As part of the events during the 76th UN General Assembly, President Zoran Milanovic said on Wednesday that in the times of climate crisis and the extinction of species, protecting nature areas that are still preserved, has become an issue of survival.

Milanovic was participating in high-level events dedicated to “Transformative Action for Nature and People” as part of the 76th UN General Assembly where heads of state and government and their partners presented their transformation initiatives, policies and financing in an effort to stop and turn around losses of biodiversity by 2030.

Almost 30 years ago a group of environmentalists had a dream of the biggest protected river area in Europe, a dream they called the Amazon of Europe. That dream finally came true when UNESCO – first in Croatia and Hungary in 2012 and just recently in Austria, Serbia and Slovenia – declared the Mura, Drava and Danube river landscape, the first Transboundary UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the world which includes five countries, Milanovic said in a video message at the “Transformative Action for Nature and People” event.

He underlined that that unique area in the heart of Europe – with almost one million hectares and 700 kilometres of rivers – isn’t just an area of coexistence between nature and people but of their progress too.

The countries participating in the project are committed to jointly preserve, renew and invest in that area. During a time of climate crisis and the extinction of species, protecting nature areas that are still preserved, has become an issue of survival. Declaring the biosphere reserve is an important step towards a green and sustainable future for us all, Milanovic said.

He is confident  that the biosphere reserve encompassing the five countries will stimulate others to similar initiatives around the world, which will be yet one more proof that nature does not recognise borders.

On 15 September, UNESCO  declared the Mura-Drava-Danube Transboundary Biosphere Reserve which spreads across Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary and Serbia, whereby this Amazon of Europe has become the biggest protected river area in Europe. UNESCO declared the Mura-Drava-Danube region, which spreads over almost one million hectares and 700 km of river, the world’s first five-state biosphere reserve.