opinions and exchange ideas.
The Regional Environmental Center participated in Naturexpo in several ways: by organizing a parallel workshop on the region's national environmental action programs; with a booth at the exposition; and, perhaps most importantly, by drafting the Budapest Declaration on Sustainable Use of Biological Resources, which was endorsed by the participants of the Scientific Convention.
Janos Zlinsky, REC's Government and Public Affairs Manager, who headed the work on the Declaration, praised the participants for overcoming their diverse and sometimes conflicting interests in order to create a carefully crafted and scientifically sound document. "While tempered by the diversity of interests, this is not a watered-down statement. There are clear resolutions for the fair and equitable use of resources," he said. Among the specific reflections and recommendations of the Declaration are the recognition and protection of Earth's many fragile ecosystems, support for ratification and enforcement of all international agreements promoting the sustainable use of natural resources and finally a call upon the governments of the world to promote continued cooperation among all stakeholders.
Jay D. Hair, World Conservation Union (IUCN) Chairman and keynote speaker for the Scientific Conference also chaired the REC workshop on Regional Environmental Actions. "If the people lead, eventually the leaders will follow," proclaimed Hair in an inspirational opening statement. More than 40 participants representing interest groups including scientists involved in the EAP process met at the new REC conference center in Szentendre. Three keys to a sustainable future were clearly outlined in the discussions: economy, environment and equity. Hair emphasized the second "environment" saying that we'll have a "fool's paradise" if we continue development but pollute the earth in the process. "The organizing principle of the future is going to be the environment," he said "We should emphasize its strategic global importance in every consideration."
Many environmentalists, however, have questioned the actual emphasis on "nature" in the Expo. In addition to numerous hunting showcases and an elaborate display of new BMW automobiles, for instance, the REC booth shared space in Pavilion A with exhibits from the Paks nuclear power plant, mobile phone providers and Hungarian petrol companies as well as from Hungary's Ministry of Environment, the World Wildlife Fund and others.
A joint exhibit of the Hungarian green movement provided some of the best displays of environmental information. Approximately 40 NGOs exhibited photos and information, reflecting the full range of their activities - from top-level Parliamentary lobbing of the Clean Air Working Group, to water monitoring by the Hungarian Environmental Educators Alliance to tree-planting actions of the Hajduboszormeny Youth Nature Conservation Association. The REC Local Office Hungary (LOH) has supported many of the organizations that were represented.
However, Laszlo Perneczky of LOH reported that for the most part the NGOs were disappointed with the event, saying that the high costs of exhibition space prevented most of them from participating. "Clearly many of the exhibitors were commercial enterprises trying to 'paint it green,'" he said. "Naturexpo did not truly represent the people and organizations that actually care about the environment."
