Sustaining Partnerships Gibraltar 2015
Gibraltar hosted an international environmental conference “Sustaining Partnerships” from 11th to 15th July 2015, with a focus on UK Overseas Territories, Crown Dependencies and other small islands.
This was organised by UKOTCF and HM Government of Gibraltar’s Department of the Environment and Climate Change, with the support of Gibraltar Ornithological & Natural History Society.
The conference provided a forum for government environmental bodies, NGOs and commercial organisations to discuss key conservation issues, to highlight success stories, exchange ideas, and to forge partnerships.
The Overseas Territories, Crown Dependencies and other small island communities that share similar environmental problems benefit from learning about one another’s history and experience of planning and conservation initiatives. They are also able to see some of the challenges and solutions of the host territory, in this case, Gibraltar and some of its extraordinary wildlife and habitats.
In addition to the sessions, participants had the chance to have many informal discussions including at reception where posters were displayed with some of the work being carried out in many of the UKOTs and CDs.
The overall aim of the meeting was to draw on similarities and differences in experience across the territories, to provide insights into common challenges, leaving participants better equipped to address local needs.
In addition, the conference facilitated the first meeting of the UKOT/CD Environment Ministers Council, held immediately after the conference.
Also available are the full set of Conclusions and recommendations from as well as extracts of the recommendations addressed to:
– NGOs
Several field trips were also included to explore the terrestrial and marine environment around Gibraltar. These were also included in order to facilitate further informal discussions. Dr Keith Bensusan, Head of the Alamada Botanic Park and Stephen Warr from the Department of Environment led the marine tour which was lucky enough to see several dolphins, seabirds and round to the proposed tentative World Heritage Site at Gorham’s cave (since designated a WHS)
The Proceedings of the conference are available for download.
Medium-resolution version (55.4 MB)
Low-resolution version (23.2 MB)
In case these file size is too large, we divided the low-resolution copy into blocks, below. (Please note that, on these versions, the links from the Contents will work only within the first file, which includes the Contents list.)
| Title of session | Pages | File size MB | Section |
| Opening; Biodiversity Action Plans & Environment Charters | 1-118 | 5.8 | 1-3 |
| Posters not on main topics; Terrestrial; Marine | 119-238 | 5.3 | 4-8 |
| MEA sign-up workshop; Renewable Energy; BEST; Physical Planning & EIAs | 239-356 | 4.8 | 9-12 |
| Environmental Education; EIA workshop; Closing; Conclusions & Recommendations | 357-484 | 6.6 | 13-16 |
| Programme; Participants; Feedback; Recommendations sorted by type of addressee; Meeting of Territory Environment Ministers | 485-540 | 1.0 | Appendices |
Re-live the Gibraltar 2015 conference:
Participants in the conference generated an almost instant thread on social media. You can re-live parts of the conference (at a less hectic pace than the original) or get a flavour if you were unable to attend) via video. Those currently available are:
Saturday 11th July
Opening 1 – Meet & Greet
Opening 2- Gibraltar Minsters’ Welcome
Opening 3- UKOTCF response & Welcome
Closing Dinner – 1 The only place in Europe where two free-living primate species meet
Closing Dinner inside the Rock – 2 Arrival at St Michael’s Cave
Closing Dinner inside the Rock – 3 Speech: Hon Dr Joe Bossano, Minister of Economic Development
Closing Dinner inside the Rock – 4 Speech: Hon Dr John Cortes, Minister of Health, Environment, Energy & Climate Change
Closing Dinner inside the Rock – 5 Gibraltar Regiment Core of Drums
