Transcript Enviromental Dimension of the Eastern Partnership Initiative:

ENVIRONMENTAL DIMENSION OF
THE EASTERN PARTNERSHIP
Perspectives for Cooperation and the role of Civil
Society
by Yauheniya Pazdniakova
PLAN
What is EaP?
 Why should we enchance the cooperation?
 How do Belarusian NGO’s participate in EaP?
 Policy Recommendations

WHAT IS EASTERN PARTNERSHIP?
Eastern Partnership is a common
initiative of Sweden and Poland
that has been announced in
2009.
That initiative is intended on
broadening of the European
integration processes.
4 PLATFORMS OF THE EASTERN
PARTNERSHIP
Democracy, Good governance, Human rights and
Stability
 Economic Integration and Convergence with EU
policies
 Environment, Climate Change and Energy
Security
 Contacts between people

4 PLATFORMS OF THE EASTERN
PARTNERSHIP
Democracy, Good governance, Human rights and
Stability
 Economic Integration and Convergence with EU
policies
 Environment, Climate Change and Energy
Security
 Contacts between people

THE FRAIMWORK OF THE 3RD PLATFORM
EU consumes gas and oil from Russia
 Belarus is a transit country
 ‘Gas / Oil’ wars between Belarus and Russia
 Need for guaranteeing efficient mechanisms of
energy transit
 Sharing experience in environmental
management programs, finding alternative
sources of energy, waste recycling
 Improvement of the accessibility of information

MAIN ACTORS
Heads of the States and Governments
 Ministries
 Officials
 NGOs

CIVIL SOCIETY FORUM – institutional platform to tell
its opinion on the main dimensions on the Eastern
Partnership Initiative
BELARUSIAN NGOS AT THE FIRST CIVIL
SOCIETY FORUM, BRUSSELS
16-17 NOVEMBER, 2009
NEXT
EASTERN PARTNERSHIP CIVIL SOCIETY FORUM
WILL TAKE PLACE AT
IN
17-18 NOVEMBER, 2010
BERLIN
A CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST TO
PARTICIPATE IN IT HAS NOW BEEN
LAUNCHED AND THE DEAD LINE FOR
APPLICATIONS HAS EXPIRED ON
2010
2 OF JULY
HOW BELARUSIAN CIVIL SOCIETY
ORGANIZATIONS BEHAVE?
The EaP has provoked a great interest among
Belarusian civil society.
 In order to draw up a common position, the
conference “Civil Society Forum of the Eastern
Partnership: the Agenda for Belarus” took place
on November 2, 2009;
 the National Civil Society Forum in the
Resolution of the Conference "Roadmap of the
Eastern Partnership for Belarus” on 5-6 July,
2010

ROAD MAP RECOMMENDATIONS
These are the strategic conclusions and suggestions with reference to
platform "Environment, climate change and energy security" that have
been admitted at the National Civil Society Forum in the Resolution of
the Conference "Roadmap of the Eastern Partnership for Belarus”:




1. To consider creation of effective mechanisms for public
participation in significant environmental decision-making;
2. To make information about programs and projects submitted by
state agencies open and accessible;
3. To consider the necessity to use the Strategic Environmental
Assessment (SEA) mechanism for developing programs and projects
within the Eastern Partnership framework;
4 To initiate the monitoring procedures of construction and operation of
nuclear power plants that are planned to be build;
THE MAIN ROLE OF THE ROAD MAP
RECOMMENDATIONS
to provide opinion to the institutions
involved in decision-making;
 to influence on the decision-making
process;
 to create a framework for further
work, because NGOs intend to
conceptualize on each point proposed
in the Resolution;

POLICY RECCOMENDATIONS
For EU:


To insist on involving neighbors in joint decision of common
environmental problems, providing energetic diversification, improve
mechanisms of energy transit;
To intend that Belarus should take into account the CSF opinion.
For Belarusian Authorities:


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To intensify the participation in transboundary and local environmental
projects, public education programs;
To launch a process of convergence with EU Environmental Acquis, world
environmental standards;
To take into consideration the opinion of NGO’s, as well as to provide
Belarusian civil society with the more space for participation in state
projects and decision making process;
For NGOs:

To intensify aggregation and articulation of public opinion, as well as
informal education and promotion of sustainable development.
REFERENCES
http://eurobelarus.info/content/view/68/64/
 http://www.eeas.europa.eu/eastern/index_en.htm
 http://www.eeas.europa.eu/belarus/index_en.htm
 http://www.eeas.europa.eu/eastern/civil_society/i
ndex_en.htm
 http://www.eeas.europa.eu/eastern/civil_society/fi
rst_csf_meeting_2009_en.htm
 http://eeas.europa.eu/eastern/civil_society/second
_csf_meeting_2010_en.htm

THANK YOU!