March 11, 1999 * Volume 1 Number 19
CONTENTS:
A R O U N D T H E R E G I O N
Flooding causes state of emergency in eastern Hungary
More than 320,000 hectares are under water, 550 people have been evacuated and 2,600 houses are in danger of collapsing in eastern Hungary as a result of heavy floods, according to March 9 Hungarian media reports. About 550 people have been evacuated from the region already, the reports said. By March 6, Prime Minister Viktor Orban declared a state of emergency and appointed Transport, Communications and Water Management Minister Kalman Katona to head a crisis team, according to the Hungarian news agency, MTI. Katona said his ministry has already spent 780 million forints ($3.4 million) to deal with the damage, according to a March 9 Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty report. Several days of rain, coming on the heels of heavy snow fall, have caused flooding in both the Danube and Tisza rivers, but the eastern regions around the Tisza have been especially hard hit by the flooding. Orban said the flooding is the worst the country has seen since 1966, MTI reported. Contact: Mihaly Muller of the Transport Communcations and Water Management Ministry's press office, tel: (36-1) 461-3593; fax: (36-1) 461-3596; or Dr. Judit Moser of the Hungarian environment ministry's press office, tel: (36-1) 201-2619.
Wet weather brings floods, landslides to Romania
Floods and landslides have affected 12 counties in hilly regions throughout Romania, according to a March 10 report from Reuters. Floodwaters submerged 110 homes and about 113,000 hectares and disrupted road and railway traffic on secondary routes, the Central Commission for Protection Against Floods said in the Reuters report. In central Harghita County, soldiers used dynamite to clear the Mures River of ice floes and prevent them from building up into dams and causing more floods, the report said. Contact: Romanian Ministry of Water, Forestry and Environmental Protection, tel: (40-1) 410-6394; or fax: (40-1) 312-2599; or Ministry of Public Works and Territorial Planning, tel: (40-1) 410-1933; fax: (40-1) 411-0186.
Czech environment minister opposes nuclear plant completion
Czech Environment Minister Milos Kuzvart said an independent commission's report has convinced him to ask that the cabinet decide not to complete the controversial nuclear power plant at Temelin, according to a March 9 report from Radio Free Europe. The government-appointed commission has recommended halting construction because the high risks involved in the project mean that, even though CKR 70 billion has already been spent, possible economic losses could be much greater if Temelin was completed, Radio Prague reported on March 9. According to several sources, the commission's report questions the Czech Republic's need for the electricity the plant would generate and points out that it would be difficult to export the surplus power created. Kuzvart said he did not think it would be difficult to convince his fellow ministers to agree with him once they had seen the analysis, Radio Prague reported. Contact: Czech Environment Minister Milos Kuzvart, tel: (420-2) 6712-2719 or (420-2) 6712-1111; or Greenpeace Austria, tel: (43-1) 545-4580.
Bulgarian population drop expected to continue
Tough economic times, a rising infant mortality rate and a rush of young people to leave the country mean that Bulgaria's population is getting smaller every year and the trend is expected to continue well into the next century, Reuters reported on March 8. A study by the Bulgarian National Statistics Institute found that the country's population fell by 59,000 people last year -- and would probably shrink from 8.2 million people to between 6.8 million and 7.4 million by 2020, Reuters said. Contact: Bulgarian Ministry of Health, tel: (359-2) 8631; fax: (359-2) 80-031; or Zero Population Growth, tel: (1-202) 332-2200; fax: (1-202) 332-2302; e-mail: ZPG@igc.apc.org; web: http://www.zpg.org.
Satellite transmitters to track black storks
The Zvejone Environmental Club/Bicycle Information Center and the Lithuanian Cyclists Community are holding their annual environmental cycling tour through southeastern Lithuania July 16-25, according to a report from Environmental Network News. The tour aims to promote protection of cultural heritage and ecological ideas in Lithuania while using a sustainable mode of transportation. On the trip, cyclists ride through the Lithuanian countryside while learning about the nature, history and culture of the country, the report said. In addition, the tour will travel through two national parks -- Dzukija and Trakai -- and five regional parks, including valuable ecological areas such as the Nemunas river curves and the Veisejai lake district, the report said. Contact: Mr. Saulius Ruzinskas, (370-6) 310-870; email: zvejone@klaipeda.omnitel.net.
E U A C C E S S I O N
Seminar explores businesses role in environment and EU enlargement
A seminar on industry's role in European Union expansion, entitled "Industry-Government Dialogue on Enlargement," is scheduled for March 17-19 at the Szentendre, Hungary head office of the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC). The seminar, organised by the REC and the European Round Table of Industrialists, will "provide a forum for dialogue between Central and East European governments and the business sector about key policy-making issues related to businesses, environment and European Union accession," according to a statement issued by the REC. "The point is to help governments in ensuring that their environmental policy decisions are cost effective, participatory and have a positive long-term impact." Contact: Pawel Kazmierczyk or Gerald Fancoj, REC, tel: (36-26) 504-000; fax: (36-26) 311-294; e-mail: pawelk@rec.org or gfancoj@rec.org.
Czechs to seek transition periods in meetng EU standards . . .
The Czech Republic will need transition periods to implement several aspects of the European Union's environmental acquis if it is to join the European Union on its target date of Jan. 1, 2003, according to a Feb. 26 report from ENDS Daily environment newsletter. The newsletter interviewed Bedrich Moldan of Prague's Charles University, just after a final round of screening talks to assess progress towards EU standards in the environmental sector. Moldan was quoted as saying that the "sheer volume" of legislative adjustments that the Czech Republic would have to make was "worrisome." Still, according to ENDS, the maximum grace period the country is likely to request on any item of legislation will be five years. Contact: Mission of the Czech Republic to the EU, tel: (32-2) 375-8116; or Czech Environment Ministry, tel: (420-2) 6712-1111; web: http://www.env.cz.
. . . Hungary will also ask for more time . . .
Hungary will ask the European Commission to grant it transition periods in the fields of waste management and integrated pollution prevention and control to enable it to join the European Union on its target date of Jan. 1, 2002, according to a Feb. 23 report from ENDS Daily environment newsletter. The report came after the Feb. 17 completion of Hungary's screening talks to assess progress towards EU standards. Earlier in the talks, Hungary also requested more time to comply with the EU's water laws. Contact: Mission of the Hungarian Republic to the EU, tel: (32-2) 372-0800; or Dr. Judit Moser of the Hungarian environment ministry's press office, tel: (36-1) 201-2619.
. . . And Bulgaria will seek revision of Kozloduy agreement
Deputy Premier Evgeni Bakardzhiev told journalists on March 9 that Bulgaria will seek to have its 1993 agreement with the EU revised, according to a March 10 report from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Under that agreement, Sofia was to close down four old reactors at the Kozloduy nuclear plant by 1998, but Bulgaria wants the reactors to continue running until the end of their operational life: 2005-2006 for two reactors and 2010 for the other two, the report said. Contact: Bulgarian Atomic Energy Committee, tel: (359-2) 720-217; or Polina Kireva of Ecodefense in Sofia, tel: (359) 265-8216.
J O U R N A L I S M N E W S
Conference to cover the media and sustainable development
A May 20-22 conference entitled "The Media and Sustainable Development" is scheduled for May 20-22 in Brest, France, in the Brittany region. The event is being organised by Universite Europeenne de l'Environnement to allow "European journalists and media professionals to exchange their know-how" on the best ways to inform the public about the challenges of sustainable development, according to a brochure. The conference, which will feature simultaneous translation in French and English, is to include debates, workshops, discussion forums and a training session for young journalists, according to the brochure. For information and pre-registration, contact: Monique Marc or Lucile Poirier, tel: (33-1) 4526-4625; fax: (33-1) 4281-2578; e-mail: uee@wanadoo.fr; web: http://www.uee.org.
Black Sea region environmental journalists sought for conference
The Halki Institute, a science education project in its fifth year, has announced that it is seeking participants for a two-week workshop on environmental journalism for young journalists of the Black Sea Region, to take place June 5-20, 1999 on Halki Island, located in the Greek part of the Aegean Sea, near Turkey. According to the announcement, the environmental journalism workshop, led by prominent scientists, educators and journalists, will focus on the unique and special responsibilities and challenges faced by regional journalists. Contact: Bob Nesson, Nesson Media Boston Inc., tel: (1-617) 787-5545; fax: (1-617) 787-5538; e-mail: bnesson@earthlink.net.
New business and environment web site
A new web site gives detailed information about the recently restructured Business and Environment Program of the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC). The site gives an overview of the diverse programs that the REC undertakes to assist businesses in working toward sustainable development. According to an announcement from the REC, the site also includes a section on "Cleaner Production in Central and Eastern Europe" -- one of the most comprehensive pages available on this topic on the web today, with information on Cleaner Production Centers in CEE, links to information regarding EU environmental legislation and its implementation and case studies of businesses that have made profits through preventative environmental management. See the site at: http://www.rec.org/REC/Programs/Business/.
ISO 14001 case studies sought for journal, book
Greenleaf Publishing has sent out an e-mail notice inviting contributions in the area of ISO 14001 "Case Studies and Practical Experience" for both a special issue of the journal "Greener Management International" (GMI) and a subsequent book, to be guest edited by Ruth Hillary. The intention for both the special issue of GMI and the book is to present perspectives from business, stakeholders, business support organisations, government, regulators, consultants, certifiers/verifiers, auditors and academia from across the world in order to try and evaluate overall progress and problems with ISO 14001 to date, the announcement said. Contributions will be largely case study based and focus on the practical realities of ISO 14001, the announcement said. Contact: Ruth Hillary, Network for Environmental Management and Auditing, tel: (44-181) 968-6850; e-mail: r.hillary@ic.ac.uk; web: http://www.greenleaf-publishing.com.
Caspain Sea region oil writers sought
"Caspian Investor," a newsletter covering investment in the Caspian Sea region, is seeking English-speaking correspondents and writers, according to an announcement. Writers resident in Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, or Kazakhstan and who have experience covering oil and gas issues are especially encouraged to apply, the announcement said. Contact: Gwen Farnsworth, editor, Caspian Investor newsletter, tel (1-818) 343-8474, ext. 120; fax: (1-818) 343-8475; e-mail: GwenF@rpi-inc.com.
W H O W E A R E
About Green Horizon
Green Horizon is a free newsletter designed to help journalists stay ahead of environmental news in Central and Eastern Europe. Twice a month, we'll offer tips on upcoming stories to watch for, as well as information and ideas to help you develop in-depth pieces about the region's environment. Green Horizon is produced by the Media Information Service (MIS) of the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe. The goal of the MIS is to assist the media in covering environmental issues. It is funded by the European Commission's DG-XI and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
For a free subscription, research assistance or to find a source: Send e-mail to: GreenHorizon@rec.org, or call Tom Popper at (36-26) 504-000, fax (36-26) 311-294.
Funded by European Commission's DG-XI and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
