Montenegro, in line with its EU integration process, is obliged to establish an international network of protected areas – the Natura 2000 network of the European Union, which is the largest network of protected areas in the world. Its goal is to ensure the survival of Europe’s most valuable species and habitats.
The EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 aims to protect 30% of land and 30% of sea areas, which should be achieved through three additional goals: establishing a network of nationally protected areas, ecological networks, and OECM areas. All four of these are also global goals intended to mitigate biodiversity loss on our planet.
On the other hand, there is also the EMERALD network of protected areas, based on the same principles as Natura 2000 but developed in countries that are not EU members. Since the Natura 2000 network (which Montenegro will establish only after joining the EU) covers only EU territory, it is actually part of the broader pan-European EMERALD network of protected areas.
Under the Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats, Montenegro has established a list of 32 areas that are candidates for the national EMERALD ecological network. These are defined as areas of special conservation interest. The EMERALD network (currently in its candidate phase) covers about 15% of Montenegro’s land territory.
It is well known that Montenegro is extremely rich in valuable natural resources. Its wealth is largely due to the great diversity of terrain and climate, where Mediterranean and high mountain zones stretch across a relatively small area. As climate and geomorphological conditions change from the sea toward the mountains, various species survive along these zones, many of which are endemic, relict, endangered, and legally protected.
Primeval forests, wild rivers, drinkable water in every part of the country, glacial lakes, high mountains, and seagrass meadows (Posidonia oceanica) are just some of the elements that make Montenegro unique and richer in both nature and opportunity than many other European countries.
At the same time, Montenegrin citizens generally have a negative attitude toward nature protection and ecology, believing that preserved nature limits development and income opportunities. It is true that some areas, due to their unique value, enjoy stricter protection status, where many human interventions are prohibited and punishable. These include National Parks, Strict Nature Reserves, and to some extent, Nature Parks. Despite limiting certain human activities, these areas are protected due to their exceptionally high ecological value, and even though they occupy relatively small areas, they represent the biggest brand of this country.
Although Montenegro is ahead of many EU countries in terms of relatively well-preserved nature – largely due to the underdevelopment of heavy industry and other polluters – public knowledge about the value of nature remains very low.
Nature in our country has never been sufficiently promoted as the most valuable resource, a development opportunity, and a national brand. The prevailing view is that economic development must exclude environmental health, ignoring the increasingly achievable possibility of meeting both of humanity’s needs at the same time: the need for security and abundance, and the need for health and a preserved environment.
Europe did not launch the process of creating ecological networks solely to protect certain plant habitats or species. Equally, it emphasized improving the quality of life for local people living near the most valuable natural areas. In recent decades, a huge number of people have left rural areas. The intensity of pasture grazing and meadow mowing has drastically decreased. This has led to the emergence of invasive species, increased fire risk, and a drop in soil nutrients, all contributing to the disappearance of various plant and animal species.
Ecological networks cannot exist or be maintained without involving the local population. This is exactly why some habitats that are constantly shaped by traditional human influence should be included in ecological networks. One such habitat is the hay meadow, home to various plant species that thrive under frequent mowing. Similarly, pastures require livestock grazing to maintain biodiversity. These are just a few examples showing that ecological networks do not exclude sustainable human activity – on the contrary, they depend on it for monitoring and maintenance of these protected areas, while in return supporting local economic development based on preserved nature.
Today, we see not only that nature is best preserved in ecological networks, but also that local economies and rural tourism are most developed in villages that have become part of these networks. Such examples show how effective it is when local products are tagged as originating from a protected area, giving them a clear advantage. The essence of ecological networks is to create a new economic environment that benefits both people and nature – maintaining a balance between the natural world and its inseparable part: humanity.
Many countries established their networks of protected areas even 30 years ago, and Montenegro must do the same as soon as possible if it wants to preserve its greatest treasure: nature, and the coexistence of its citizens with it.
Establishing such networks is a long and arduous process, and the greatest challenge will actually lie in maintaining the integrity of these habitats. However, if human activities are carried out responsibly, people will be rewarded with healthy lives in healthy environments, along with additional long-term benefits and opportunities.
An example of Montenegro’s advantage over many more developed countries comes from Belgium. A Belgian woman living dozens of kilometers from Brussels wants to start an organic farm to help alleviate the health consequences her loved ones are suffering due to constant exposure to pesticides, other pollutants, GMO food, etc. The biggest problem, she says, is that she cannot find clean, healthy land to plant crops. Their soil and water are full of heavy metals, so they are forced to seek solutions in ancient Indian-like methods (planting seeds in old hay, spraying with water, filtering drinking water, etc.). This Belgian woman says she envies the people of Montenegro, who still have a chance to develop lives for future generations where their health is supported by nature.
It is a fact that at this moment, it is not yet possible to precisely determine when Montenegro will join the EU, but it is clear that this will not happen in the near future, even though the country is already deeply engaged in negotiations. On the other hand, a significant number of valuable natural resources have been lost in the past period, and many more are at great risk of disappearing, despite being granted certain levels of protection. The misalignment of spatial planning with environmental protection principles, and the decades-long prioritization of short-term financial gains over a long-term sustainable approach—which Montenegro is fully capable of achieving—seem to have led us to this situation.
It is therefore easy to conclude that waiting for Montenegro’s EU accession and the eventual formation of the Natura 2000 network will cost us the loss of the most valuable natural areas. For this reason, it is necessary to establish the EMERALD ecological network, because nature cannot wait, and its protection must remain—truly—one of the state’s highest priorities.
What are the benefits of creating the EMERALD network for Montenegro?
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Fulfilment of Montenegro’s obligations under the Bern Convention, alignment with the goals of the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030, and the global biodiversity conservation targets;
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The Emerald network contributes to national efforts to protect biodiversity and preserve ecosystem services based on the standards of the Bern Convention and the EU Habitats and Birds Directives;
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The Emerald network is recognised as an innovative and flexible tool for integrating biodiversity conservation into other sectors, which should be included in the process from the very beginning;
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Unlike the Natura 2000 network, which is proposed to the European Commission on the day of EU accession, Emerald can designate individual areas beforehand;
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Montenegro is currently preparing an updated database for the Bern Convention, but the fact that this process is not yet completed does not prevent the country from proposing that the Convention initiate the confirmation process for some Emerald candidate sites for which data already exist;
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Some Western Balkan countries have gained very useful experience in creating the Emerald network, especially when these areas were established based on the Birds and Habitats Directives;
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A faster process of closing Chapter 27, which would in turn accelerate the overall EU integration process.
