Home » Candidates » Samad-John SMARANDA for position: Regional Councillor – East Europe, North and Central Asia

Candidate info

Particular qualifications to be a Regional Councillor:
As employee of the Ministry of Environment, Waters and Forest since 2003, I have worked in international biodiversity conservation for almost my entire professional career. In daily activities, I was involved in a wide range of biodiversity issues, starting to the process of strengthening protected areas network, both for marine and terrestrial, national and international, implementation of Natura 2000 network, improving the context for the assessment of the ecosystem’s services etc. I have a particular expertise in the legal issues, being a promoter of a significant number of laws at national level, and providing feedback for other initiatives at international level. At the international context, I served as Focal Point for IPBES, CBD Marine and Coastal Biodiversity, and World Heritage National. I have also worked closely with delegates at multiple intergovernmental fora (IPBES, Bern, Ramsar, CITES, AEWA, CBD, UNESCO). In addition, I am strongly connected with the EU institutions, as member of different working groups mainly related to biodiversity policies. In this respect, one of the most important tasks in 2019 was the coordination of the EU Member States position on biodiversity. At the regional level, I have good knowledge of the biodiversity situation, mainly in EU and Western Balkans, achieved through regular meeting or discussion with experts from the region, and with IPBES focal points, as expert on Natura 2000 in Bosnia and Herzegovina, or through personal observations on the ground.

Link to qualifications details

Experience in fields of concern to IUCN:

I have been associated with IUCN for over 20 years, when I joined one of the national NGO Members of IUCN at that time. Since 2003, when I joined the Ministry of Environment, Waters and Forests, I started to promote the IUCN governance system; first designation of protected areas based on the IUCN categories, followed by transposition into national legislation the IUCN principles. Since 2007, I am member of WCPA, and national coordination of the Common Database of Protected Areas (CDDA), one of the main supports for the WDPA. In addition, as national focal point for IUCN, I provided support for IUCN Red Lists, through communication of the national Red Lists, and being in charge with the regular updating of the national lists of protected species, both under Natura 2000 and other international conventions and agreements. I have a strong technical and scientific background and very good overview of the interlinkage between different conventions and databases (e.g. Natura 2000 database, CDDA etc.). Currently, I am direct engaged in multiple intergovernmental fora, including IPBES, UNESCO-World Heritage Convention, UNESCO – MAB, CBD, CITES, CMS, AEWA, and I am actively engaged with the CBD post-2020 Biodiversity Framework. With a large experience in IUCN matters, accumulated during the four World Conservation Congresses and several other IUCN meetings, I am also committed to mentoring young professionals and scientist to find meaningful careers in conservation.

Acceptance of Nomination
PDF icon revised_declaration_of_willingness_to_serve_john_samad_smaranda.pdf
Manifesto
PDF icon smaranda_manifesto_2020.pdf

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