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IN THE SPOTLIGHT
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Minutes: Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum, WG 3 "Environment, energy and climate change" meeting sessionsMinutes: 28 – 29. 11. 2011. PoznanAGENDA28 November 201114:30 - 15:45 (1-15)
GROUP’S ACTIVATION (structuring: suggestions for subgroups/ focal points):
2 PROJECTS TO BE DEFINED 16:15 - 17:30 (1-15)
17:45 - 18:30 (1-15)
29 November09:00 - 10:00
29 November 2011WG 3 side-event 17:15 – 19:00Assessment of environmental performance in Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine according priorities of EaP
Flagship initiative on Good Environmental Governance PARTICIPANTS
Opening was done by co-ordinators Wojtek Borodzicz and Anna Golubovska-Onisimova 2 representatives following their self-nomination were delegated by WG3 group to the Strategic group, e.g. Victor Cotruta and Aytakin Asgarova. Then, the report 2011 was presented by Anna Golubovska-Onisimova (Environment) and Wojtek Borodzicz (Energy security). I. ReportThe report was presented according the following 4 main directions of work:
1. Participation in the panels and seminars (no platforms allowed in 2011)
Anna GO reported about the participation in EaP mile-stown events, the reports were disseminated among WG3 members via list-serve eap-csf-wg3@googlegroups.com To ensure that everybody receives ubformation including all presentations, copies were sent to all personal addresses, since there were complaints that google goup doesn't work properly. The Environmental Panel coinsided with EaP Summit in dates, so environemntal issues were not presented during the Summit. It is a need to highlight environment and SD issues in the EaP agenda at the high-level dialogue and promote it further. No invitations were received to participate in the Energy Security platform meetings – this is due to unsolved problem of CSOs status within the EaP. Now, prior to CSF III, we were informed that CSF representatives received the status of permanent representatives so we officially wil be invited for all Governmental meetings. 2. WG3 meetings, planning and activities in 2011Annual meeting of Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum Working Group 3 “ENVIRONMENT, CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENERGY SECURITY” was held in Kyiv on 23rd June, 2011. It gathered Civil Society Organisations – members of EaP CSF WG3 from the EU and 6 partner countries Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, guests and observers. The meeting was hosted by Ukrainian National Environmental NGO “MAMA-86” and financed by the European Union and co-funded by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation. WG 3 Annual meeting discussed new SCF Strategy being drafted by the EaP CSF Steering Committee, SC proposal on how to involve Social partners, participation in the Environment and Climate Change Governmental Panel on 29 September, possible organization of side-event back-to-back with EaP Summit and CSF Conference, preparation to the next meeting of Energy Security Platform and to Poznan’ CSF III. The discussion resulted into draft work plan. Participants agreed that WG3 efforts to prepare CSOs Assessment report on the EaP environmental pillar implementation and present it to CSF III should result into regular monitoring and assessment activities. On June 24-25, 2011 the Expert workshop “Eastern Partnership CSF Working Group 3 assessment of environmental policy reform in 6 partner countries” was conducted in Kyiv. The expert workshop was financed by Friedrich Ebert Stiftung
Foundation and co-funded by the European Commission, the European
Programme of the International Renaissance Foundation and the Embassy of
the Republic of Poland in Kyiv. The main purpose of our workshop was to agree by the experts from relevant WGs of EaP national platforms, on joint assessment of environmental pillar of the Eastern Partnership via the implementation of environmental policy reform and governance in 6 EU partner countries. The methodology, taken as a basis for this work, was developed by World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Heinrich Böll Foundation (HBF) in 2009 for assessment of the environmental component of Action plans in the partner-countries in the framework of EU cooperation. Also, the important output of the workshop discussion was mutual understanding and acceptance by the participants the need in permanent experience exchange between NGOs within EaP CSF, in particular, on the environmental component, on the format and content of public participation in shaping provisions of the Association Agreements of partner countries with the EU, the priorities of Agenda for Association, as well as monitoring and evaluating their performance. 3. Participation in the European Integration Index reportImmediately after the WG3 June 2011 meetings were held, IRF (European Programme) invited WG 3 and its co-ordinator Anna GO to participate in the EII report preparation, e.g.^ to elaborate common indicators for all 6 countries, to identify experts, to fill in the data, to process it and analise with a summary. National platforms co-ordinators were approached to take part. The final results were verified by the MAMA-86 experts. Tables with data and indexes were disseminated among WG3 participants by Anna GO prior to CSF III. The report, including Environmental chapter, will be presented in Poznan on 30.11.2011. 4. Preparation of the Environmental performance assessment report TOWARDS GOOD ENVIRONEMNTAL GOVERNANCE in 6 EaP countries.Anna Go reported on preparation of the Report. Project Coordination Council was established in June 2011 in Kyiv. WWF Questionnaire was modified and suggested for comments. After comments were received, 7 Questionas were finalised and the Questionnaires were sent to 6 countries Co-ordinators. After replies were received, they were verified and co-ordinators asked for clarifications. Final draft was produced in Russian and English and distributed in e-format among WG3 participants and printed copies in Russian were distributed among co-ordinators and experts. Final conclusions and recommendations were distributed and made available in Russian and English for WG3 and beyond. After discussions and written comments, the final version in two languages will be published January 2012. II. GROUP’S ACTIVATION (structuring: suggestions for subgroups/ focal points):
Anna GO shared concern about weak participation of WG3 members in annual activities of the group, especially in the communication and suggested to strengthen the structure via better definition of the role in EaP CSF WG3 of the National WG3 co-ordinators, and newly defined issue co-ordinators (Focal points). The discussion started from re-defining the purpose of WG3. It was decided that Environmental Policy Integration and Sustainable Development issues prioritisation in the EaP agenda is the goal of WG3 activities. For 2011, it was suggested that environmental governance issue (theme of EaP Flagship Initiative) should be presented at the high politic al level of EaP Summit. Then, the information was shared on who is from WG3 are also coordinating the thematic activities at the National level in 6 partner countries, there are: Armenia – Karine Danielian (absent due to force major) Anna GO reminded that in 2010 6 position papers were prepared by WG3 as issue platform for actions and we should follow main directions defined. Then, the following issues and focal points were discussed and agreed: Environmental Governance for Sustainable Development – Anna Golubovska-Onisimova It was proposed that Malak and Manana Tsulaia should prepare Green economy WG3 issue paper. It is not clear, what to do further with waste issue paper. It was also proposed that, according the registration data (issues preferences) WG3 members could create small issue groups to work together on the issues. Focal points role should be to collect and disseminate information on the issue (in relation to the EaP), to coordinate the preparation of position of WG3 (responsible for the draft), to deliver it to intergovernmental meetings/ seminars where appropriate, to represent WG3 at the relevant meetings, to take minutes of these minutes and report back to WG3. National coordinators should communicate to NatPlatforms and back in order to improve coordination and national implementation of WG3 decisions and activities. It was also decided that the REGULATION of EaP CSF WG3 should be drafted and approved ASAP. PROJECTSThe discussion was held on what type of projects should be the priority for whole WG3. It was decided that Monitoring and Assessment activities are the core, and current Assessment Report TOWARDS GOOD ENVIRONEMNTAL GOVERNANCE in 6 EaP countries should continue. Anna GO was asked to keep co-ordinating it. Similar monitoring and assessment activities would be very good to establish for Energy and Climate change issue. However, intensive CAPACITY BUILDING is needed for making CSOs monitoring and assessment of EaP environmental pillar activities – effective, and the dialogue with the Government – result-oriented. Therefore, it could be important if such WG3 project is prepared and implemented in 6 EaP. III. DRAFT STRATEGIC CONCEPT AND STATUTESViktor Cotruta, WG3 delegate to the Strategic group (SG), came in to inform participants about on-going discussion. SG keeps going para by para with Strategic concept and there is no final result yet. Some complication appeared with national platforms legitimacy concerning who could be the member, how the coordinator being elected, what is the platform overall goal and objectives. Another important document is Social partners concept. Main decision to be voted tomorrow – whether or not one more CSF WG should be established. And, main third question – whether to register CSF or not. Since mentioned documents arrived to participants few days before the Forum, the majority was not able to read it. It was decided that everybody will read carefully documents to have the position and be able for voting on 29th. IV. PRELIMINARY FINDINGS OF THE REPORT: SIDE-EVENT PREPARATIONAll participants received draft summary recommendations of the report (Rus, Eng), all co-ordinators and experts received first draft of the Report (Rus). It was decided that Anna GO will moderate, making introduction and conclusion and countries findings will be presented by: Armenia - Ganna Galyan All experts should prepare PPP, reglament for presentations – 10 minutes. Further discussion draft report and how it will be finalised was postponed for the evening 29th Nov. V. ELECTIONThere were 4 candidates nominated by National platforms and participants on behalf of Partner countries:
The majority voted for Yaroslav Bekish, Green Alliance, Belarus as the co-ordinator on behalf of EaP Partner countries. Yaroslav Bekish proposed the text of Statement on Climate change for adoption of the WG3 and for adoption as a Statement of CSF III. The Statement was adopted by WG3 and later, during last plenary session, by the whole CSF III. 29 November 2011WG 3 side-event 17:15 – 19:00Assessment of environmental performance in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine according priorities of EaP Flagship initiative on Good Environmental Governance 19 participants attended. NGO experts of EaP SCF WG3 "Environment, energy and climate change" presented preliminary conclusions and recommendations of assessment report "Towards Good Environmental Governance in EaP countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine". The following questions were assessed and will be presented by experts: 1) Strengthening cooperation with the European Union; 2) Strengthening of administrative structures and procedures; 3) Development of strategies, plans and programmes in the environmental protection field; 4) Ensuring integration of environmental aspects into other policy sectors (promoting sustainable development); 5) Reinforcing of structures and procedures to carry out environmental impact assessment (EIA); 6) Improving access to information and public participation; 7) Cooperation on development of the Shared Environmental Information System. The basis for methodology was taken from WWF-Henrich Boll Assessment of Action plans of the countries with EU done in 2008. Assessment was conducted over the period since 2008 when the 6 countries’ Action Plans for Cooperation with the EU were coming to an end and preparation begun for negotiations on the Association Agreements with the EU (AAs) / negotiations on the AAs commenced. Assessment on all the questions was conducted according to the methodology described above, and the rate of achievement of some or other goal on environmental governance and sustainable development was determined as percentage. Preliminary findings were discussed by the Working Group 3 “Environment, climate change and energy security” at the Civil Society Forum III in Poznan. After processing of comments, the experts prepared a final version of the assessment. Full texts of assessment tables, comments and explanations, conclusions and recommendations are included in the report. General preliminary conclusions:
MODERATOR: Anna Golubovska-Onisimova, UNENGO MAMA-86 SPEAKERS: Ganna Galyan, Association "For Sustainable Human Development", Samir Isayev, Legal Think Tank NGO, Azerbaijan, Iryna Sukhiy, Asscosiation "Our home", Belarus, Manana Kochladze, CEE Bankwatch-Caucasus, Georgia, Dimitru Drumea, GWP, Moldova, Natalia Andrusievich, RAC "Society and Environment". The Report will be finalized and published in January 2012. |
Project funded by the European Union
