ENVSEC Regional Meeting for South Eastern Europe

June 28–30, 2016, Tirana, Albania

Draft Meeting Minutes

Chaired by Ms. Marta Szigeti Bonifert, executive director of the Regional Environmental Center for Central Eastern Europe (REC), the meeting was opened by Ms. Olijana Ifti, deputy minister at the Ministry of Environment of Albania. Statements were delivered by H.E. Mr. Johann Sattler, ambassador of Austria to Albania; Mr. Jan Rudolph, Chargé d'Affaires a.i. of the European Union Delegation to Albania; Mr. Robert Wilton, acting head of the OSCE Presence in Albania; Ms. Yesim Oruc, country director of UNDP Albania; Ms. Maria Teresa Pisani, economic affairs officer of the Environment Division of UNECE; and Mr. Pier Carlo Sandei, programme officer for UNEP–Vienna Office. The meeting comprised presentations and plenary discussions structured around the four focus areas of ENVSEC:

1. Management of shared water resources 2. Hazardous waste and industrial legacies 3. Climate change and natural disasters 4. Environmental good governance

Opening session Members of the panel presented the mission and main achievements of ENVSEC since 2003 in South Eastern Europe (SEE) in the context of tackling environmental challenges while strengthening regional cooperation. The ENVSEC partner organisations acknowledged and expressed their profound gratitude to ENVSEC’s key resource partners: Austrian Development Cooperation through the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), the main donor for ENVSEC activities in SEE, for its substantial long-term support; as well as Belgium, the European Union, Finland and Switzerland. The ENVSEC partner organisations also expressed their gratitude to the Ministry of Environment of Albania for co-hosting the ENVSEC Regional Meeting for SEE. Ms. Olijana Ifti highlighted her ministry’s commitment to facilitating opportunities for regional and cross-border cooperation. Ms. Ifti acknowledged that environmental degradation can lead to political disputes that affect national and regional stability. In this context, she pointed out that ENVSEC is in a position to prevent such negative developments as it provides a platform for

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dialogue and trust building; contributes to the sharing of knowledge and experiences; and supports pilot activities at local, national and regional levels. Ms. Ifti also listed the current priorities of the ministry for the 2013–2017 period, which include: adaptation to climate change; the management and reduction of transboundary risks; environmental governance; the reduction of climate change impacts; and regional cooperation. Institutional measures that will be implemented in the upcoming period are: stricter legislation on the importing of waste (including, but not limited to, a tariff increase corresponding to the costs of waste management; the polluter pays principle; and the establishment of a regulatory authority for waste that defines a solid waste fee); the reorganisation of the state environment inspectorate; law enforcement; the transposition of the EU acquis communautaire; public participation; education; and the promotion of a sense of responsibility for the environment and nature conservation. “We hope that ENVSEC will continue to contribute to strengthening regional cooperation and adaptation to climate change.” H.E. Mr. Johann Sattler presented a global outlook for inter-country cooperation on climate change mitigation and adaptation. He drew particular attention to the risks of competition for natural resources, stated as the biggest upcoming challenge of our time for good relations between neighbouring countries; the need to transpose and implement EU environmental policies in the countries of the region; and the risks posed by hydropower plants, in relation to which he invited regional countries to initiate dialogue in order to identify the benefits and drawbacks, and to learn from Albania’s example of an active civil society maintaining ongoing debate on the use of hydropower plants. “Mankind has the ability to learn from its mistakes, and thus can do better in the future.” Mr. Jan Rudolph presented EU environmental policies and financial support programmes and mechanisms covering SEE, and the results that have been achieved. He mentioned EU concerted action towards reducing GHG emissions by at least 40 percent by 2030 compared with 1990, and increasing total energy consumption from renewable energy sources by at least 27 percent. He also highlighted the support provided by the EU to SEE countries to undertake the same path, through programmes such as the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF), the Regional Environmental Reconstruction Programme for South East Europe (REReP), and the Environment and Climate Regional Accession Network (ECRAN), among others. Mr. Rudolph mentioned Albania as one of the main beneficiary countries in the region for EU assistance, and reinforced the commitment of the EU to continue to support Albania to preserve its natural environment and develop resilience and growth. “When we talk about climate change, we talk about global challenges. The countries in the SEE region must be better prepared for climate change impacts.” Mr. Robert Wilton referred to Albania as a clear example of where the balance between economic development, investment and environmental protection should be taken into

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consideration. He noted that in 2016 and 2017, OSCE is prioritising efforts to strengthen stability and security through cooperation on good governance, with a focus on greening the economy and building partnerships for security. With ENVSEC funding, OSCE has supported Aarhus Centres to become a good means of preserving stability at local level, to work with municipalities on disaster risk reduction (DRR) awareness raising, and to help national actors fight environmental crimes through a concerted approach. “Security challenges arising from climate change cannot be addressed by any country working alone. We must join efforts in managing shared resources and addressing environmental challenges to enhance our security and ensure sustainable growth.” Ms. Yesim Oruc drew attention to three regional needs and related future tasks in connection with development assistance: 1) national programmes are not generally linked to regional initiatives, thus we need to actively build linkages between them; 2) institutional cooperation between countries is very poor, and the majority of initiated programmes for institutional cooperation are not finalised. We need to build institutional correspondence between neighbouring countries and bring to a conclusion regional initiatives; and 3) in SEE countries, governance and the rule of law are the essential areas that must be addressed in order for other goals to be achieved. “SDGs: they are not UN and not government goals, but goals of the people.” Ms. Maria Teresa Pisani and Mr. Pier Carlo Sandei referred to the need to strengthen regional cooperation. Ms. Pisani emphasised in particular the findings of the last ENVSEC report for the sub-region, which highlights the need to strengthen cooperation on the management of shared natural resources, along with the need to address numerous environmental challenges, such as heavy industrial pollution in urban industrial areas and the mining sector, insufficient water technology and infrastructure, and poor preparedness and rescue and emergency assistance in the event of floods and fires. Ms. Pisani mentioned that multilateral environmental agreements provide governments with the necessary guidance to address most of these challenges. However, their enforcement in many of the countries in the region still requires greater political will as well as informed and active civil society engagement. Mr. Sandei talked about the need to synergise actions and to support governments in their struggle to cope with limited workforce capacities in state institutions. “All countries are struggling because of limited staff in the governments, but ENVSEC is trying to bring support.”

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Environment and Security in South Eastern Europe The session “Environment and Security in South Eastern Europe” included a keynote speech by Mr. Raffi V. Balian, director of the Regional Environmental, Science & Technology, and Health (ESTH) Hub Office for Central and Eastern Europe of the U.S. Department of State; as well as a presentation by Mr. Adlej Pici, managing director of GfK Albania, and statements by the ENVSEC National Focal Points. Mr. Raffi V. Balian presented ongoing REC projects implemented in cooperation with the ESTH Hub in the framework of ENVSEC. In particular, he highlighted the project “Local Environmental and Energy-Related Action Plans for Sustainable Development, Energy Diversification and Civic Engagement in Communities in Ukraine” (LEAPs), and “Building Local Community Resilience for the Sustainable Development of Watersheds in South Eastern Europe” (CRESSIDA). He shared U.S. experience in dealing with climate change impacts, and referred to the five main threats affecting the implementation of the SDGs, as listed by U.S. President Barack Obama: 1) corruption; 2) inequalities and discrimination against minorities; 3) outdated thinking; 4) violence and war; and 5) climate change. He suggested that SEE countries should focus on good governance (e.g. rationalise pricing and governance support); be technologically neutral and allow innovations to take hold; look at good practices (e.g. procurement guidelines); and make use of accurate data to establish effective policies. He recommended SEE countries to include sustainable education as an obligatory subject in the national curricula, and to further develop local opportunities for investments and microfinancing. Mr. Adlej Pici provided an example of the support that the business sector brings to environmental stewardship, listing the activities undertaken by GfK. He presented the market research conducted by GfK Albania to analyse public attitudes and individual behaviour in the SEE region, which revealed that:

the population generally perceives environmental issues as of key importance;

the population expects pollution to worsen in the future;

governments are expected to enforce stricter regulations to protect the environment, but at the same time citizens are not ready to commit to making personal sacrifices in this respect;

perceptions of the seriousness of climate change impacts are significantly lower than in the EU; and

companies are generally convinced that their operational activities are sufficiently environmentally friendly.

Mr. Pici recommended that participating ENVSEC National Focal Points (NFPs) contribute to initiating policies and activities aimed at raising awareness among the business sector on standards for environmentally friendly company policies.

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Statements by the ENVSEC NFPs focused on the results achieved by their ministries, future objectives, and cooperation with ENVSEC:

Ms. Silvamina Alshabani, ENVSEC NFP for Albania, stated that among the different measures taken, the Ministry of Environment has declared a hunting ban for the next five years and a ban on the exploitation of forests for commercial purposes for the next 10 years, and has established the National Agency for Protected Areas. Albania is also working towards the preparation of management plans for water basins. Ms. Arna Ugljen-Kopić, representing the ENVSEC NFP for Bosnia and Herzegovina, expressed the full support of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations to the work of ENVSEC, and deep gratitude for inclusion in the many programmes and projects of ENVSEC.

Ms. Nezakete Hakaj, ENVSEC NFP for Kosovo, stated that ENVSEC has helped Kosovo* to solve transboundary problems, reduce pollution, exchange experiences and achieve successful results. She highlighted the need to continue to cooperate within the ENVSEC framework on a wider range of issues (e.g. more cooperation on actions aimed at tackling climate change). Ms. Besa Tateshi, ENVSEC NFP for the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, mentioned the country’s advances in transposing EU environmental policies, but also its lack of progress in implementation and enforcement. In addition, Ms. Tateshi expressed the commitment of the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning to strengthen regional cooperation for joint action on environmental issues. Introduction to ENVSEC in South Eastern Europe The session “Introduction to ENVSEC in South Eastern Europe” included a presentation by Ms. Gordana Kozhuharova, regional desk officer for South Eastern Europe at the REC. Ms. Kozhuharova gave a detailed overview of the mission, added value, operational activities and projects of ENVSEC. She listed the achievements of ENVSEC in the SEE region, which include the implementation of up to 27 projects with a combined value of USD 8 million to date, and their key results:

improved safety of two non-active mining sites in Reps and Rreshen in Albania through remediation work;

the construction of a passive treatment system for acid mine waters in Zuta Prla;

improved transboundary arrangements and management plans for protected areas;

the establishment of a network/platform for cooperation on combating illegal logging through the Themis Network;

This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.

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the establishment and consolidation of a network of Aarhus Centres; and

the sustainable management of shared water resources such as the Drin/Drini River Basin, the Timok River and the Lepenec River.

Achieved results and outputs under each priority area are as follows:

1. Management of shared water resources: a) Management of protected areas — management of national parks, transfer of

knowledge and experiences. b) Management of transboundary waters — support to the integrated water management

approach. c) Forest fires — preparation of national studies and a regional report in cooperation with

the Regional Fire Monitoring Center (RFMC). d) Support to, and cooperation with, other regional initiatives/platforms (e.g. Dinaric Arc

Initiative). e) Signing of a common vision for the proclamation of the Sharra/Korab/Deshat National

Park by the ministers of environment of Kosovo*, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Albania in November 2013.

2. Hazardous waste and industrial legacies:

a) Regional report on EU accession risks posed by industrial and mining legacy sites in Western Balkan countries.

b) Detailed technical design for acid mine water treatment in the Novo Brdo mine. c) Maintenance plan for a passive system for treating acid mine waters in Zuta Prla. d) Maintenance plan for the remediated tailings dam in Rreshen, Albania. e) Detailed technical design for remediation activities at the Fushe-Arrez mine. f) Assistance in the enforcement of the UNECE Convention on the Transboundary Effects

of Industrial Accidents and the Seveso II Directive.

3. Environmental good governance: a) Regional study on key issues related to access to justice. b) The establishment and ongoing capacity building of a network of 14 Aarhus Centres in

Albania (3), Bosnia and Herzegovina (3), Montenegro (3) and Serbia (5).

4. Climate change and natural disasters: a) The mainstreaming of an ecosystems-based approach to climate change adaptation. b) The identification of potential adaptation measures and security aspects linked to

climate change through the “Study on ecological networks of the mountainous region of the Dinaric Arc”.

c) National workshop and expert meeting addressing climate security risks in Albania, held on November 20, 2014.

Ms. Kozhuharova mentioned future priorities for action in the region: to address the emerging issues of DRR and forest fires; identify and address environmental hotspots; improve the

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management of potential transboundary protected areas; prioritise adaptation actions and address relevant ENVSEC mitigation issues; carry out stocktaking and assessment of climate change impacts; and provide further support to Aarhus Centres and other public environmental information centres. Panel 1: Management and reduction of transboundary risks from hazardous activities Panel 1 included presentations by Ms. Izabela Nagyová, project manager at the Slovak Agency for International Development Cooperation (SAIDC); Ms. Besa Tateshi, IPPC advisor and ENVSEC NFP from the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; and Mr. Pier Carlo Sandei, programme officer for UNEP–Vienna Office. Ms. Izabela Nagyová provided a brief description of the programmes and priorities of SAIDC, both worldwide and in the region. The priority areas mentioned were: good governance; support to the market environment; environmental protection; agriculture and forestry; and water and sanitation. She gave examples of projects supported by SAIDC in the ENVSEC priority areas on topics such as border control and management, the Euro-Atlantic integration process of Montenegro, raising awareness on waste recycling, and sanitation and waste water management. Ms. Besa Tateshi drew attention to industrial pollution as a key remaining issue in the region that should be prioritised. She mentioned that the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is only at an incipient phase in terms of dealing with hotspots, and is open to extending cooperation with neighbouring countries to this end. Mr. Pier Carlo Sandei focused his statement on an aspect related to industrial activities that is often overlooked — namely, the potential causes of hazardous waste in the case of floods. Not enough research and monitoring are being carried out in order to identify what is at risk of being flooded, and, in the event of a flood, where exactly contaminated waters are leaching from hazardous waste. He recognised the lack of interest on the part of the donor community in this priority area, and at the same time the need to continue to mobilise joint action.

Panel 2: Management of shared natural resources Panel 2 included presentations by Mr. Raffi Balian; Mr. Muhamet Malsiu, director of the Environmental Protection Department at the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning of Kosovo*; Ms. Silvamina Alshabani, head of the Protected Areas Unit, Directorate of Biodiversity and Protected Areas at the Ministry of Environment of Albania and ENVSEC NFP; and Mr. Nikola Nikolov, head of the Regional Fire Monitoring Center (RFMC). Mr. Raffi Balian mentioned that in February 2016, in Belgrade, the International Sava River Basin Commission (ISRBC), with the help of the U.S., established the first Water Council, gathering 50 stakeholders from municipalities, water agencies, research institutions, regional agencies,

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chambers of commerce and NGOs in order to ensure public participation and stakeholder involvement in the management of the Sava River Basin. According to Mr. Balian, this is a key development and shows a recognition that addressing the threat of flooding in watersheds requires public participation and regional cooperation. Mr. Muhamet Malsiu described the reforms that have been undertaken by the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning of Kosovo*, which include the development and enforcement of action plans on air protection and biodiversity. The next priorities are to develop an action plan on climate change, and to transpose EU legislation on the management of chemical substances. Mr. Nikola Nikolov presented the projects, courses and initiatives implemented by the RFMC in cooperation with ENVSEC on wildland fire management. He particularly highlighted the project “Environment and Security Initiative: Addressing the risk of forest fires in SEE”, run by the RFMC in cooperation with ENVSEC. The project monitors the occurrence of forest fires in the SEE region and burned areas since 2001, with yearly assessments up to the current year. The following impacts of forest fires on ecosystems were mentioned: forest degradation; deforestation; soil erosion; insect infestations; and biodiversity loss. The RFMC, in cooperation with ENVSEC, is combating these challenges through regional integrated forest fire management planning. Panel 3: Strengthening regional cooperation on environmental governance through participatory and informed decision making and implementation processes Panel 3 was moderated by Ms. Alma Mirvic, who underlined that 15 SEE Aarhus Centres signed a joint declaration on cooperation in June 2015 to formalise the principles of their joint work. She noted that Aarhus Centres have worked with five municipalities in SEE to produce DRR awareness-raising plans and family guides, and work with schools and local community councils on specific activities.

The panel included presentations by Ms. Maria Teresa Pisani, economic affairs officer within the Environment Division of UNECE; Mr. Mihallaq Qirjo, director of REC Albania, Ms. Sabina Jukan, executive director of the Aarhus Centre in Sarajevo; and Ms. Alminda Mema, executive director of the Aarhus Information Centre in Shkodra. Ms. Maria Teresa Pisani talked about access to justice and the importance of the Aarhus Convention and the Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTRs) for environmental democracy. Making information open and freely accessible reinforces public participation in decision making in environmental matters, provides an opportunity for people to seek justice if their rights are violated, and promotes government accountability. For this reason, ENVSEC provides guidance and shares best practices for the implementation of the convention and its protocol. Also, ENVSEC has enabled the establishment of the Task Forces to the Aarhus Convention, successfully enabling cooperation and joint action. Universal

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environmental rights are essential elements of sustainable development and are relevant to a wide range of global concerns, such as climate change, water management, greening the economy, health, and the eradication of poverty. Due to their cross-cutting nature, the Aarhus Convention and the PRTR Protocol play an instrumental role in implementing Agenda2030 and the SDGs. Mr. Mihallaq Qirjo outlined the key role of civil society in building good governance in the SEE region. According to Mr. Qirjo, civil society organisations are vectors of cross-border, regional cooperation and development. They strive to raise awareness of the consequences of hydropower plants on ecosystems in the SEE region, and their actions are of key importance since the region has a large number of hydropower plants and more than 500 are projected to be built. He gave examples of relevant ENVSEC programmes that enable the mutual engagement of civil society organisations, among which he highlighted in particular the ongoing CRESSIDA project. CRESSIDA builds cooperation and the capacities of stakeholders to face sustainability challenges in the Drin and Drina river basins. Through CRESSIDA, three communities from each of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Albania and Kosovo* are coming together and sharing experiences and lessons learned in relation to the Drin River; and communities from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia are meeting to consult on the Drina River. One area of common concern for civil society organisations revolves around the absorption of funds that remain operational for their activity. The REC has provided them with assistance in this regard by offering small granting schemes at local level, a practice also initiated by the EU, scaling down its funds to smaller NGOs. Ms. Sabina Jukan talked about the establishment and operational activity of the Aarhus Centre in Sarajevo, and the milestones it has reached in terms of building capacity and raising the awareness of the local population of the municipality of Vogosca on DRR. Among the events and milestones achieved, Ms. Jukan listed the implementation of the Action Plan for Strengthening Public Awareness of DRR in the Municipality of Vogosca, which involves a series of activities that bring together representatives of eight local communities from the municipality and five stakeholder groups: local communities, schools, municipal departments, media and NGOs. The outcomes of the action plan were the identification of a list of 16 concrete actions to be taken to increase public awareness on DRR, some of which were implemented within the ENVSEC-funded project. Ms. Jukan also added that the project enabled greater contacts with the UNDP Country Office Bosnia and Herzegovina. Ms. Alminda Mema presented activities on community awareness of DRR run by the Aarhus Information Centre in Shkodra, with a specific focus on schools, farms and local communities. Activities were implemented in schools and local communities in areas with a high risk of floods, and reached 319 pupils and students and 166 farmers. Next steps include, but are not limited to, awareness-raising sessions on DRR for local women, who have participated very little to date in meetings on DRR; trainings for teachers; awareness-raising activities for local communities focusing on immediate response and prevention; building cooperation and information sharing among citizens; and engaging the media in the transmission of information.

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Panel 4: Adaptation to the impacts of climate change to reduce security risks in South Eastern Europe Panel 4 was facilitated by Mr. Pier Carlo Sandei, who gave a short introductory speech to the panel. Presentations were given from the panellists: Ms. Ivana Stojanović, advisor within the Department for Sustainable Development of the Ministry for Sustainable Development and Tourism of Montenegro; Mr. Mihail Dimovski, team leader of the Environment and Climate Regional Accession Network (ECRAN); Ms. Marina Malish Sazdovska, associate professor at the Faculty of Security of St. Kliment Ohridski University, Bitola; and Mr. Eduardas Kazakevicius, senior expert on climate change and clean energy at the REC. Ms. Ivana Stojanović talked about the National Strategy for Sustainable Development (NSSD) 2030 of Montenegro, with a specific focus on climate change. The NSSD transposes 167 out of 169 SDG targets, two of them not being valid for Montenegro. As stated in the NSSD, priority in terms of activities for risk control and climate change adaptation and resilience is given, for example, to tourism, water resources, human health and agriculture, and coastal infrastructure. Mr. Mihail Dimovski presented programmes and activities on adaptation to climate change implemented by the Environment and Climate Regional Accession Network (ECRAN). Current activities include:

building regional political interest on adaptation, and promoting greater coordination and information sharing between ECRAN beneficiaries;

identifying existing and new mechanisms to support regions at high risk of climate change impacts to take appropriate adaptation measures;

providing support to the adoption of adaptation strategies by beneficiary countries;

promoting climate proofing actions; and

aligning adaptation activities with the European climate adaptation platform.

Mr. Dimovski also mentioned future priorities, which include, but are not limited to: broadening and strengthening the network of climate adaptation professionals; strengthening participation and active engagement in the Climate Adapt Platform; and strengthening the role of civil society. Ms. Marina Malish Sazdovska talked about the link between environmental crime and climate change. She highlighted that the global timber trade comprises 10 to 30 percent trade from illegal logging. In practice, global timber crime encompasses bribery, computer hacking, links with other types of crimes, corruption at all levels, and the manslaughter of police officers. Timber crime also hinders global efforts to halt climate change. Direct climate impacts are caused by deforestation, which affects the ozone layer and produces 17 percent of global GHG emissions, leading to global warming. Ms. Malish Sazdovska ended her presentation on a positive note, outlining the outcomes of the international climate change negotiations, which led to the establishment of the mechanism Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (REDD+). The REDD+ mechanism provides incentives to governments to support sustainable forestry practices.

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Mr. Eduardas Kazakevicius provided an insight into projects on adaptation to climate change run by the REC in the framework of ENVSEC. He mentioned in particular the EU-financed project “In-depth Assessment of Vulnerability to Climate Change and Ecosystem-Based Adaptation Measures in the Carpathian Region” (CarpathCC), which looks into existing and appropriate technical solutions for climate action, prescribes the necessary measures, and assesses their impacts. He stressed that adaptation to climate change is a long process, and that we are only at the beginning of it.

*** The recommendations made by the ENVSEC NFPs, ENVSEC resource partners, Aarhus Centres and other participating stakeholders during the panel discussions were agreed upon and included in the Joint Statement. The ENVSEC Regional Meeting for South Eastern Europe was followed by the ENVSEC Ambassadorial Briefing for Diplomatic Missions and Representations Accredited to Albania, where the ENVSEC partner organisations showcased the achievements and added values of ENVSEC and strengthened cooperation with local resource partners.