News from ENV.net partners
All countries: ENV.net training programme
Distance learning courses:
a) “Social media, Activism and participationâ€, The ENV.net course on social media (read more): Next e-trainings:September 2015.
b) “Get funding from the European Unionâ€, the course developed by ENV.net regards the EU as resource partner (read more). Next e-trainings: 6th - 20th October 2015.
To take part, interested participants should first register to the ENV.net e-learning platform here and then choose the course to attend from the "course catalogue". Further inquiries about the course may be sent to env.net-helpdesk@puntosud.org (or click here).
In-country news: ENV.net in action
Albania: ENV-net team in Albania took place in a meeting organized in the French Embassy, with environmental NGOs in the Country, with Mrs. Bérengère Quincy, Itinerant Ambassador of Paris Climate 2015. It was her first time in Albania and she was very pleased to meet environmental organizations and hear them out about climate change situation in the country and what is NGOs specific role facing it. It is the first time in Albania COP initiative organized a meeting prior to the big conference of COP 21 in Paris, in Albania. The ambassador explained us main things regarding the organization of the conference and the role that will play this year the environmental NGOs from all around the world, which will have a specific place in the room during all the session. Read more.
TACSO office in Albania organized a meeting with Mr. Nicola Bertolini from DG for Neighborhood and Enlargement. In the meeting participated all projects of FPA regarding Environmental issues. Mr. Bertolini learned about the progress of each project that are now at their third year of implementation and he was pleased to listen some considerable progress were made toward concrete impact in respective Western Balkan countries.
The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia: The ENV-net team from Macedonia together with some NGOs, members of the Platform for Green Macedonia, is working on an initiative for amending of the Law on Environment (one of the key laws in the area of horizontal legislation of the Republic of Macedonia), which would prevent construction or reconstruction of facilities of heavy and polluting industries at a distance of less than five kilometers from urban or protected natural areas. The proposed supplement will have no implications in respect to other provisions of the Law. By introducing location as a criterion for building or reconstruction of facilities (in a separate line under Article 20: General provisions concerning the performance of activities) and by proscribing a quantitative value for minimum distance of the location from urban and protected natural areas, the legislator will only give a greater importance to these conditions. This, together with other measures proscribed by the law, should contribute to greater protection of the environment and prevent the pollution of water, air and soil in the vicinity of human settlements. In the forthcoming period, ENV-net team Macedonia together with other members of the ‘platform for Green Macedonia will lobby members of the Parliament for support of this initiative and amendment of the Law on Environment.
The public hearing on the Environmental impact assessment study for the project: "Construction of an iron foundry and iron products in Probistip†organised by the Ministry of Environment was held on 24.09.2015 (Thursday) in Probistip. Representatives from the ENV.net team from Macedonia together with over 10 civil society organisation’s, ordinary worried citizens, local administration people participated at the hearing. After the presentation of the study participants had many comments and questions, such as where the waste from the foundry would be stored. In the forthcoming weeks all remarks on the study will be submitted to the Ministry of Environment in written for further consideration. Read more.
Serbia: At the Second Regional Conference on Environmental Impact Assessment, held from 16-19 September, 2015 in Novi Vinodolski, Croatia, EASD representative and ENV.net Serbia expert presented the study: EU SEVENTH ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION PROGRAM: EIA AND SEA ARE EFFECTIVE TOOLS WHEN CORRECTLY IMPLEMENTED ( read more).
Kosovo (under UNSCR 1244/99): Following the protests from Citizens of Drenas Municipality, representatives of CSOs as well as representatives of districts and villages in front of Ministry of Environmental and Spatial Planning in August regarding the environmental pollution especially air, caused by, according to them factory NewCo Ferronikel, Minister of Environmental and Spatial Planning together with vice Minister met with high management of factory NewCo Ferronikel to discuss the criteria of environmental integrated permission issued by the Ministry. Minister raised his concern about the metallurgic waste and the need for mine rehabilitation. He also requested by the factory management to increase investments about environmental protection, to reduce emissions within the criteria as well as to continue investment on treating the atmospheric water that leaks from industrial park. Both parties agreed to establish a joint professional body lead by the inspectorate of the Ministry tasked to conduct monthly consultative meetings and evaluation of environmental situation that will bring further recommendations based on the findings.
Turkey: Ministry of Environment and Urbanization organized a kick-off meeting to present their project entitled “Technical Assistance for Capacity Building in Horizontal Sector for the Implementation of the Environmental Liability Directiveâ€. The project which is co-funded by the European Union and the Republic of Turkey, commenced on 22.07.2015 and will be implemented over a period of 24 months. The meeting aim was to introduce the overall objective and purpose of the project, project implementing bodies and beneficiary bodies, project activities and expected results. The main purpose of the project is to strengthen the institutional, technical and legislative framework in Turkey for effective implementation of the Environmental Liability Directive and to establish strong administrative and technical capacity at all levels. Shown below are the expected results of the project:
- The institutional and technical capacity of the ministry of Environment and Urbanisation is defined and strengthened,
- Draft legislation is prepared to establish a framework of environmental liability;
- To increase awareness through stakeholders (industry, CSOs, competent authorities)
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