http://ecoinfo.bas-net.by/ecology-belarus/ecology_news_in_Belarus.html

№ 6 (45), June, 2017

MINSK, BELARUS

THIS ISSUE:

Decision on Belarusian-Lithuanian

dispute delayed till next Espoo

Convention meeting ..................... 1

Minsk declaration submitted

to Espoo Convention Meeting .... 2

Belarus satisfied with results of Es-

poo Convention meeting in Minsk

........................................................... 2

Italy eager to intensify cooperation

in green economy with Belarus ... 2

Belarus calls on Meeting of Parties

to Espoo Convention to avoid

biased decisions ............................ 2

Ten more cities of Belarus

to join Green Cities project .......... 3

Proposal to postpone decision

on Belarus-Lithuania case until next

Espoo Convention meeting ......... 3

Andrei Vasilyev Espoo Convention

is designed for resolving disputes

on mutually...................................... 3

Belarus attends OSCE Economic

and Environmental Forum prepar-

atory meeting in Astana ............... 4

Minsk to host International

Water Forum 5-6 October ............ 4

DECISION ON BELARUSIAN-LITHUANIAN

DISPUTE DELAYED TILL NEXT ESPOO

CONVENTION MEETING The decision on the Belarusian-

Lithuanian dispute will be made during the next session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Es-poo Convention, BelTA learned from Belarusian First Deputy Natural Resources and Environmen-tal Protection Minister Iya Malkina after the sev-enth session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Espoo Convention on 16 June.

The official said: ―A consolidated decision has been made in favor of continuing discussing the so-called country-specific matters. All the matters revolv-ing around specific disputes between countries — Belarus and Lithuania, Armenia and Azerbaijan, the UK, the Ukrainian issue — have been postponed till the additional session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Espoo Convention that will take place in late 2018 – early 2019. That session will review the matters we've been dis-cussing for so long during this session. We hope that tak-ing into account the additional in-formation the Es-poo Convention Imp lementa t ion Committee will acquire, we will be able to at last see some final reports of the committee on these situa-tions.‖

The official noted that, all in all, Belarus is satis-fied with results of the seventh ses-sion. ―A great deal of alternative points of view were expressed. Each side tried to get across its own point of view. There is no doubt that finding a compromise was difficult. Yet we are satisfied with the position of the European Union, which once again demonstrated its readiness for a dialogue with all countries. In particular, no has-ty decisions were made to address our issue. I think it will allow us in the near future to more productively implement the events we've already announced with regard to the environmental safety of the Belarusian nuclear power plant. It will also allow us to deal with other matters concerning the nuclear power plant's construction,‖ noted the official.

Iya Malkina said that most of the items on the agenda had been addressed by the seventh session and final decisions had been made. ―Those are mat-ters relating to the determination of financial aid in-struments within the framework of the Espoo Conven-tion. Then there was the adoption of the Minsk decla-ration, which mentioned the positive experience of hosting a meeting of the parties to the convention in Minsk among other things. Apart from that, proposals have been made to expand the experience of the committee's work onto interaction with other coun-tries,‖ she noted.

The Belarusian first deputy natural resources and environmental protection minister said that new working bodies were elected during the seventh ses-sion of the Meeting of the Parties to the Espoo Con-vention. ―It is important for Belarus that a representa-tive of our environmental protection ministry will con-

tinue working as part of the next Espoo Convention Implementation Committee. A Belarus representative has also been elected to the Working Group [on Envi-ronmental Impact Assessment and Strategic Environ-mental Assessment]. It means that we are now part of the Espoo Convention Bureau. These are three work-ing bodies and Belarus is represented in each of them. It is important for us because it will allow us to more effectively cooperate with other parties to the conven-tion. We hope that in the future it will have a positive effect on discussions about specific debatable matters inside the convention,‖ she explained.

Belarusian Deputy Energy Minister Mikhail Mikhadyuk noted that his ministry's delegation was also satisfied with results of the session in Minsk. ―It is a result of the work we've been doing together with the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection

Ministry and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since the previous s e s s i o n , ‖ concluded the deputy ener-gy minister. In the last three years Belarus suc-c e s s f u l l y hosted a SEED mission and received high praise from the IAEA, remind-ed the official. The World Association of

Nuclear Operators (WANO) also expressed a high opinion.

The 7th session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Espoo Convention took place in Minsk on 13-16 June. About 200 people representing 45 countries parties to the Espoo Convention took part in the events. Among them were ministers and deputy min-isters of environmental protection ministries and other agencies, high-ranking officials of international organi-zations and financial institutions, representatives of the general public.

The Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context was adopted in Espoo, Finland on 25 February 1991 to come into force on 10 September 1997. It has been ratified by 45 countries. The Espoo Convention obliges the signa-tories to carry out an environmental impact assess-ment of certain activities at an early stage of planning. It also lays down general obligations of the parties to the Convention to notify and consult each other on all major projects under consideration if such projects are likely to adversely affect the environment beyond national borders.

BELTA, 16.06.2017

Meeting of Parties to Espoo Convention opens in Minsk

Malkina: Minsk declaration will help expand applicability

of Espoo Convention

SUPPLEMENT

TO THE DIGEST“GREEN BELARUS”

ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION CENTER

"ECO-INFO"

CENTRAL SCIENTIFIC LIBRARY NAS BELARUS Green Belarus Green Belarus News & EventsNews & Events in Belarusin Belarus

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P. 2 NEWS & EVENTS IN BELARUS №

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The Minsk declaration has been ap-proved by the delegates and submitted for adoption to the high-level Meeting of the Parties to the Espoo Conven-t i o n , B e l T A learned from the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment Pro-tection.

According to the press service, the adoption and imple-mentation of the Minsk declaration will contribute to the achievement of the SDGs by 2030, will strengthen the role of the Espoo

Convention and the Protocol on Strategic Envi-ronmental Assessment in addressing the key

problems such as c l imate change and b i o d i v e r s i t y loss, in pro-moting the application of the Espoo C o n v e n t i o n and the Proto-col globally and in the UNECE region with special empha-sis on Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and

Central Asia, and also exchanging experience with other regions of the world.

The 7th session of the Meeting of the Par-ties to the Espoo Convention is running in Minsk from 13 to 16 June. Attending the events are nearly 200 representatives from 45 member states of the Espoo Convention, including minis-ters and deputy ministers, top executives of international organizations, financial institutes, and public associations.

Adopted on 25 February 1991 in Espoo, Finland, the Convention entered into force on 10 September 1997. It has been ratified by 45 states. The document sets out the obligations of the Parties to assess the environmental impact of certain activities at an early stage of plan-ning. It also lays down the general obligation of the Parties to notify and consult each other on all major projects under consideration that are likely to have a significant adverse environmen-tal impact across boundaries.

BELTA, 15.06.2017

MINSK DECLARATION SUBMITTED TO ESPOO CONVENTION MEETING

BELARUS CALLS ON MEETING OF PARTIES

TO ESPOO CONVENTION TO AVOID

BIASED DECISIONS Belarus calls on the participants of the

7th session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Espoo Convention to avoid discriminato-ry and biased decisions, Belarus First Depu-ty Natural Resources and Environment Min-ister Iya Malkina said when speaking on the second day of the 7th session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Espoo Convention in Minsk, BelTA learned.

Today the partici-pants started consid-ering the draft deci-sions of the Meeting of the Parties to the Es-poo Convention, in-cluding the Belarusian case.

―The Convention was conceived as a tool for interstate dialogue to prevent, reduce and control the possible significant adverse effects on the environment as a result of economic activity. Belarus made sure that not only Lithuanian, but also Austrian, Latvian, Polish, and Ukrainian ex-perts were involved in assessing the impact of the Belarusian nuclear power plant on the sur-rounding environment. Then Belarus invited these countries to participate in the post-project analy-sis. To enhance trust and alleviate the concerns that might arise at the stage of environmental impact assessment, Belarus invited Lithuania to set up a joint body for post-project analysis,‖ Iya Malkina said. She stressed that in order to ensure the viability of the Convention and to keep trust in it, it is critical to avoid taking discriminatory and biased decisions.

Iya Malkina recalled that Belarus reaffirmed its willingness to use all available means to en-sure the highest possible level of nuclear safety, including the existing mechanisms of internation-al peer reviews, primarily those of the IAEA. Belarus has hosted two key IAEA assessment missions: the Integrated Regulatory Review Ser-

vice (IRRS) mission and the Site and External Events Design (SEED) mission. ―We officially invited an Emergency Preparedness Review (EPREV) mission, which is sched-uled for mid-March 2018, and a Pre-Operational Safety Review Team (Pre-OSART) ,‖ she said. With regard to the draft decision submitted for the 7th session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Espoo

Convention on the Belarusian case, Mr. Felix Zaharia, Chair of the Espoo Convention Imple-mentation Committee, made a brief presentation and voiced the proposals of the committee on the Belarusian issue.

Iya Malkina thanked the Implementation Committee, the Bureau and the Secretariat for the great preliminary work on the draft decision on the compliance with the Convention, and invit-ed to discuss her own version. ―The meeting is held to finalize, together with all stakeholders, the draft decisions prepared and submitted by the Committee. All new proposals to the agreed text submitted by delegations or large groups should have an equal status and should be discussed here in the context of an inclusive dialogue, as they do it in the United Nations. With regard to the issues related to nuclear power, it would be

advisable to contact the IAEA. In order to avoid conflicts of competence, it will make sense to request information about the norms and stand-ards in nuclear power from their main source rather than contact other organization or individ-ual experts,‖ she said.

The head of the Belarusian delegation stressed that any mechanisms that may be pro-posed by the Meeting with regards to one of the disputes must fully rely on the Convention; should not be exclusive to one case, including the Belarusian one; and shall automatically apply to all current and future cases.

On the second day, the participants of the 7th session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Espoo Convention also heard a report by the Secretariat on the use of the budget during the previous inter-sessional period. Relevant pro-posals were made by the financial institutions and major donors to the Convention.

The Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context was adopted in Espoo, Finland on 25 February 1991 to come into force on 10 September 1997. It has been ratified by 45 countries. The Espoo Conven-tion obliges the signatories to carry out an envi-ronmental impact assessment of certain activities at an early stage of planning. It also lays down general obligations of the parties to the Conven-tion to notify and consult each other on all major projects under consideration if such projects are likely to adversely affect the environment beyond national borders.

BELTA, 14.06.2017

BELARUS SATISFIED WITH RESULTS OF ESPOO CONVENTION MEETING IN MINSK

Belarus is satisfied with the results of the session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Espoo Convention in Minsk, Belarusian First Deputy Natural Resources and Envi-ronmental Protection Minister Iya Malkina told the media at a press conference dur-ing the 7th session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Espoo Convention on 16 June, BelTA has learned.

―We are very satisfied with the results of the session of the Meeting of the Parties. We have had many interesting discussions both on procedural and practical issues in Minsk,‖ Iya Malkina said.

She pointed out that the majority of the delegations had an opportunity to discuss many issues, including those related to the impact of the Espoo Convention on the progress towards the sustainable development goals and the implementation of the international climate change agreements both in bilateral and multi-lateral format. ―The participants considered draft provisions of the Minsk declaration. In

general, as the organizers of this event, we are glad that most of the delegations found an op-portunity to present their viewpoints and get feedback,‖ Iya Malkina emphasized.

The first deputy natural resources and envi-ronmental protection minister noted that the Belarusian side is satisfied with the vibrant discussion that was observed throughout the conference. ―It is important for us that the adoption of the Minsk declaration will make part of history. It is a truly important event for the Meeting of the Parties as it provides for sharing practices developed by 45 countries with other states, expanding the competences of environ-mental impact assessment and strategic envi-ronmental assessment into various sectors of economic activity, and of course strengthening the role of environmental assessment with re-spect to planned activities for different coun-tries,‖ Iya Malkina noted.

The seventh session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Espoo Convention is running in Minsk on 13-16 June. About 200 people repre-

senting 45 countries parties to the Espoo Con-vention are taking part in the events. Among them are ministers and deputy ministers of environmental protection ministries and other agencies, high-ranking officials of international organizations and financial institutions, and members of the public.

The Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context was adopted in Espoo, Finland on 25 February 1991 to come into force on 10 September 1997. It has been ratified by 45 countries. The Espoo Convention obliges the signatories to carry out an environmental impact assessment of certain activities at an early stage of planning. It also lays down general obligations of the parties to the Convention to notify and consult each other on all major projects under consideration if such projects are likely to adversely affect the envi-ronment beyond national borders.

BELTA, 16.06.2017

P. 3 NEWS & EVENTS IN BELARUS №

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Another ten cities of Belarus are ex-pected to joint the project to support green urban development in small and medium-sized towns of Belarus Green Cities, head of the project Irina Usova told the media on 20 June, BelTA has learned.

―Our project will be first of all implemented in three pilot cities: Polotsk, Novopolotsk and Novogrudok. We are planning to expand this experience to ten more Belarusian cities. The cities have not been defined yet. Everything depends on the interest from the local admin-istration,‖ Irina Usova said.

Vera Sysoyeva, adviser on the green urban planning project, noted that the plans for 2018 envisage the development of green urban de-velopment plans for the participating cities. ―These plans to include sustainable urban mo-bility, energy development step and air quality improvement projects,‖ she explained.

The project envisages pilot initiatives on sustainable urban transport in Novopolotsk and Polotsk, efforts to enhance energy efficiency in Novogrudok. A comprehensive approach of green urban development will help significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The project to support green urban develop-ment in small and medium-sized cities of Bela-rus (Green Cities) is implemented by the UNDP in Belarus in partnership with the Global Envi-ronment Facility. The project is focused on green urban development plans, enhancement of energy efficiency and the development of sustainable transport in small and medium-sized cities of Belarus. The national executing entity is the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. The budget of the project is $3 million.

BELTA, 20.06.2017

TEN MORE CITIES OF BELARUS TO JOIN GREEN CITIES PROJECT

PROPOSAL TO POSTPONE DECISION ON BELARUS-LITHUANIA CASE UNTIL NEXT ESPOO

CONVENTION MEETING

ANDREI VASILYEV ESPOO CONVENTION IS DESIGNED FOR RESOLVING DISPUTES ON MUTUALLY

ACCEPTABLE TERMS

Participants of the high-level Meeting of the Parties to the Espoo Convention sug-gested postponing the decision on the Bela-rusian-Lithuanian case, chairman of the general segment of the 7th session of the Meeting of the Parties George Kremlis told the media on 16 June, BelTA has learned.

According to him, a lot of useful discussions were held and important bilateral contacts were established. ―Now we are waiting for the decision of the high-level segment of the Meeting of the Parties,‖ he said. The general segment suggested postponing the final decisions until the next Meet-ing of the Parties that is due to take place in Geneva in late 2018-early 2019. In his words, this is just a recommendation and the final deci-sion is on the high-level segment. The official

stressed that the matter pertains to the decision on all country matters, and not only on the Bela-rusian nuclear power plant construction.

During the discussion, experts agreed that the existing mechanisms of the Convention are not enough to resolve disputes today, Iya Malkina said. ―My colleague George Kremlis said that it is not only the Belarus-Lithuania case. There are also unresolved issues relating to Azerbaijan, Ukraine, and the UK,‖ she said, stressing that such a proposal of the general segment is an attempt to find a compromise for all parties to the meeting.

The 7th session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Espoo Convention is running in Minsk from 13 to 16 June. Attending the events are nearly 200 representatives from 45 member states of

the Espoo Convention, including ministers and deputy ministers, top executives of international organizations, financial institutes, and public associations.

Adopted on 25 February 1991 in Espoo, Fin-land, the Convention entered into force on 10 September 1997. It has been ratified by 45 states. The document sets out the obligations of the Parties to assess the environmental impact of certain activities at an early stage of planning. It also lays down the general obligation of the Par-ties to notify and consult each other on all major projects under consideration that are likely to have a significant adverse environmental impact across boundaries.

BELTA, 16.06.2017

Andrei Vasilyev UNECE Deputy Execu-tive Secretary The Espoo Convention is designed for resolving disputes on mutually acceptable terms, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Deputy Executive Secretary Andrei Vasilyev told the media on the sidelines of the seventh session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Espoo Convention in Minsk on 15 June.

As he commented on UNECE's position re-garding the dispute over the construction of the Belarusian nuclear power plant, Andrei Vasilyev noted that UNECE is attending the session to monitor the compliance with the procedures. ―We have no preferences or bias, we are abso-lutely neutral. The process [of reviewing the draft decisions of the session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Espoo Convention on compli-ance], no doubt, is a complex one, and I would not say that the Belarusian-Lithuanian issue is our only focus,‖ Andrei Vasilyev emphasized.

He said that the agenda for the session also includes matters involving Ukraine and Romania, Armenia and Azerbaijan, and the United King-

dom. ―These issues arise and get settled. Unfor-tunately, sometimes there is too much politics involved. The Espoo Convention is an instrument designed to help countries to find cooperation mechanisms for resolving problems on mutually ac-ceptable terms. However, today legislative tools are often used for some kind of politicization. It is unlikely that this can contribute to progress,‖ Andrei Vasilyev stressed.

The seventh session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Espoo Convention is run-ning in Minsk on 13-16 June. About 200 people representing 45 countries parties to the Espoo Convention are taking part in the events. Among them are ministers and deputy ministers of environmental protection ministries and other agencies, high-ranking

officials of international organizations and finan-cial institutions, and members of the public.

The Convention on Environmen-tal Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context was adopted in Espoo, Finland on 25 February 1991 to come into force on 10 September 1997. It has been ratified by 45 countries. The Espoo Convention obliges the signatories to carry out an environmental impact assess-ment of certain activities at an early stage of planning. It also lays down general obligations of the parties to the Convention to notify and consult each other on all major projects under consid-

eration if such projects are likely to adversely affect the environment beyond national borders.

BELTA, 16.06.2017

BELARUS, LATVIA TO TALK OVER ENVIRONMENTAL

PROTECTION IN AUTUMN 2017 The Belarusian-

Latvian commission on cooperation in environmental pro-tection is set to meet in autumn 2017. Belarusian First Dep-uty Natural Re-sources and Environ-mental Protection Minister Iya Malkina and Latvian Deputy State Secretary for Environmental Protection Alda Ozola dis-cussed this topic ahead of the 7th session

of the Meeting of the Parties to the Espoo Convention, BelTA learned from the press service of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment Pro-tection.

The sides agreed to re-sume the work of the Belarusian-Latvian com-mission on cooperation in environmental protection

as proposed by Belarus. Its next regular meet-

ing is scheduled for autumn 2017 and aims to review a new program of cooperation between the ministries in the coming years.

Iya Malkina and Alda Ozola also talked over the drafting and signing of a bilateral intergov-ernmental agreement on cooperation in the protection and use of water resources in the Zapadnaya Dvina/Daugava basin. The agenda of the meeting also included such points as collaboration in waste management, eel re-sources management, sustainable peatland management, and other matters.

BELTA, 13.06.2017

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Organization for Security and Coopera-tion in Europe (OSCE) represents an im-portant platform for sharing the best prac-tices in a large number of areas relating to economy environmentalization, technology transfer, and “green growth”. The opinion was expressed by the Belarusian delega-tion, which took part in the second prepar-atory meeting of the 25th Economic and Environmental Forum of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in

Astana, Kazakhstan, representatives of the Embassy of Belarus in Austria told BelTA.

The Belarusian delegation included repre-sentatives of the Natural Resources and Envi-ronmental Protection Ministry and Belarus' Per-manent Delegation to the OSCE. The forum focused on ways to improve resource efficiency and economy environmentalization, the use of renewable sources of energy, and better admin-istration practices in environmental protection affairs. In anticipation of the annual session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, which will

take place in Minsk on 5-9 July, the Belarusian delegation drew attention to the role of parlia-mentarians in establishing bridges and advanc-ing constructive interstate cooperation in the economic and environmental dimension of the OSCE's security, including green economy. Participants of the forum were made familiar with the experience of introducing green econo-my principles in Belarus.

BELTA, 16.06.2017

BELARUS ATTENDS OSCE ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL FORUM PREPARATORY

MEETING IN ASTANA

MINSK TO HOST MEETING ON METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES

TO CIVIL AVIATION An international meeting on meteorolog-

ical services to civil aviation will be held in Minsk, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Natural Re-sources and Environment.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Envi-ronment, jointly with the Transport and Commu-nications Ministry, will welcome representatives of the World Meteorological Organization and the International Civil Aviation Organization in Minsk. On 14-16 June the Belarusian capital will play host to a joint meeting of Working Group No.4 on Meteorological Services to Civil Aviation of the

CIS Interstate Council for Hydrometeorology (WG-4) and the Project Team on Implementation of MET Service in Eastern part of the European region, including Central Asia (METG PT/EAST ICAO).

Participants of the meeting will discuss the measures to enhance the efficiency of meteoro-logical services for flights with a view to improv-ing its quality, unification and improvement of practices to provide meteorological services to aviation. Such meetings have become a tradition and are one of the ways to develop cooperation with the World Meteorological Organization and

the International Civil Aviation Organization. Attending the joint meeting will be representa-tives of meteorological services and civil aviation organizations of Austria, France, Russia, Azerbai-jan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, and Ukraine.

―Ensuring the safe, frequent and efficient civil aviation is vital as it contributes to the strength-ening of the public trust in aviation. Safe flights directly depend on reliable and high-quality mete-orological information,‖ the ministry said.

BELTA, 13.06.2017

FAO TO HOST SEMINAR ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN MINSK 19-20 JUNE

The Food and Agriculture Or-ganization of the United Nations (FAO) will host a regional seminar on sustainable development at the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus on 19-20 June, BelTA learned from the press service of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus.

The regional workshop on sustaina-ble food and agriculture for the imple-mentation of the 2030 Agenda and the

Paris Agreement will open at the conference hall of the National Academy of Sci-ences at 10 am on 19 June. FAO will hold such a big forum in Belarus for the first time.

About 100 representatives of the government and civil society from 15 countries of Europe and Central Asia will arrive in Minsk. Leading

Belarusian scientists and specialists in the field of agriculture and food will take part in the seminar. Participants will discuss issues of sus-tainable food security, agriculture and climate change, as well as the globally agreed goals of sustainable development and the ways to achieve them at the national level. Countries will share the relevant experience in integrating sustainable development issues into national policies and action plans.

BELTA, 16.06.2017

MINSK TO HOST INTERNATIONAL

WATER FORUM 5-6 OCTOBER The Belarusian capital will play host to

the International Water Forum on 5 and 6 October, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection.

―The event will bring together representatives of the Belarusian government, public agencies, national and international organizations and foundations, research centers and educational institutions, businessmen and members of the media. The forum will aim at finding the best ways to promote efficient use of water re-sources for the needs of economy and for the sake of protecting them from depletion and contamination in the context of climate change,‖ the minis-try said.

The key themes of the forum include sustainable use of water re-sources in the context of climate change, mod-ern approaches to protecting water resources from contamination and depletion, water purifi-

cation technologies, cross-border cooperation in the protection and use of transboundary water

bodies, water power engineering, the use of geothermal waters, and the use of the recrea-tional potential of Belarus' water bodies.

The program of the forum features two international workshops (roundtables): the CEI

workshop ―Assessing the impact of water power plants construction on the ecological status of small and medium rivers in Central and Eastern Europe‖, and the workshop ―Strategic and medium-term planning for water resources and systems: OECD rec-ommendations, approaches, and planning tools‖ to be held as part of the European Union Water Initiative Plus for the Eastern Partnership pro-ject.

The forum is organized by the Bela-rusian Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, Bela-rusian State Technological University, and the Central Research Institute for Integrated Water Resource Man-agement.

BELTA, 12.06.2017

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Belarus has earned nearly $4 million on the export of grapevine snails over the past five years, Belarus' Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Andrei Kov-khuto told the media, BelTA has learned.

―Last year alone the country exported more than 23,000 tonnes of vegetable products, in-cluding mushrooms, fresh berries and processed products worth nearly $60 million. A grapevine snail, an exotic product for our country, earned Belarus some $4 million in the past five years,‖ said Andrei Kovkhuto.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Envi-ronment has been actively cooperating with

Russia, first of all, in the preservation and sus-tainable use of the biological and landscape diversity. Belarus and Russia have set up a group on cooperation and have already reached an agreement to work out an intergovernmental agreement on developing a cross-border spe-cially protected natural area that will include Belarus' Osveisky and Krasny Bor reserves, and the Russian National Park Sebezhsky.

―We discussed the matter at the recent meeting with the Minister of Natural Resources at the 8th International Environmental Forum in St Petersburg. In the near future we will estab-lish a regime of the joint use of the area,‖ noted

Andrei Kovkhuto. There are similar joint areas with Poland and Lithuania.

A joint plan has been adopted between Belarus' specially protected areas and the Asso-ciation of Reserves and National Parks of North-West Russia on cooperation for 2017-2020, including eco-tourism development. The minis-ter stressed that the efforts to maximally pre-serve natural resources open an opportunity for those interested to see the intact nature.

BELTA, 1.06.2017

BELARUS EXPORTS $4M WORTH OF EDIBLE SNAILS OVER PAST FIVE YEARS

BELOVEZHSKAYA PUSHCHA

TO OFFER NEW ECOTOUR

RUFFS MAKE A PITSTOP AT PRIPYAT

Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park has developed a new ecotour Photo Safari, BelTA learned from Oksana Bogaleisha, the head of the tourism department of the na-tional park.

The route runs along the southern boundary of the park, across forest patches interspersed with meadows, wetlands, and flood lands. The area features locations used traditionally for research and breeding of hoofed animals. Photo Safari will provide a unique opportunity to see wild animals in their natural surroundings and take pictures of herds of red deer, roe deer, or fallow deer and make selfies with the animals in the background.

The tourists will travel in a 16-seat carriage drawn by a 26hp mini tractor Belarus. The trac-tor complies with the Euro 3A emission stand-ards and boasts high capacity. The tour is de-signed to run for 2-2.5 hours and is operated with a guide. The idea of the tour was put for-ward by tourists. ―People come to Belovezh-

skaya Pushcha to enjoy the nature. For many, to see animals in enclosure and visit the muse-um is not enough. Therefore, after the general sight-seeing tour, we will invite tourists to get on the trac-tor-drawn carriage and join the Photo Safari tour. The route is designed in such a way as to ensure that the tourists see wild animals in their natural environ-ment. We believe that the tour will be popular with our visitors,‖ Oksana Bogaleisha said.

The ecotour will debut in the coming days. For some time, such tours will be organized by

prior request. It is expected that in the future, the park will have a fixed schedule of such

tours.

To celebrate the opening of the new route, the national park is throwing a con-test to give away free tickets to two lucky sub-scribers of the official group of Belovezhskaya P u s h c h a i n VKontakte. The tickets will be drawn at the tourism office of

the national park on 26 June.

BELTA, 12.06.2017

It‟s unlikely our country has ever seen such a large number of birds registered in the Red Book. 120,000 ruffs (20 per cent of the whole world‟s population) — slim long-legged wading birds — have spent this spring in the Belarusian Polesie region.

By Dmitry Umpirovich : Ac-cording to ornithologists, they will spend around a month at Turov meadow which is considered the major transit point for migrating birds.

―Ruffs fly from Afri-ca, from their winter-ing places, to Eura-sian cold deserts,‖ explained the Direc-tor of the Belarus Bird Ringing Centre and senior research officer of the orni-thology laboratory at the Scientific and Practical Centre for Bioresources of the National Academy of Sc iences, Pave l Pinchuk. ―According

to bird ringing data, these birds nest from Scan-dinavia to Yakutia. Migration for birds is a diffi-cult time, so such stops are very important for them to gain weight, for example. Otherwise, the birds won‘t be able to reach their destina-tions.‖

The floodplain of the River Pripyat is perfect for such a break, so it‘s vital to preserve it in its unchanged state. Other birds from the Red Book also nest here: black-tailed godwits, double snipers, ring plovers, European oyster catchers, Terek sandpipers, marsh sandpipers and pintails.

The Minsk Times, 1.06.2017

FIVE BELARUSIAN BISON TO MOVE TO RUSSIA'S SMOLENSKOYE POOZERYE

Five Belarusian bison will move to a new residence in the Russian National Park Smo-lenskoye Poozerye, Belarus' Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Andrei Kov-khuto told the media, BelTA has learned.

―Belarus is ready to share bison in an effort to restore the bison population which currently stands at more than 1,500 (25% of the world's population),‖ said Andrei Kovkhuto. There is an agreement on five bison to expand the popula-tion of the Russian National Park Smolenskoye Poozerye.

With the implementation of the bison preservation and expansion program in Belarus in 1994-1998

the number of these animals has been on a constant increase. Their number went up more than four times over the past 22 years to total 1,574 individuals as of 1 February 2017.

―The goal of the concept on the preservation and sustainable use of bison in Belarus to secure the fur-ther growth in the number of bison as a guarantee for their long-term presence (1,500 individuals) has been fulfilled. At the same time there are problems related to the influence of bison on natural ecosys-tems and agricultural landscapes, the state of certain micro popula-tions,‖ the ministry earlier reported.

BELTA, 1.06.2017

P. 6 NEWS & EVENTS IN BELARUS №

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By Vasily Malashenkov : Who would think of spending their holiday in the marshes? Some clearly would. Going to „drygva‟ — as the marshes are sometimes called in Belarus — is a type of extreme tourism in the Republic. Sturdy boots and a good map are essential, the romantic as-pects of a trip here is ques-tionable, however.

In Belarus, the swamps occupy nearly 15 percent of the total area and people treat the-se special places with respect. During the war, the ‗drygva‘ offered shelter from the enemy and now people collect cranber-ries and cloudberries. Five of us recently travelled to the Olman-skie marshes and took three and a half days to explore them all.

―These are wild places where it‘s better not to go alone,‖ warned an experienced swamp-visitor. ―Local people reassure us that the bog has not sucked anyone in for many years though. It‘s important to be safe and sensible in the envi-ronment and to use a long pole to examine the surface before stepping on it. Walking is diffi-cult. The soil shifts beneath your feet, many places require you to walk through deep mud. Often causeways or wooden tracks help when they are not too slippery. In a few places, there are patches of perfectly ‗paved‘ road, possibly the remains for a farm which existed before the time of Khrushchev. Borti‘ — or old hives — are also sometimes seen and are still used by the local villagers‖

One of the members of our tour — Digger — explained how he once managed to put a tent

directly on the marsh. We decided to spend the night on the islands, searching for a site with access, found in wells dug by cranberry pickers close to their huts. These people spend up to several weeks a year here, collecting berries. They put the harvest into unsealed bags and put them back in the bog. Both the water and

the cold help to preserve the product which is later taken out to be sold.

A local villager tells us that cranberries previously reached a price of Br3 per kilo, but at the end of the season, the price dropped to Br2.5. To make any money, a picker needs to collect at least a hundred kilos. The season usually starts in September and lasts until the first snow. Collecting is sometimes hampered by fires and the evidence is clear to see on our trip,

with some trees merely black sticks, with little or no fruit.

Sacred lake

Olmany borders Bolshoe Zasominoe Lake. Its shore is boggy but decking has been laid by the villagers. On reaching a small viewing tow-er, we see a summerhouse by the shore. It‘s a

great place to stop and eat or just enjoy the lake. Believers might bow to the crosses near-by. According to legend, a duke‘s daughter drowned here after being prohibited from marrying her lover. After the tragedy, her father command-ed that the lake be blessed and set up the crosses.

A 19th century church is situat-ed in Olmany; it was preserved after the war along with the priest‘s house. The Germans burned the countryside, taking the villagers to camps. Only a few of them managed to es-cape and survived by hiding in the marshes.

In summer, the swamps are damp, hot and full of mosqui-toes. In autumn, the dampness is a special feature: artful, cool and penetrating. Some may wonder why people choose

such places for their leisure, the answer is sim-ple: to personally challenge themselves and see how they can conquer the bogs. It‘s a great achievement to reach places that most people can‘t go. It‘s a great opportunity to discover the unknown world of nature and test human capa-bilities.

The Minsk Times, 1.06.2017

PEOPLE OF THE MARSHES

YEVGENY LOBANOV: GREENMAP BELARUS

PROJECT WILL HELP CHANGE PEOPLE'S

ENVIRONMENTAL HABITS The project Greenmap Belarus will help

change people's environmental habits, Yevgeny Lobanov, Director of the Center for Environmental Solutions, said during the presentation of the project at the 7th session of the Meet-ing of the Parties to the Espoo Conven-tion.

―One of the key objectives of this pro-ject was to create a public instrument that would help us to bring about a certain change in people's environmen-tal habits and increase public environmental awareness. As their e v e r y d a y h a b i t s change, people get more involved in various

processes associated with the protection of the environment in our country. We have developed

the Greenmap webs i te (greenmap.by) that is already operational in almost all the cities of Belarus. The infor-mation is provided by volun-teers,‖ Yevgeny Lobanov said. The resource provides infor-mation about key environmen-tal sites: waste collection points, environmental protec-tion organizations, sites with renewable energy installations, unique natural zones, including parks and reserves. The map shows places with equipment that uses renewable energy: solar panels and collectors, wind-powered generators.

Yevgeny Lobanov emphasized the need to engage as many

people as possible in gathering information for

Greenmap and using the website, especially in the regions. ―The resource will be further devel-oped. Basic maps have already been created for almost all the cities of Belarus. Volunteers are currently busy verifying them. Local authorities show interest in the project: it is important for them to make sure that the environmental sites of their regions are reflected on Greenmap,‖ he added.

The project Greenmap Belarus received the first prize in the E-environment nomination of the UN World Summit on the Information Socie-ty (WSIS) Prizes 2017. The resource has been developed by the Center for Environmental Solutions under the project of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection ―Supporting the Transition to a Green Economy in the Republic of Belarus‖ financed by the EU and implemented by the UN Development Pro-gram.

BELTA, 15.06.2017

GREENMAP BELARUS PROJECT AMONG

WINNERS OF UN WSIS PRIZES 2017 The project Greenmap Belarus has re-

ceived the first prize in the E-environment nomination of the UN World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Prizes 2017, Belarusian First Deputy Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Minister Iya Malkina told the media on the sidelines of the 7th session of the Meeting of the Par-ties to the Espoo Convention in Minsk, Bel-TA has learned.

Houlin Zhao, Secretary-General of the Inter-national Telecommunication Union, presented the award to Belarus' Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office in Geneva Yuri Ambrazevich on 13 June. The prize is a recogni-

tion of the country's contribution to the devel-opment of the information society.

This year's edition of the contest featured 345 projects from different countries. The panel of expert judges decided to honor the project Greenmap Belarus with the first prize. ―This is a very important achievement for us. We have demonstrated that a lot is done in Belarus to protect the environment in Europe,‖ Iya Malkina said.

Green Map (http://greenmap.by) is a re-source developed by the center of ecological solutions under the project of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection

―Supporting the Transition to a Green Economy in the Republic of Belarus‖ financed by the EU and implemented by the UN Development Pro-gram. The resource provides information on important ecological sites: waste collection points, environment protection organizations, sites with renewable energy installations, unique natural areas, including parks and re-serves. The map shows places with equipment that uses renewable energy: solar panels and collectors, wind-powered generators.

BELTA, 13.06.2017

NEWS & EVENTS IN BELARUS

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OPINION: DEVELOPMENT

OF NUCLEAR POWER

ENGINEERING HELPS IMPROVE

THE ENVIRONMENT The development of nuclear power

engineering helps improve the environ-ment, Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Semashko said during the plenary session “Atom as a basis for zero carbon energy future” held as part of the Atomex-po forum in Moscow on 19 June, BelTA has learned.

Vladimir Semashko believes that the de-velopment of nuclear power engineering will help Belarus reduce its dependence on hydrocarbons. Experts note that the world's proven oil reserves will last about 50 years, and the natural gas reserves some 70-80 years. ―Today we should look for an alternative, if carbon production will be reduced,‖ he noted. Besides, the cost of nu-clear fuel in the structure of electricity produc-tion costs is quite low. This will enable us to

eliminate marked fluctuations in the tariffs for the industry and households following fluctua-tions in fuel prices, Vladimir Semashko said.

Speaking about the Russian AES-2006 design, the vice premier called it the most ad-vanced and secure one. AES-2006 combines both active and passive safety systems.

The Belarusian nuclear power plant is a project to build a VVER-1200 type nuclear power plant 18km away from Ostrovets, Grodno Oblast. The BelNPP will have two power-generating units with the total output capacity of up to 2,400MW (2x1,200MW). The first power-generating unit will be commissioned in 2019, the second – in 2020.

BELTA, 19.06.2017

BELARUS CONSIDERING RATIFICATION

OF MINAMATA CONVENTION

ON MERCURY Belarus is considering the ratification

of the Minamata Convention on Mercury, BelTA learned from Belarusian Deputy Nat-ural Resources and Environmental Protec-tion Minister Iya Malkina on 8 June.

According to the source, Belarus signed the Minamata Convention on Mercury in 2014 but has not ratified it yet. ―Since the convention comes into force this year, we are working hard on its possible ratification. It requires a lot of effort and the national economy needs to be evaluated since we intend to honor the commit-ments we may undertake as part of this interna-tional agreement,‖ explained the official.

Belarus joined the Minamata Convention

on Mercury during the UN Climate Summit in New York in 2014. The Minamata Convention on Mercury covers all the possible ways of for-mation (accumulation) of mercury, including mercury supplies, mining, trade and the manu-facturing of mercury-containing products as from 2020, emission and release of mercury into the atmosphere and water, and waste treat-ment.

BELTA, 8.06.2017

Belarus' Green Map voted among top five for UN

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IAEA: NUCLEAR POWER HELPS SCALE DOWN AIR POLLUTANT

EMISSIONS Without nuclear power, we cannot

meet our commitments to reduce harmful emissions into the atmosphere, IAEA Depu-ty Director General Mikhail Chudakov said during the roundtable discussion "Nuclear energy: the energy of the future or the relic of the past?" at the 9th international nucle-ar industry forum Atomexpo 2017 on 20 June, BelTA has learned.

" N u c l e a r power is set to re-main the key com-ponent of the global energy industry in the coming decades due to its safety and economic efficiency. Without nuclear power, we will not be able to meet our commitments to reduce air pollutant emissions. If we take into account a nuclear plant's entire life circle, nuclear energy is compa-rable with renewable energy sources in terms of the minimum amount of emissions,‖ Mikhail Chidakov remarked.

According to him, nuclear energy also boasts the safest innovative technologies that ensure the independence and safety of energy

generation.

Today there are some 450 nuclear power reactors operating in 30 countries. They produce nearly 11% of the world's electricity.

The international forum Atomexpo is orga-nized by Rosatom on an annual basis. Over the years, the forum has become the largest inter-national business and exhibition venue for dis-

cussing the current situation in the nu-clear industry and shaping its further development. This year, the main topic of the forum is ―Nuclear technolo-gies – safety, ecolo-gy, sustainability‖. Atomexpo 2017 brought together over 6,500 repre-sentatives of 653

companies from 65 countries. The forum tradi-tionally comprises a specialized exhibition and a congress. This year it features a BelNPP stand, too.

BELTA, 20.06.2017

EBRD to provide loan to upgrade water supply

infrastructure in Belarus

P. 7