ACHIEVE - Open Call for Proposal for ECSOs

The project ACHIEVE - Albanian Civil Society for a European Environment, which is implemented by REC Albania and financed by the EU Delegation in Tirana has as an overall objective the encouragement and active participation of civil society in policy-making and contributing to the fulfilment of Albania's obligations under the EU Albania Stabilization and Association Agreement.

Through the different Working Packages, REC Albania in close cooperation with the Environmental Civil Society Organizations wants to reach the following strategic objective:
- Reinforced group of CSOs able to work in a professional and sustainable way addressing – also in collaboration with other CSOs and with the relevant governmental counterparts – environmental issue also at policy level.

Objectives and priority issues for the call
General objective: At least 4 group of ECSOs one per each topic (air quality, nature protection, waste management and horizontal legislation) will work at national level both on policy making and policy implementation issues.
Specific objective: At least 4 group of ECSOs one per each topic (air quality, nature protection, waste management and horizontal legislation) will collaborate with each other and work program based to improve the rule of law, fight the corruption and reduce the environmental pollution in the above topics and promote of regional and EU values and initiatives, in the areas related to environment and climate change.

The deadline for the applications is October 23th, 2015

The presentation of the first digital map of the waste landfills in Albania

On Friday, 16 October, under the auspices of the Minister Englantina Gjermeni, Ministry of Urban Development organized a national meeting for the presentation of the "digital map of urban waste landfills in Albania". The process was conducted by the Ministry of Urban Development with financial and technical support of REC Albania in the framework of the program SENIOR-A. Present at the event were the Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Niko Peleshi, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Mr. Edmond Haxhinasto, Minister of Innovation and Public Administration Mrs. Milena Harito, donors, investors, representatives of the central government, local government and civil society.
The Minister Gjermeni in her speech said that the new digital map is the product of two years’ work in the Ministry of Urban Development as a result of the united efforts of a highly qualified staff.
Mrs. Gjermeni further added that the Ministry of Urban Development is ready to provide an unconditional assistance to the 61 new municipalities, for ensuring protection of the environment from pollution and to guarantee a stable and integrated development. Even the Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Niko Peleshi stressed that this map will serve more to the local government units, which are also developing general local plans. This new digital map highlights the situation on existing landfills across the country and will be used as a planning tool for determining the spots, where are aimed to be built new landfills and to follow developments on the ground, in the waste sector.
Mr. Mihallaq Qirjo, the Director of REC Albania stressed the real possibility that this map provides not only regarding territorial planning but also the assistance it gives to various actors, particularly NGOs of civil society that can now identify, track and also compile projects for the benefit of the rehabilitation pollution in these areas. Also, CSOs should play a major role in raising awareness in the community living near and around these waste landfills, already clearly identified. This map will also serve to the local government units for the identification of landfills that are inherit in the territory of the new municipalities, expanded after the administrative-territorial reform.
The map helps even to determine the areas where landfills will be built according to the plans and directives at the national level and to identify the areas that do not have proper service because of a lack of supporting infrastructure, or rural character. The Digital Map of waste is an interactive map with more valuable information on location, proximity to reestablish sources and residential areas, the situation frame, the field layout, etc. There are reflected 89 unsanitary landfills and 3 sanitary landfills. For its fulfillment were performed field visits conducted in 65 municipalities and 31 communes. Map data will help the citizens to be informed on the distances from residential areas, lakes, rivers, and other natural resources of national significance; on new developments in the field of waste as rehabilitation of landfills and construction of landfills. Information will raise awareness of civil society and the influence of stakeholders in governance.
Map is expected to be further developed and it can be publicly accessed at the appropriate domain: http://mbetjet.zhvillimiurban.gov.al/
At the same time, the map will serve to the central institutions to collect informative database while updating the strategic and development documents of new environmental policies; orientation in establishing the location of infrastructure projects at national and regional level as well as the orientation of the donors and other developers to invest in this area. The information it contains, is available online and is provided through official communication between the Ministry of Urban Development and the Local Government Units. 

Shared mobility

Promotional campaign targets Hungary and neighbouring countries

A successful two-year campaign to promote mobility sharing in Hungary and surrounding countries concluded in June. Car sharing, carpooling and bike sharing, along with other innovative mobility services, appear to be opening up as niche markets in the region. There are a number of individual motorised transport alternatives that offer sustainability credits, while at the same time making it more fun to get from point "A" to point "B". The introduction of different schemes for sharing vehicles guarantees their more efficient use, supports greenhouse gas emission reduction, decreases the number of privately owned vehicles, and opens up more urban space for public use. And the list goes on.

Stakeholder consultation

Hungary's first car sharing service, Avalon Car(e)Sharing, brought up the initiative initially, while the Regional Environmental Center (REC) contributed to the initiative's  success by deploying experts from its Smart Cities and Mobility team. The initiative got off the ground with a series of meetings between municipal politicians and public transport companies in Budapest, Bratislava and Krakow. Afterwards, information days, open air roadshows and conference presentations were organised in Hungary, Slovakia and Poland to raise public awareness. Several study tours were also organised for Avalon management personnel during which they were able to take on board European good practices.

Legacy

Mobilising a wide range of transport stakeholders, a sharing mobility roundtable was held in December 2014 in Budapest. The meeting resulted the preparation of a Hungary-based association to continue with work that the REC has started.

Car sharing

Car sharing (US)-or car clubs (UK)-is a model in which people rent cars for short periods of time, often by the hour. The scheme is attractive to people who make only occasional use of a vehicle, but also to others who might like to have access to a different vehicle type than the one they use from day to day. The rental organisation might be a commercial business, but also might be run a public company, public agency, cooperative or ad hoc group.

Bike sharing

A bicycle sharing system, public bicycle system, or bike share scheme, is a service in which bicycles are made available for shared use to individuals on a very short-term basis. Bike share schemes allow people to borrow a bike from point "A" and return it at point "B", which allows each bike to serve several users per day.  Many bike share systems offer subscriptions that make the first 30-45 minutes of use either free or very inexpensive. In most cities with a bike share system, casual riding over several hours or days is better served by bicycle rental than by bike share.  Many systems employ smartphone mapping apps to show nearby stations with available bikes and open docks.

Carpooling

Carpooling (also ride-sharing, lift-sharing and covoiturage) is the sharing of car journeys so that more than one person travels in a car. By having more people using one vehicle, carpooling reduces each person's travel costs-such as fuel costs and tolls-and eases the stress of driving. Carpooling is a more environmentally friendly and sustainable way to travel, as sharing journeys reduces carbon emissions, traffic congestion on the roads, and the need for parking spaces. Authorities often encourage carpooling, especially during periods of high pollution periods or high fuel prices.

Business of the future

According to a 2014 study, conducted by RolandBerger Strategy Consultants, in terms of revenue, the mobility sector is one of the fastest-growing segments of the shared economy in terms of revenue (20 to 35 percent annually). The study also finds that 50 percent of car owners in industrialised countries would, in principle, share their vehicle with others.

This segment of the economy is using technologies of the future such as e-vehicles, satellite-based tracking, intelligent vehicle booking and billing software etc. Large growth potential and the use of digital technologies are giving many start-ups a chance to find their place in the world of socially innovative urban services, thereby helping to shrink our ecological footprint while satisfying growing mobility needs.

Environment Today 146 - A green horizon for a new administration

This edition of the Environment Today magazine is dedicated to the local elections and inclusion of environmental alternatives to election programs of new candidates for mayor.
"... These issues require necessarily a leader who sees beyond today and has a clear multi-year development plan, which must meet administrations over the years. He / she must show to its citizens the distant horizon and be engaged seriously with them on the road towards a new horizon. The success of new administration can not be measured in a decade, but the failure will appear immediately ... ". This part is detached from one of main writings in this number, dedicated to the inclusion of green policies in the new administrative local governance for a better economic and social development of our country, in accordance with environmental sustainable development.

Among the main articles in this issue, we mention the "Greening of Elections and green policies in coming up elections," prepared by Mr. Xhemal Mato, referring to the 2007 campaign for "greening of local elections". In the article is reflected the work done by civil society at the time for involving environmental considerations into candidates' electoral programs, presenting the results of that campaign as a reminder to today candidates. While the opinions of three members of the Municipality Councils from Shkodra, Elbasan and Vlora ...a local unit pro environment... come as a suggestion for new candidates for mayor.

In actuality section takes place the scandal with pharmaceutical waste near Bovilla lake and presentation of the Action Plan for Adaptation to Climate Change of Tirana municipality, related to floods and hot waves.
Among the activities of REC, in this edition is reflected the 25th anniversary of the Regional Environmental Center, which marks a very important historical moment in the life of the organization and its future.

In news from world a special place is devoted to "Road to Paris 2015" - UN Conference on Climate Change, where on occasion of it scientists call to the leaders around the world that in the talks will be held in Paris in May 2015, to sign the action plan with eight points about climate change