The 12th Conference on the Implementation of the Council of Europe Landscape Convention took place in Strasbourg on 29-30 October. The event affirmed the importance of contributing to the Reykjavík Process and the environment and of strengthening the connection with human rights, making landscape a visible priority of the Council of Europe. The first day of the Conference was open also to the general public, while the second day was exclusively for representatives of the State Parties. The event saw the participation from various stakeholders, including representatives from State Parties, national authorities, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and academia, fostering a multistakeholder and inclusive approach.
The Conference was opened by Mr. Rafael Benitez, Director of Social Rights, Health and Environment, and chaired by Mr. Gilles Rudaz (Switzerland). Mr. Riccardo Priore, Secretary of the Convention, facilitated the discussions, supported by distinguished experts in landscape planning, management and protection, as well as environment and human rights. Ms. Marta Rodrigues, national representative from Portugal, was elected Chair of the 13th Conference and Mr Antonio Jesús Antequera Delgado was elected Vice-Chair.
On the first day, discussions focused on the importance of contributing to the Reykjavík Process on the environment and the effects of the interconnected challenges posed by the triple planetary crisis of pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss on landscape and human rights. Participants emphasised the importance of collaborative efforts to tackle these pressing issues effectively.
On the second day, the national representatives reviewed the activities conducted under the mandate of the Steering Committee for Culture, Heritage, and Landscape (CDCPP). They also discussed the necessity to have a new information system, the work programme for 2025-26 and the plan to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Convention in October 2025.
The Conference marked an important milestone in the ongoing relaunch of the Convention, emphasising its vital role in promoting sustainable landscape management and protecting human rights amidst pressing environmental challenges.
(source: www.coe.int/en)
UNISCAPE participated in both days of the meeting, reaffirming its commitment to supporting the relaunch of this vital framework. As the only European network of universities dedicated to landscape studies and research in accordance to the Council of Europe Landscape Convention (Florence Convention), UNISCAPE emphasized its willingness to coordinate the activation of an independent task force to observe and monitor the Convention’s implementation. In this context, UNISCAPE seeks to strengthen collaborative relationships with all sister organizations devoted to the landscape cause, actively supporting the Council of Europe’s ambitions for landscape protection, planning, and management.
The upcoming Landscape Festival “On the Borders of the Planet” in June 2025, organized as part of the official program of Nova Gorica/Gorizia European Capital of Culture 2025, will serve as an important preparatory meeting for all sister organizations dedicated to the landscape cause. This event will be a pivotal step toward relaunching and celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Florence Convention