The Carpathian Opportunity, Eastern Europe

WWF-World Wide Fund for Nature is the initiator of a project currently termed The Carpathian Opportunity with SPM acting as advisors in the development phase of this initiative.
Building on the Carpathian Framework Convention and recognizing that the Carpathian region represents a unique eco-region rich in natural resources and biodiversity,
The Carpathian Opportunity is an innovative initiative spearheaded by business, environmental and public interests that seeks to stimulate more nature, more jobs.
The Carpathian Opportunity will accelerate business activities while keeping environmental sustainability high on the agenda.

Geographic relevance

The Carpathian Mountains are the eastern wing of the great Central Mountain System of Europe, curving 1500 km (approximately 900 miles) along the borders of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, and northern Hungary.
These mountains sit on the edge of the European Union with four of the seven countries EU Member States: the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary.
The Carpathian Region represents the largest intact mountain eco-region in Europe, a region full of natural beauty, teeming with biodiversity, home to species seen nowhere else in such abundance such as brown bear, lynx and wolf and rich in well-tended cultural heritage.

The Challenge

With all of these natural resources, the Carpathians presents a tremendous opportunity for economic development. However, transition to a market economy implies profound changes and challenges. Eco-compatible development is therefore critical for preserving these natural resources and a rich cultural heritage for future generations. A long-term perspective is key.

What we seek to achieve

Stimulate a vibrant economy while promoting environmental sustainability by:

Attracting investment into the region

Generating new job opportunities and promoting skilled labour

Growing the natural advantages of the Carpathian region: vast natural resources, rich biodiversity, local traditions

Coordinating with and supporting regional development goals

Building environmental added-value into all that we do

Approach

The approach is three-fold: have the right enabling conditions in place to support sustainable development in the region; focus on key industry pillars that can help shape a sustainable economy; and finally take a regional approach that helps identify focus areas for sustainable business development.

Funding Mechansim

Provide teeth to the Framework Convention in the form of financial mechanisms that truly incentivise investments in eco-compatible projects:
- The Gateway Fund to the Carpathians, focused on Small to Medium Enterprise Development