News from the ENV.net
 

The ENV.net starts new collaborations!

All countries: ENV.net training programme

Distance learning courses:
a) "CSOs activism and participation", the new ENV.net course on how to develop an advocacy and lobbying strategy and to influence the decision making process: Next e-trainings: 1st - 15th March 2016
b) “Social media, Activism and participation”, The ENV.net course on social media (read more):  Next e-trainings: 17th - 31st March 2016.
c) “Get funding from the European Union”: the course developed by ENV.net regards the EU as resource partner (read more).  Next e-trainings: 7th - 21th March 2016
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: Albania will revise the law that banns waste import. A new concept will be introduced, as there should be a concrete division between waste and the raw material for recycling as plastic, letter and colored metals. This comes as a need and a request from the recycling industry due to the lack of raw material for this industry and the ones that come from the import is basically covering only 30% of the industry capacity. The government is working on a legal framework package for the Albania recycling companies, which soon will be discussed with the groups of interests.

The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia: Focus group on Development of environmental investigating journalism in the Republic of Macedonia. Representatives from ENV.net Macedonia were invited to participate in a focus group discussion realized within the frame of the project “Development of environmental investigating journalism in the Republic of Macedonia” implemented by Florozon – Skopje and supported by the European Commission. At the meeting, that was held on 12th February, in Skopje, participated representatives of 10 CSOs and journalists (read more).
Seminar: To protect our waters and water basins. The seminar, organized by ETNAR and DEM, which was held on 9-10 February 2016 in Skopje, was intended to raise public awareness about the connection between the use of land and forests and the protection of water resources. Representatives from ENV.net Macedonia took active part in this two day seminar (read more).
Call for Proposals: Active Citizens for Greener Future. The restricted call for proposals “Active Citizens for Greener Future” was closed on 15th February 2016. Applications submitted under this call were evaluated by the ENV.net partners with assistance of external assessors. Official announcement of the awarded applicants and signature of contracts is envisaged to take place during the first week of March, 2016 (read more).

Kosovo (under UNSCR 1244/99): ATRC participated in the meeting upon invitation sent by EU Office in Kosovo to interested organizations from local civil society in Kosovo to contribute their knowledge and information into the forthcoming Stabilization and Association Process Dialogues (SAPDs) on Transport, Environment, Energy and Regional Development.  
The main purpose of the meeting was to gather ideas and viewpoints of the civil society on the above issues, in view of the preparations for the SAPD discussions with Kosovo authorities. Topics discussed were: energy, transport and environment (read more).

Serbia: ENV.net partner from Serbia, Environmental Ambassadors for Sustainable Development, is inviting all interested participants to register for the Regional Conference ”Environment to Europe EnE16 – ENV.net”, which will be held on June 6th 2016 in Belgrade. Thematic area this year is Climate Change and Sustainability of Resources.  The conference is an opportunity for institutions, organizations and experts to present their research and exchange viewpoints regarding climate change and sustainable use of natural resources (read more).

Turkey: Representatives from NGOs and Universities have met with the Chief Negotiator for Climate Change of Turkey
On 24th February, representatives from several NGOs and academic institutions (including representatives the Turkish ENV.net partner TEMA Foundation) have participated to a meeting with Turkey’s Chief Negotiator for Climate Change, Prof. Mehmet Emin Birpınar, to discuss the outlook of Turkey’s climate policy after the COP21 (read more).
Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Training was held in Istanbul
The Ministry of Environment and Urbanisation has organised trainings in different regions of Turkey, within the framework of “The Technical Assistance for Implementation of the By-Law on Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Project”. Turkish ENV.Net partner TEMA Foundation attended the fourth SEA training which was held on 3-5 February in Istanbul (read more). 

I. Call for clean air
In February 2016, as many as 76 public health, environmental, civil society, organic farming and animal welfare organisations wrote open letter on the opening of the trilogue negotiations on the National Emissions Ceilings Directive. They call for improving  air quality, that  requires strong action and commitment at EU level. The time to take this action is now. Each delay will result in additional unnecessary deaths, increased health impacts and suffering, and continued strain on health care budgets. Text of the letter available here.  

II. Bioenergy is the weakest link in EU renewable energy policy
As the Commission closes it public consultation on the future of the EU’s renewable energy policies, their success greatly depends on the questionable sustainability of bioenergy. The EU’s aim is to be a global number one in renewable energy. This goal only makes sense if the renewable energy is both environmentally sustainable and actually contributes to climate change mitigation. Read more.

III. New figures uncover the hidden truth behind 'green' Rural Development funding
Analysis  carried out by the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) and BirdLife Europe has revealed a one billion euro  fall in the actual amount of funding for Rural Development measures meant to benefit the environment on farmland. This comes despite a pledge from the EU that the whole Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is greener than ever.
As well as showing a reduction compared with the previous funding period, the findings also highlight that the environmental quality of some measures is very poor and in several of the analysed cases is not properly targeted.
Rural Development Policy is widely seen as the most positive side of the CAP as it has the best potential to deliver environmental benefits on farmland by offering Member States the possibility to target their programmes to specific environmental needs. However, the analysis shows that this potential has been mostly disregarded. This is particularly concerning given the dire state of Europe’s environment: once-common farmland birds have decreased by 53% since 1980 (4); and the European Environment Agency reports that over 80% of grasslands are in an unfavourable condition. Full analysis factsheets via this link.

Q: What about the interim narrative report?
 
A: The interim report is a contractual obligation for the grant beneficiary, who has to provide the following information:

Report the same general information included in Annex I of the Grant Contract (Description of the Action) about  the project (title, country, beneficiaries); the leading applicant and implementing partners and the reporting period.

Give a global overview of the Action's implementation for the reporting period: