EUROPEAN ECO FORUM NEWSLETTER |
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1. 15TH SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY The UNECE Committee on Environmental Policy (CEP) had its 15th session in Geneva, 21-23 April, 2008. Two representatives from the European ECO Forum took part at this meeting, namely Mara Silina (EEB, Chair of the European ECO Forum Coordination Board) and Anna Golubovska-Onisimova (MAMA-86, Coordinator of EfE Reform Issue Group at European ECO Forum). The CEP elected the following members to its Bureau: Zaal Lomtadze (Georgia) – Chairman; Ruzanna Davtyan (Armenia); Bert-Axel Szelinski (Germany); Massimo Cozzone (Italy); Sinisa Stankovic (Montenegro); Eldrid Nordbo (Norway); Jon Kahn (Sweden) and John Matuszak (USA). Kazakhstan was asking for a place in the Bureau as a potential organiser of the next EfE conference and there were no objections to this suggestion. EFE REFORM This was the first CEP meeting after the EfE Ministerial conference in Belgrade in October 2007. Therefore, a substantial part of the meeting focused on the reform of the EfE process. In early 2008, the CEP Bureau has prepared a Questionnaire to Member States. 15 countries and the European Commission responded by the deadline and three more countries responded before the CEP meeting (see overview of responses at http://www.unece.org/env/documents/2008/ece/cep/ECE_CEP_2008_4_e.pdf ) European ECO Forum has prepared its own preliminary position on the EfE reform which was distributed to the delegates of the CEP meeting (available on the UNECE website, together with all other views: http://www.unece.org/env/efe/EfEreform/DocumentsReformEfE.htm#views .) From the very start, discussions have shown that practically all countries would like the EfE to stay Ministerial, open and participatory process with conferences each 4-5 years. The future Conferences are seen as having less priorities and thus lesser volume of documentation. The implementation of already adopted MEAs and on-going programmes is an obvious focus; however there was no major resistance to stay open for new agreements if it will be needed for the progress. Most countries mentioned the necessity to involve the private sector in larger scale. Several countries proposed to conduct the mid-term assessment at the Ministerial level. Slovenia, speaking on behalf of the EU, emphasized the environmental policy integration via “inclusion of the environment into national development strategies and Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers”. Russian delegate suggested to reconsider the division into regions and to phase-out EECCA from the terminology. In future, definition of a region or subregion should be based on geography, not on the political affiliations. The division into less and more advanced countries should not be allowed. The USA initiated discussion on the necessity of negotiated outputs of Ministerial conferences, namely Ministerial Declaration to which the USA is opposing. Stressing that there is no need for such unified document as a declaration, they proposed countries’ obligations to be stated in a final document of the conference. This approach was opposed by several other countries. Speaking on behalf of the EU, Slovenia stressed that the EfE should continue but should be more effective. However, synergies should be found with other processes too. In terms of the format, it should stay as a partnership process and open dialogue with involvement of NGOs and other stakeholders. EfE should be open for all UNECE countries. The preparatory process should include fewer meetings and should be more rational and concentrated. There should also be assessment of outputs: MEAs, EPRs etc. Among other issues Slovenia spoke about the role of partnership, in particular the need to make the EfE more attractive to the private sector. The European ECO Forum emphasized the elements of its position based on the Brussels Declaration, EfE effectiveness implementation report, Belgrade statements and the Analysis of ECOs’ responses to the Questionnaire. ECO Forum spoke about the format, focus and priorities, performance and impact, and the stakeholder engagement (ECOs). Sustainable Consumption and Production was proposed as the overarching issue, and the charter as legally binding implementation framework. Biodiversity and Water were emphasized as major prioritised themes. In order to increase the effectiveness of the EfE process, ECO Forum suggested a.) strengthening political significance and countries leadership, preserve the high Ministerial level or increase political level of conferences to the Prime Ministers'; b.) strengthening legally binding regional framework, e.g. adopting the Charter on SPAC; c.) improving structure and coordination mode, including, inter alia, more clear mandates for implementing bodies and partners of the process, more frequent Ministerial meetings, arrangements for better stakeholders cooperation, better communication within the process; d.) strengthening the implementation, including: establishment of national EfE platforms (inter-governmental panels); introduction of regular indicators-based progress assessment between the conferences; to support ECOs permanent monitoring process; to widen public participation; e.) more sustainable financial support scheme to be defined, covering increase in human resources and better funding for ECOs participation. In the course of discussions the USA made an argument on the necessity of continuation of the Working Group of Senior Officials (WGSO) being the platform where NGOs can be involved. The USA representative stressed that WGSO is a conference preparation body, its mandate and separate function should be kept, and since the scope of WGSO work is considerably broader than CEP, eliminating WGSO could cut many issues out of the EfE. Chairing the WGSO is the host country’s function and NGOs and other stakeholders are involved in both the WGSO and ExeCom. After this remark, German representative stated that if the only reason to have WGSO is to keep NGOs involved in the process then it should not be a problem to invite them to CEP. Very substantial issue is what to do with the EfE between conferences? Therefore, the CEP could deal with the EfE process on the permanent basis thus avoiding duplication. European ECO Forum reflected on proper involvement of civil society in the process by saying that putting WGSO in between the CEP meetings is very time and resource consuming process. Permanent work of the CEP could be a solution. But we will need a clear indication and agreement on how NGOs will be involved. Outcomes and conclusions: After having listened to all countries’ interventions, the Chair Zaal Lomtadze summarized the discussion about number, schedule and formats of EfE reform preparatory meetings. He announced that the Extended Bureau meeting to discuss the EfE reform will take place 23-24 June 2008. The next special session of CEP is scheduled for 13-15 October 2008. The CEP requested the Bureau with the help of the UNECE Secretariat to prepare a draft outline with different elements for the EfE reform process structured around the format, preparatory process and possible outcomes to serve as a basis for discussions at June meeting. In the nearest future, the European ECO Forum would concentrate mainly on format, focus and priorities, as well as performance and results of the EfE process in the context of the reform. The discussion should be organised by the EfE Issue Group as soon as the draft plan will be disseminated by the UNECE Secretariat. ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE REVIEWS Related to the Environmental Performance Reviews (EPRs), the CEP concluded the second EPR for Kazakhstan and adopted recommendations prepared by Expert Group. Furthermore, the Secretariat presented the proposal for revision of the peer review process under the EPR programme so that the CEP would be more involved in the EPR process and would allocate more time for discussions on EPR in the future (see http://www.unece.org/env/documents/2008/ece/cep/ECE_CEP_2008_2_e.pdf ). Participants expressed their support to transform the existing EPR Expert Group into an open-ended working group and to organise problem-oriented discussions during the CEP sessions. It was also requested that the EPR Expert Group meetings be held during the same week as CEP meeting, thus allowing the participation of CEP delegates in the Expert Group meetings. Furthermore the CEP decided that interim reporting on implementation of the recommendations by reviewed countries should be compulsory between two reviews and as part of the EPR procedure. The CEP agreed on the terms of reference of the ad hoc Expert Group. The CEP also agreed on the composition of the EPR Expert Group as follows: Vanya Grigorova (Bulgaria), Jarmila Zimmermannov (Czech Republic), Harry Liiv (Estonia), Anneliese Loos (Germany), Grigol Lazriev (Georgia), Gabriel La Buzas (Hungary), Adriaan Oudeman (the Netherlands), Ann-Sofi Israelson (Sweden), Martine Rohn-Bossard (Switzerland), Bekmurad Eyerberdieyev (Turkmenistan) and Nadejda Dotsenko (Uzbekistan). The next countries to be reviewed are: Kyrgyzstan (end of May 2008), Uzbekistan (June 2008) and FYR of Macedonia (autumn 2008). ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING The CEP listened to the report of the Working Group on Environmental Monitoring and Assessment during the period from 2004 to 2007. The CEP, among other things, decided to maintain the current status of the Working Group, agreed on its revised terms of reference and invited it to prepare a detail work programme for the adoption by the CEP. Documents of the CEP meeting are available at: http://www.unece.org/env/cep/15thsession.html ECO Forum interventions are available at: http://www.eco-forum.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=23&Itemid=46 (at the bottom of the page) For more information about the CEP meeting, please contact: Mara Silina (mara.silina@eeb.org) and for issues related to the EfE reform – Anna Golubovska-Onisimova (anna@mama-86.org.ua )
2. REPIN ANNUAL MEETING TO TAKE PLACE IN TASHKENT The annual meeting of the EECCA Regulatory Environmental Programme Implementation Network (REPIN) will take place on 17-19 June 2008 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The Regulatory Environmental Programme Implementation Network – REPIN – provides policy makers and practitioners in EECCA with a platform to exchange experience and build partnerships with their counterparts from other regions, as well as with representatives of NGOs and the private sector. Until recently, its scope of work included environmental policy design and implementation. As of 2008, the REPIN network will facilitate discussions related to environmental finance as well. Accordingly, members of the economics/finance divisions of environmental ministries, as well as representatives of ministries of finance and economy will now participate in REPIN meetings. The 2008 Annual REPIN Meeting will discuss progress in adopting innovative instruments of environmental management, as well as past and future activities of REPIN at both regional and national levels. On the margins of the meeting, a workshop will be conducted to identify a set of environmental compliance and enforcement indicators for EECCA countries. For more information contact: Olga Ponizova Alyona Vasilyeva
3. WORKSHOP ON ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE WATER SECTOR The workshop on adaptation to climate change in the water sector will take place in Amsterdam on 1-2 July 2008. The workshop will be organised under the auspices of the UNECE Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention) and of the Protocol on Water and Health to the Water Convention. The workshop is targeted at government officials from environment, health and water authorities; water supply and wastewater managers; scientists working on climate adaptation; representatives from private sector, non-governmental and international organizations. The event will address: (a) current knowledge about adaptation and climate change; (b) policy, legislative, institutional and financial frameworks; (c) forecasting, modelling and vulnerability, including vulnerability of water-related sectors such as energy, agriculture, tourism; and (d) adaptation and coping measures. Health-related aspects and cross-cutting themes, such as education and communication will be addressed at each session. The workshop will give a feedback on the draft Guidance on Water and Adaptation to Climate Change, developed under the Convention. Experts interested in giving a presentation on the above-mentioned topics are kindly invited to contact the Convention’s secretariat (water.convention@unece.org) by 15 May 2008. For more information visit: http://www.unece.org/env/water/meetings/water_climate_workshop.htm
4. NEW SCIENTIFIC REPORT ON BREAST CANCER AND CHEMICALS The report entitled: "Breast cancer and exposure to hormonally active chemicals: An appraisal of the scientific evidence" was written by a leading EU researcher on endocrine disrupters, Professor Andreas Kortenkamp, Head of the Centre for Toxicology at the School of Pharmacy, University of London. This scientific review focuses on the role of hormone disrupting chemicals, with particular reference to early life and multiple chemical exposures. With the EU chemicals legislation REACH being implemented, policy-makers have a concrete opportunity ahead of them to translate the scientific recommendations into policy action and to reduce chemicals' contribution to the breast cancer incidence rate. For example, EU member states and the new European Chemicals Agency, at the instruction of the European Commission, can ensure that hormone-disrupting chemicals are placed on both the candidate this year and the priority list next year for the authorization procedure. Another political opportunity is provided for by the EU pesticides policy reform. "Cut-off criteria" should be introduced to ban from sale on the market any pesticide that acts as a hormone disruptor or as a carcinogen, mutagen and reproductive toxic (CMR). The report (see http://www.chemicalshealthmonitor.org/spip.php?rubrique100 ) was launched by the Health & Environment Alliance (HEAL; http://www.env-health.org/) and CHEM Trust ( http://www.chemtrust.org.uk/ ) in April 2008. As part of their breast cancer and chemicals work, HEAL and CHEM Trust also launched a series of educational and advocacy resources: "Factors influencing the risk of breast cancer - established and emerging" - briefing for general public; "Breast Cancer: Preventing the preventable" – leaflet. These educational and advocacy materials are available in several languages (including Russian language) on the Chemicals Health Monitor project website: www.chemicalshealthmonitor.org, or in hard copy upon request. For more information contact:
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