For the purposes of this Protocol:

(a) “Biodiversity Protocol” means the Protocol on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biological and Landscape Diversity to the Carpathian Convention, done in Bucharest on 19 June 2008;

(b) “Biological diversity” means the variability among living organisms which includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems;

(c) “Border area” means an area remaining under the jurisdiction of the respective Party in the proximity of the state border with another Party, where activities undertaken on one side of the state border are, depending on the nature of the particular activity, likely to have direct or indirect and adverse or positive environmental impact on the other side of the state border;

(d) “Conservation” means a series of measures required to maintain the natural habitats and the populations of species of wild fauna and flora at a favorable conservation status;

(e) “Conference of the Parties” means the Conference of the Parties to the Carpathian Convention;

(f) “Carpathian Convention” means the Convention on the Protection and Sustainable Development of the Carpathians, done in Kyiv on 22 May 2003;

(g) “Endangered species” means species in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant proportion of their range;

(h) “Invasive alien species” means non-native species introduced deliberately or unintentionally outside their natural habitats, where they become established, proliferate and spread in ways that cause damage to their receiving environment;

(i) “Landscape” means an area, as perceived by people, whose character is the result of the action and interaction of natural and/or human factors;

(j) “Landscape diversity” means the variability among landscapes;

(k) ”Native species” means indigenous species to a given region or ecosystem;

(l) “Natural habitat” means the terrestrial or aquatic area distinguished by geographic, abiotic and biotic features where an organism or population naturally occurs;

(m) “Observer” means observer defined under the Article 14 paragraph 5 of the Carpathian Convention;

(n) “Party” means a Party to this Protocol;

(o) “Public concerned” means the public affected or likely to be affected by, or having an interest in tourism development and related decision making; the definition includes indigenous peoples and local people; for the purposes of this definition, non-governmental organizations promoting any aspect of sustainable development and meeting any requirements under national law shall be deemed to have an interest;

(p) “Protected area” means a geographically defined area which is designated and managed to achieve specific conservation objectives;

(q) “Restoration” means the return of an ecosystem or habitat to its original structure, natural composition of species, and natural functions;

(r) “Subsidiary body” means a subsidiary body established in accordance with Article 14 paragraph 2(e) of the Convention that may include thematic working groups or committees;

(s) “Sustainable development” means the development which meets the needs and aspirations of the current generations without compromising the ability to meet those of future generations;

(t) “Sustainable tourism” means tourism which provides for sustainable use of environmental resources, prevents threats to the biological and landscape diversity on which it is intrinsically dependent and minimizes adverse environmental, ecological, cultural and social impacts; provides educational opportunity increasing knowledge of and respect for natural ecosystems and biological resources; respects the socio-cultural authenticity of host communities conserving their built and living cultural heritage and traditional values, contributes to inter-cultural understanding and tolerance, contributes to ensuring viable, long-term economic operations, providing socio-economic benefits to all stakeholders that are fairly distributed, including stable employment and income-earning opportunities and social services to host communities, and contributing to poverty alleviation;

(u) “Sustainable use“ means the use of components of biological diversity in a way and at a rate that does not lead to the long-term decline of biological diversity, thereby maintaining its potential to meet the needs and aspirations of present and future generations;

(v) “Transboundary protected area” means an area composed of two or more protected areas located within the territories of two or more Parties, adjacent to the state border, each remaining under jurisdiction of the respective Party.