Oct. 19, 1999 * Volume 2 Number 8
CONTENTS:
B A L K A N F O C U S
UN Balkan Task Force finishes report, calls for Danube clean-up
The final report by United Nations scientific teams, announced on Oct. 14, found that four environmental "hot spots" in Serbia pose a threat to human health and require urgent corrective action, according to news reports. But the team was not able to thoroughly investigate potential threats from depleted uranium weapons, the reports said. The United Nation Environment Programme's (UNEP) Balkans Task Force concluded that the Kosovo conflict did not cause an environmental catastrophe affecting the Balkans region as a whole, but Pancevo, Kragujevac, Novi Sad and Bor are all in need of immediate clean up action, according to an Oct. 14 report from Environment News Service. The U.N. environmental experts also called for urgent action to clean up Yugoslavia after NATO bombing left waste endangering the Danube River, which downstream nations Bulgaria and Romania use for drinking water, according to Reuters. Pekka Haavisto, head of the UNEP Balkans Task Force, said on Oct. 14 that his team was not able to assess the damage or threat to human health caused by NATO's use of shells tipped with depleted uranium because the military alliance had not provided the necessary information about use, according to Reuters. Haavisto said that, in places where depleted uranium contamination had been confirmed, measures had been taken to block access, and added: "We are not so much afraid of radioactivity at these sites but there is certainly toxicity from uranium which could be dangerous for people, like children playing there or people taking soil from that area," according to Reuters. The overall findings of the UN team, which included two experts from the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC), tend to confirm the original projections of a REC preliminary report on the environmental damage caused by the war. To view the task force online, or to download a "PDF" file, see their web page at: http://www.grid.unep.ch/btf/final/index.html. For more information, contact the Balkans Task Force, e-mail: diana.rizzolio@grid.unep.ch
EAP task force leader: Balkan environment aid urgently needed
"There is an urgent need for increased financial assistance for the environment in the Balkans," Jean-Francois Verstrynge, deputy director general of the European Commission's DG XI said on Oct. 18 to representatives of environment ministries from around the world. "The European Commission, the UNEP and the REC should coordinate those efforts," he added. Verstrynge was addressing the annual meeting of the Environmental Action Programme (EAP) Task Force at the Szentendre, Hungary, head office of the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC). The meeting, which was scheduled to wrap up Oct. 19, was held to discuss, among other things, ways to facilitate an environmental strategy for Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). The damage to the environment caused by the Balkan conflicts was one of many issues discussed. The Environmental Action Programme for Central and Eastern Europe (EAP) serves as a framework for supporting CEE countries in their efforts to solve their most urgent environmental problems and create the basis for sustainable development of the region. The EAP Task Force brings together environmental representatives from all CEE countries, the Newly Independent States and Organisation for Economic Development and Co-operation (OECD) countries, as well as international organisations, financial institutions, parliamentarians and social partners -- the enterprise sector, trade unions and environmental citizens organisations. Verstrynge is co-chairman of the EAP Task Force Bureau, and the OECD and the REC serve as the secretariat to the task force. Contact: Mary McKinley, REC communications officer, tel: (36-26) 504-000; e-mail: mmckinley@rec.org.
Norway gives grant for Macedonian environment
The government of Norway has given Macedonia a USD 630,000 to help fund the USD 1 million "For a Clean and Green Macedonia" project, a new initiative that will operate in 51 communities and create about 2,000 jobs, according to an Oct. 13 report from Environment News Service. The aim of the program is to restore the whole country to environmental health and help reverse some of the damage caused by the large influx of refugees, as well as NATO troop movements, during the Balkan conflict, the report said. Contact: Macedonian Environment Ministry, Svetlana Gjorgjeva, Head of Environmental Information Center, tel: (289-9) 136-6930; e-mail: gjorgeva@unet.com.mk.
UK grant will fund modern medical waste incinerator for Macedonia
The British government has given a USD 548,460 grant to help fund a state-of-the art medical waste incinerator for Macedonia, according to an Oct. 4 report from Environment News Service. The need for disposing of medical waste first came to light during the Balkan conflict, when the army hospital in Skopje was overwhelmed with medical waste, but Macedonia has needed such an incinerator for some time, according to the report. The new incinerator will be located at Drisla, a nationally owned community hygiene company in Skopje, and British experts will work with Macedonian personnel during the first months of operation, to train the workers, the report said. Contact: Macedonian Environment Ministry, Svetlana Gjorgjeva, Head of Environmental Information Center, tel: (289-9) 136-6930; e-mail: gjorgeva@unet.com.mk.
Seminar to cover environmental law in south Eastern Europe
A discussion entitled "Post-Conflict Environmental Law and Policy in South Eastern Europe: Experiences from Bosnia -- Lessons for Kosovo," will take place at 5:30 pm on Oct. 20 at the Budapest campus of Central European University (CEU), Nador utca 9, room 609. Jennifer Braswell, a Fulbright grantee and project coodinator at the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC), will lead the discussion, according to an announcement circulated by CEU. Braswell will present a brief overview of the current priorities and challenges for building viable environmental policies and laws in South Eastern Europe, including her experiences working on the project of environmental law drafting in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the importance of applying the lessons learned there to the process of reconstruction in Kosovo, the announcenment said. Braswell will also introduce the REC's initiative for "environmental reconstruction" in South Eastern Europe, which includes providing support to environmental civil society, encouraging greater information sharing and cooperation among environmental stakeholders, and generating capacity-building among environmental authorities and institutions throughout the region, the announcement said. Contact: Braswell, tel: (36-26) 311-190; e-mail: jbraswell@rec.org; or Brandon Anthony, teaching assistant, Environmental Sciences & Policy Dept., CEU, tel: (36-1) 327-3092; e-mail: brandona@ceu.hu.
E U A C C E S S I O N / P A N E U R O P E A N
Report: Environment takes back seat in EU enlargement
European Commission President Romano Prodi has signalled a significant reduction in pressure on central and eastern European (CEE) countries to improve their environmental standards to EU levels before they can join the Union, according to an Oct. 14 report from ENDS Environment Daily. In a broad policy statement on enlargement issued yesterday, Prodi made clear that the EU would be ready to welcome new members as soon as 2002, even though the Commission simultaneously concluded that "none of the countries has made significant headway in applying environmental laws," the report said. Prodi's remarks came despite a report from the European Commission that "none of candidate countries is very far advanced" in complying with EU environmental laws, ENDS said. Despite apparently softening the pressure for environmental compliance in general, Prodi said that nuclear safety remained of absolute importance and warned Bulgaria that the EU would not allow formal accession talks to begin unless the country agreed to an acceptable deadline for closure of its nuclear reactors, the report said. Contact: Bulgarian Ministry of Environment and Waters, tel: (359-2) 8472-2000; fax: (359-2) 810-509, 981-1186; or European Commission's DGXI enlargement unit, e-mail: enlargement@dg11.cec.be; web: http://europa.eu.int/comm/dg11/enlarg/home.htm. To subscribe to ENDS Environment Daily, e-mail: envdaily@ends.co.uk.
Study calls Europe's forests less healthy
The condition of Europe's forests is continuing to deteriorate, despite measures to reduce air pollution, according to a study, which was released Oct. 7 and did have some good news for this region, Reuters reported. The study, prepared jointly by the European Commission and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, found that, even though there were signs that the overall health of many of the oak forests in Western Europe had deteriorated, pine forests in parts of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) are apparently beginning to improve from their previous state, Reuters reported. Still, the study found that pollutants appear to be posing a growing threat to the trees of Europe. About 20 percent of the soils in Europe are very acid, with the greatest problem in CEE, Reuters reported. Contact: European Commission, web: http://europa.eu.int/comm or European Forest Institute, tel: (358-1) 325-2020; e-mail: efisec@efi.fi; web: http://www.efi.fi.
N U C L E A R
Lithuanian parliament OKs partial shutdown of Ignalina plant
The Lithuanian parliament on Oct. 5 approved the government's energy strategy for 2000-2005, which calls for the closure of the first unit at the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant by 2005, according Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE). The measure, which passed by a 63 to 31 vote, is conditional on foreign assistance, which Lithuania expects to come from the European Commission and other sources, Reuters reported. The next energy strategy, due in 2004, will deal with the fate of the second unit at Ignalina, according to RFE. The EC, which has said it would help finance the Ignalina closure and organise a donors' conference in Vilnius later this year, expects Lithuania to shut down Ignalina's second reactor by 2009, according to Reuters. Contact: Lithuanian environmental spokeswoman Natalija Gedvilaite, tel: (370-2) 723- 25; e-mail: Leidybos.biuras@nt.gamta.lt; or European Commission's DGXI enlargement unit, e-mail: enlargement@dg11.cec.be; web: http://europa.eu.int/comm/dg11/enlarg/home.html; or European Commission Directorate General for Environment, Timo Makela, tel: (32-2) 299-2300; fax (32-2) 299-0310.
Bulgarians seek plan 'acceptable' to EU for nuke plant closure
Bulgarian officials made conciliatory remarks following EU demands that the country close four units at the Soviet-era Kozloduy nuclear power plant, but they did not commit to any timetable for early closure, according to an Oct. 15 report from Reuters. "Bulgaria is having talks with the European Commission and is sure that we will find acceptable terms which will both satisfy the commission and protect Bulgaria's national interests," Foreign Minister Nadezhda Mikhailova was quoted as saying by Reuters. The European Commission told Bulgaria on Oct. 13 that establishing an acceptable deadline for the closure of the four reactors was prerequisite for beginning European Union membership negotiations. Bulgaria and the EU have long been at odds over the closure of four 440-megawatt reactors at Kozloduy. Bulgaria has been struggling to keep two reactors running until 2004-2005 and the remaining two until 2008-2010, while the EU insists on earlier dates, Reuters said. Contact: Bulgarian Ministry of Environment and Waters, tel: (359-2) 8472-2000; fax: (359-2) 810-509, 981-1186; or European Commission's DGXI enlargement unit, e-mail: enlargement@dg11.cec.be; web: http://europa.eu.int/comm/dg11/enlarg/home.html.
Slovak Mochovce second nuclear reactor to be online soon
Slovakia's monopoly electricity supplier, Slovenske Elektrarne (SE), said on Oct. 12 it expected the second block at the controversial Mochovce nuclear power plant to be connected to the power grid by November at the latest, according to a report from Reuters. The second block was loaded with fuel last week, is now being tested and could go on line in late November, Reuters said. The first reactor in Mochovce, originally a Soviet-designed plant which was massively upgraded with Western technology, was activated in June 1998, the report said. When running at full stream, the first two blocks are expected to cover all Slovakia's energy import needs, which last year accounted for 14 percent of Slovak electricity consumption, the report said. Slovakia's nuclear power programme has long been a source of tension with neighbouring Austria, which opposes any nuclear plants near its borders. Mochove is around 180 kilometres from Vienna. Contact: Slovak Environment Ministry, tel: (421-7) 516-2306; or Karl Schweitzer, chairman of Austria's parliamentary environmental committee, e-mail: karl.schweitzer@fpoe.at.
J O U R N A L I S M N E W S
Editorial position available in Kosovo
The Institute for War & Peace Reporting (IWPR) has announced it is seeking an experienced international journalist to serve as project editor in its Pristina, Kosovo, office. According to the announcement, the ideal candidate will have regional experience and will work well in a team. Responsibilities will include commissioning and editing of research and reporting from Kosovo journalists, organising of local training activities and projects and contributing articles for IWPR's Balkan Crisis Report, the announcement said. Contact: Send a CV and other relevant information to Anthony Borden, executive director, at: tony@iwpr.net; the web site is visible at: http://www.iwpr.net/; and the organisation is based in London, tel: (44-171) 713-7130.
Task force publishes assessment of region
The OECD and the European Environment Task Force have announced the publication of the book, "Environment in the Transition to a Market Economy: Progress in Central and Eastern Europe and the Newly Independent States." This groundbreaking book provides new insights into the interaction between economic policy reforms, environmental protection efforts and environmental conditions during the region's transition to market-based economies and democratic societies, according to an announcement. It provides a coherent analysis of the challenges and achievements in institutional strengthening and policy reform, environmental policy instruments, environmental financing and environmental management in enterprises, the announcement said. It also reviews the development of domestic public participation and international cooperation for the safeguarding of the region's environment and discusses trends in industrial pollution and biodiversity protection. Contact: Helen Fisher in OECD's Media Relations, tel: (33-1) 4524-8097; or Dorte Pedersen, OECD's Environment Directorate, tel: (33-1) 4524-78 80; e-mail: env.contact@oecd.org.
New book of CEE case studies is published
Greenleaf publishing has announced that its new book, "Case Studies in Environmental Management in Central and Eastern Europe," has now been published. The book presents the
experiences of 14 companies in integrating environmental considerations into day-to-day operations in the emerging economies of Central and Eastern Europe. Contact: "Greenleaf Publishing," John Stuart, e-mail: greenleaf@worldscope.co.uk.
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.
