The Sofia conference addressed a number of key issues, including the role of businesses in environmental protection, financing environmental protection in Central and Eastern Europe, reducing pollution levels and preserving biodiversity. One of the most important was the relationship between public participation and sustainable development within the framework of a pan-European environment program.

All of these goals are compatible with those of the Regional Environmental Center, so we were in an optimum position to support the process from the very beginning. REC representatives were part of the UN ECE Working Group of Senior Governmental Officials that organized the conference, and the Center provided grants and technical support to NGOs in the region as they organized an environmental conference of their own, held before and during the ministerial gathering.

The REC has long been dedicated to increasing the involvement of the public sector in environmental decisionmaking so, as part of the conference proceedings, members of the REC delegation presented the results of the Status of Public Participation Practices in Environmental Decisionmaking in Central and Eastern Europe at one of the official parallel seminars.

One of the REC's main goals is to assist all the stakeholders in Central and Eastern Europe to improve the health of the environment and develop a civil society. Early in 1995, the Status of National Environmental Action Programs in Central and Eastern Europe was published to help governments in the region implement policies as set out in the EAP. The REC also conducted a feasibility study that assessed the need for REC-like environmental organizations in the NIS. It was presented as an official background document to the Sofia conference, and prompted officials from both donor and recipient countries to support the development of new regional environmental centers in the NIS.

Involving businesses in environmental protection was a key issue at the Sofia conference. The REC's Business Information Service was developed in 1995 to build the capacity of local businesses to solve environmental problems, and to encourage the business community to take a stronger role in reducing its impact on the environment. The REC presented the findings of The Emerging Environmental Market, a survey of Central and Eastern Europe's environmental market, as part of the official parallel seminar on "Businesses, Industry and the Environment."

No one can argue that 1995 was not a banner year for the Regional Environmental Center, but next year will be even better. In 1996, new and ongoing programs will continue to supply much-needed information on the factors that affect capacity-building throughout the region. More specifically, the REC will continue its extensive public participation initiatives, and broaden its grants programs to help one of the most important groups - grassroots NGOs - do their part to improve the health of the region's environment. The REC will also continue to assist Central and Eastern European governments to cooperate with both the public sector and the business community to develop effective environmental strategies, and to assist businesses to adopt environmentally sound practices.

I think you'll agree that the Regional Environmental Center is an invaluable asset, not only to the "Environment for Europe" process, but to the efforts being made to improve the state of the environment all across Central and Eastern Europe.

STANISLAW SITNICKI,
Executive Director