Electronic conference on research and biodiversity

The new electronic conference on research and biodiversity on the Internet was launched on 4 May 1998 and will run until 14 June 1998. The conference is organized by the European Working Group on Research and Biodiversity (EWGRB), which has been established within the framework of the EU's Environment and Climate research programme.

The EWGRB aims to produce a common research agenda in the field of biodiversity, and this electronic conference is aimed at helping to achieve this goal. The conference has been programmed to provide a framework for all interested parties to express their opinion on a wide range of biodiversity issues.

Two documents serve as a background to the conference, the EWGRB report entitled "Understanding biodiversity - An agenda for research into biodiversity" and the Commission's recent communication on a "European Biodiversity Strategy".

The conference will be chaired by six members of the EWGRB for one day of each of the six weeks of the conference. The following policy areas will be addressed:

- Agriculture;
- Fisheries and forestry;
- Conservation of natural resources;
- Tourism and hunting;
- Regional and spatial planning;
- Energy and transport.

The chair will introduce a guest each day who will make a contribution on the policy area in order to open the discussion. Participants will be able to send their opinions, and will be able to comment on previous contributions. During the final week, conclusions on each of the policy areas covered will be presented by the respective chairs.
For further information, please contact:

The Electronic Conference on Research and Biodiversity Secretariat
c/o Ministry of Environment
Autonomous Government of Catalonia
Diagonal, 523-525
E-08029 Barcelona
E-mail: research@ec.europa.eu

The discussion forum of the conference can be accessed directly, at:

http://www.gencat.es/mediamb/biodiv/forum0.htm(opens in new window)