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Environmental Strategy EECCA region

Sascha Gabizon

Women in Europe for a Common Future

WECF

Tbilisi20-21 October 2004

Some discussion points

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Environmental Strategy WSSD Partnership between East and Western countries

Aim: set targets, monitoring, allocate resources to improve environmental management

Instruments: standards, monitoring, EIA, legislation, enforcement…

Take decision based on facts “a recommendation without data is only a good opinion”

Important link with the Aarhus convention, access to environmental information and justice and public participation

Environmental Strategy

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Financing key issue

90% of funds spend on environmental management from national budget (exceptions Georgia, Armenia..)

EU Environmental ministries have comparable low budgets

EU countries Promote financing by private sector, partnerships; higher standards of European companies

Lots of money coming from others (EU EuroAid, WB, EBRD) could be spend with higher environmental benefit; examples 100 water projects Romania, EBRD support privatization water sector…

These sources of financing are now counted as ‘partnership’ funds

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How to get better results

Role of NGOs is essential!

NGO should help set priorities Always recall - focus on prevention now! Assure public participation in monitoring,

environmental impact assessments (EIA) Legal support to defend poor, powerless Watch dogs, is Government living up to its

promises

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How to get better results 2.

Different NGOs can have different roles: NGOs which mobilize consumers, media, lobby NGOs that participate in development legislation NGOs that cooperate with companies in PPPs NGOs that show alternatives through demonstration

projects (take the lead, bring the money)

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How to get better results 3.

Possible Actions: Propose priority indicators Make sure that not only measured what can be

afforded - take preventive action now where possible Dioxin test up to 10.000 USD Laboratories unable to give reliable data on pesticides

in water Assure that in the Environmental Impact Assessment

public participation is really broadened Take lead in partnerships Independent case studies: good and bad examples Set criteria for PPPs Do indicative tests to see if government data is

reliable

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Launched at WSSD Earth Summit Focus on Mobilizing Private Sector Funds Task Force Environmental Strategy identified

300 partnerships in EECCA countries Most initiated by Governments Funding from World Bank, EBRD, EU Tacis,

Individual donor governments Many old cooperation ‘re-baptised’ as

Partnership NGOs participate involved in 12% Private Sector involved in 2% BUT, most technical assistance

Partnerships - summary

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Partners should be equal (ones with money decide?)

Partnerships should be multi-sectorial, include e.g. NGOs, universities, local authorities

Partnerships should not be green-wash or market-creation for industry

Partnerships not an excuse for government in-action

Not a cover for privatization of public services Partnerships often not the right instrument for

the set aims (MDGs) Partnerships often don’t include new

environmental friendly companies, too small

Partnerships; making them fair and sustainable is a challenge

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From my experience

Some examples of Positive partnerships Codes of Conduct Flowers Odessa Local Authority - NGO MAMA-86 water

meters and IWRM Organic farming and promotion Unser Land

Germany Romania eco-sanitation TUHH, NGOs, LAs

(all NGO-based, not initiative of governments)

Partnerships - positive

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Reducing negative effects flower industry Cooperation with trade unions and NGOs in flower

producing countries (Kenya, Colombia, Ecuador..) and importing countries (Netherlands, Germany, UK)

Negotiate with flower industry to improve environmental and social protection by agreeing to a voluntary code of conduct among all companies

Campaign among consumers to not buy ‘bloody flowers’

Facts of the industry: The flower industry in Kenya supplies 40% of the flowers imported to Europe and

employs 50,000 people, 90% women. Most of the firms are British or Dutch owned and have foreign managers. It currently

generates some $110 million a year in revenue. Massive use of pesticides and other agro-chemicals with little or no protective clothing.  Women report barrenness and blindness as a result.  Pesticides accumulate more in

women's bodies than men's because of more fatty tissue. 

Codes of Conduct

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“Unser Land” partnership Partnership between farmers, NGOs, churches, local

authorities, supermarkets, schools and restaurants in region around Munich, Germany

Produce 40 organic local products from 180 farmers: wheat, vegetables, meat, fruits…

Creating markets for healthy organic products

200 bakeries and 8 butchers buy and sell directly

Agreements with 530 supermarkets, 10 restaurants

1500 volunteers, 55 part-time paid jobs

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Leaking pipes in streets and houses make that up to 80% of water is lost on way to tab

MAMA-86 and university did research on water losses inside houses

Market research of available local meters Cooperated with LA to change rules Showed in a pilot project how to install

water meters TV and radio covered project widely Result: in one year 74,000 water meters The city of Odessa saved 20% of its water Next steps, water source protection

74000 water meters, mobilize by saving money

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Water partnerships; Romania - polluted water in villages

7 mio people in rural Romania drink water from wells in their garden

Villages have no sewage systems and no waste management

Drinking water is heavily polluted by: Human excrements Pesticides Waste dumping

No reliable info about pollution of water

Even best laboratory can’t give reliable pesticide data

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Private sector supplies water?

For many people water too expensive

If there is polluted water for free, will take polluted water

misjudgement that PPPs can provide safe water for the poor

Business (WBCSD) says private sector is needed to invest 15 billion euro in water and sanitation

Business says water prices need to be increased and governments need to protect company ownership

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Solutions; Preventive and affordable actions

Preventive Actions:

Eliminate main source of nitrates, affordable technology 6 Eco-sanitation toilets built

Developing organic farming with importers from Germany and the Netherlands

Partners: University Technology Hamburg, Local Authority, School, Dispensary, National and local NGOs, Water filter producers Germany

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Burning plastic (PVC) waste in home ovens and municipal incinerators dioxins - make it a priority, preventive action

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Thank you

For more information:

WECF

www.wecf.org

wecf@wecf.org

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Women in Europe for a Common Future

Responsibility of industrialized countries - e.g. climate change effecting the poor most

Solidarity - support women’s environmental organisations

Build women’s capacity for effective participation in (environmental) policy making

Develop solutions according to women’s vision - demonstration projects

60 member organisations in 30 countries