Executive Summary
Methodology and Representation
The questionnaire was answered by 147 authorities (26 percent). In general, the survey sample can be regarded as representative. With respect to the total population size of the CEE countries, only Latvia and Poland seem to be slightly underrepresented. In some countries (Czech Republic, Latvia and Estonia), larger authorities of more than 200,000 inhabitants are under-represented. The vast majority of the questionnaires were returned by local self-governing authorities. Only 4 percent of the questionnaires were returned by regional authorities. The majority were answered by those decision-makers responsible for environment issues, and only a small number were answered by other members of staff and elected representatives.The trends and general results of the survey are presented within the
following pages of the Executive Summary, and elaborated in more detail
in the respective chapters of this report. The results are frequently
compared with those of the equivalent survey performed in the EU countries.
Wherever any deviations from the general trends were observed, these are
presented according to the following categories and hierarchy:
Geographically: for Central Europe (including Poland, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Hungary); South-East Europe (including Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia); and for the Baltic States (including Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia); By public authority size: either for those authorities governing not more than 50,000 inhabitants; for those authorities governing between 50,000 and 200,000 inhabitants; and for those larger authorities governing over 200,000 inhabitants; 1st wave and 2nd wave accession countries.
Factual Information on the Environment
The state of the environment as perceived by the ten accession countries’ local self-governing bodies can be characterised in the following way:Twelve percent breached (some) domestic critical air quality levels in the last 12 months; Compared with self-governing authorities in the EU, the use of filtering installations among the main polluters is low. Only 19 percent of their CEE counterparts responded that almost all plants have filtering installations; Only about 20 percent of the ten accession countries’ self-governing authorities claimed almost all households are connected to a sewage system. Among EU public authorities, this is true for every second authority. The annual growth rates of domestic waste within the accession countries are high (8 percent). In South-East Europe and in large authorities, the growth rates are even higher (10 percent). Compared to EU countries, the proportion of recycled and incinerated waste is still very small. On average, only 2 percent of domestic waste is incinerated, and 3 percent is recycled. However the levels of recycled and incinerated waste vary considerably within the CEE region.
Key Problems and Policy Areas
According to the survey, the most important environmental problems are to be found in the area of waste management, followed by wastewater management and air pollution.The most pressing problems in the short-term for authorities within the accession countries are similar to those of the EU. Waste-related problems were most frequently cited, including the following acute short-term problems: increasing levels of domestic waste, illegal waste dumping, the disposal of hazardous waste, and the treatment of sludge from wastewater plants. Traffic emissions and noise pollution are most commonly identified as very important long-term problems. In particular, in "Central Europe" as well as in larger authorities, these problems are significant. And not only accession country authorities, but also authorities from the EU believe traffic related problems can only be solved through a long-term strategic approach.
In many environment related areas, the level of policy action among CEE public authorities is found to be fairly low. Environmental policies are mainly implemented in the areas of sewage treatment, waste reduction and waste recycling. Policies for the reduction of traffic emissions and for the remedy of contaminated land sites are found to be in place in less than one third of public authorities. With regard to environmental policies, first wave accession countries are generally more advanced than second wave countries, mainly due to their obligations to adopt environmental policies and standards closer to those of the European Union. However, many authorities intend to develop environmental policies. In areas such as the "reduction of traffic emissions," "support of waste recycling" and "promotion of waste reduction" about 40 percent of authorities would like to develop policy strategies in the coming years.
Although the standard of environmental policy is often not very high,
the majority of respondents believe their achievements in this respect
to be positive. About two thirds of the surveyed decision-makers stated
their environmental policy has either been successful in improving environmental
conditions or has made some progress.
Impact and Relevance of Technology
In comparison to EU authorities, environmental decision-makers in the ten accession countries respond more positively to the opportunity presented by IST/telematic solutions for problem-solving, and consider their impact more significant. Nevertheless, both EU and CEE authorities are in agreement as to the areas where impact will be greatest, namely:improving the decision-making process; improving internal education and training opportunities; enhancing public awareness of environmental issues.
The problem-solving capacity of telematics is considered to be fairly
limited in areas, such as "reducing noise pollution," "reducing negative
effects of transport" and "preventing soil pollution." However, the potential
of telematics systems in contributing to solving the most important problems
is seen very differently. While the significance of telematics for solving
long-term problems (noise pollution, traffic emissions) seems to be very
low, 45 percent of CEE public authorities believe telematics can help to
improve waste management, which is also identified the most important environmental
problem in the short-term.
Among the accession countries’ public authorities, a need clearly exists
for more detailed information on the use of modern technologies in the
area of the environment. One quarter of the surveyed authorities claimed
to have only a basic knowledge of the concepts of environmental technology
and 14 percent of respondents mentioned they have too little knowledge
or no knowledge at all. The highest demand seems to be among smaller authorities,
where the level of expertise is below average.
Expected Benefits and Obstacles in Using Telematics Technology
With regard to the benefits of using IST technology, no clear trend emerges within the CEE countries. However, "improved planning and decision making" and "improved internal communication/work flow" are among those benefits mentioned most frequently by CEE local government.As in the EU, authorities in the accession countries consider insufficient
public funding to be by far the most important obstacle to telematics uptake
in the environment field. The difficulty in supplying up-to-date and relevant
information is another key obstacle for self-governing bodies in the EU
and accession countries. Other important obstacles are seen to be the lack
of institutional co-operation, legal problems and the lack of qualified
staff.
Internal Use of Telematics Systems
The availability of environmental data is often unsatisfactory and therefore hinders the implementation of telematics technologies. In particular, the survey revealed data concerning "traffic noise," "non-point sources of pollution," "traffic flows," "hazardous waste deposits" and "energy consumption" is often unavailable. In general, the availability of environmental data is much better within larger public authorities. The ranking of future data acquisition priorities is in line with the most pressing environmental problems. Authorities primarily intend to focus their efforts on improving the provision of environmental data on air pollution and hazardous waste deposits.In comparison with EU authorities, the use of information technology to handle and analyse environmental data is considerably limited. Modern technologies are in general only available within about 10-20 percent of the authorities in the CEE countries. However, many authorities are about to implement these technologies or are planning to promote them in the future. The future demand for technologies to support data handling and analysis is very high. Around 70 percent of the surveyed authorities intend to improve the use and the integration of electronic databases for example.
The use of telematics applications in the environment field is extremely limited, compared with those authorities surveyed within the EU. However, an increasing number are already partly implementing telematics-like technologies. The "full use" of such technologies can mostly be found in the area of waste management and in groundwater monitoring . The application of telematics is generally more advanced in larger authorities, as is interest for its more intensive use in the future. A clear will exists to increase the implementation of telematics applications.
More than 70 percent of the surveyed authorities in the accession
countries would like to use telematics to "support waste management." Other
high priorities for telematics applications include:
Decision support systems (41 percent); Modelling of ambient air quality (40 percent); Air quality forecasting (39 percent).
General interest in implementing new environmental IST applications
seems to be much higher in the CEE countries, since the percentages of
those authorities mentioning future priorities are far above those of their
EU counterparts.
As regards basic technologies, more than 40 percent of the surveyed
CEE public authorities have Internet access and use e-mail systems . Technologies
like GIS and aerial photography are used by less than 10 percent. Although
the current use of Geographic Information Systems and analysis of aerial
photographs is not very widespread, the demand for these technologies is
expected to be high in the coming years. E-mail and Internet are also likely
to be used more intensively in the future.
Delivery of Information and Public Services
The current level of information dissemination at the local self-governing level is given to be fairly high, in particular relating to areas like "environmental awareness," "waste reduction," and "drinking water quality." However, there is no data available as to the quality of this information. Public authorities intend to improve information dissemination according to the survey, especially in areas, like "air quality forecasting," "waste reduction" and "general awareness raising". The most common technical platforms for the delivery of environmental
information are the local press, radio and television. Half of the surveyed
authorities in the accession countries claim to supply environment related
information by telephone/fax, and 20 percent by e-mail or Internet. The
right to request electronic data on environmental topics was deemed possible
in 43 percent of local public authorities. However, the real exercising
of this right is probably much lower. In only 9 percent of authorities,
citizens can use basic interactive services (for example, in making suggestions
to public administration or participating in planning processes) via e-mail
or Internet.
Financing of Environmental Technologies and Services
The most common sources of funding relied upon for implementing new technologies were self-governing authority’s own funds (91 percent). Forty-nine percent mentioned implementation of information and communication technologies was financed by national or regional funds. Private sector contributions still seem to be a marginal source of funding, since only 12 percent of the surveyed authorities relied on private funding. European Union funding (for example, the PHARE Programme) was used in nine percent of surveyed cases.Future Interests
The level of future interest in environment telematics applications is given to be very high among public authorities in the accession countries. The following environmental areas have attracted most interest:domestic waste management (97 percent); treatment of hazardous waste (77 percent); environmentally friendly transport management (76 percent).
As regards the nature of their application, self-governing
authorities indicate high interest in many categories, including the following:
public environment information systems (90 percent); decision support systems (80 percent); data exchange (69 percent); metadata/data handling issues (67 percent).
In addition to the application of telematics, public authorities
in the accession countries indicate interest in obtaining more information
on measures for "raising public awareness for the environment" and undertaking
"environmental impact assessment."
4 These statements are based on personal perceptions
of the respondents.
5 The fact that 40% of the decision-makers
responded that they have Internet access and use e-mail does not necessarily
reflect the actual level of use, but only reflects the general availability
of these technologies.
Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe
