Albania hosts Regional NGO Forum on Turning Regional Challenges into Opportunities

The REC implements a number of support projects in SEE countries to help environmental CSOs to address the main environmental challenges in the SEE region, and to strengthen capacities and preparedness in the process of EU integration. In this context that the Regional NGO Forum on Turning Regional Challenges into Opportunities took place in Durres, Albania on May 12-13, 2015. NGOs from Albania Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo*, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia participated in the event.

The main specific objective of the forum was to discuss climate change-related challenges, in addition to ways that NGOs can contribution to transboundary natural resource management.

The opening speech was delivered by Mihallaq Qirjo, director of REC Albania, the event's host organisation. He welcomed the participants and thanked them for their willingness to engage in discussions at this level. Regional Director of REC SEE, Gordana Kozuharova, also delivered a welcoming address to the participants. She gave a brief presentation of climate change impacts and the initiatives that the REC has undertaken and implemented to tackle this global problem-one successful example of which is integrated management of the Drini River, in the context of the Environment and Security Initiative (ENVSEC).

Representatives of environmental organisations brought various cases from their home countries regarding cooperation between communities and environmental NGOs on cross-border projects. Participants from the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia presented their experience with river basin management plans in their country. The representative of Macedonian organisation Eco Guerilla, Arian Xhaferi, emphasised environmental problems facing the city of Tetovo as a result of illegally discharged pollution.

REC Serbia representative Ivana Tomasevic presented a simulation of climate change impacts, prepared in cooperation with a number of environmental NGOs from Serbia. Four other environmental organisations discussed their approaches to climate change issues in their countries, and described the tools they use to cope with the situation. Boris Jokic from Eko Element, an NGO in Bosnia and Herzegovina, shared his experience with monitoring water resources and the impact that climate change has on these resources. Ermelinda Mahmutaj from EDEN Center in Albania gave a presentation titled "An Eye on the Environment" that dealt with environmental watchdogging and other issues related to climate change. Green Home representative Azra Vukovic outlined a number of projects that her organisation carried out in connection with energy efficiency in Montenegro.

The programme continued with presentations and group discussions, providing a good opportunity share experiences and identify partners with whom to implement regional projects.

The event was organised within the programme "Support to Civil Society Organisations in the field of Environment in Albania (SENiOR-A)", implemented by REC Albania with financial support from the Government of Sweden.

6 arrests in nationwide waste dumping raids

6 people were arrested during dawn raids today following a nationwide Environment Agency probe into illegal dumping of waste.

6 people were arrested during dawn raids today (Tuesday 10th March) - 4 for suspected waste offences and 2 for suspected human trafficking. This follows a nationwide Environment Agency probe into the illegal dumping of potentially hazardous waste at illegal waste sites in Bristol, Scunthorpe and Newark in Nottinghamshire. The investigation is also looking at links to an abandoned waste transfer site in Orpington run by operators Waste4Fuel.

More than 40 Environment Agency investigators, supported by Humberside, Nottinghamshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Police, swooped on suspects home addresses and the sites as part of Operation Encore.

Environment Agency crime staff from across England, including a number in specialist breathing apparatus, have been brought in to support the operation due to its large scale.

The police were deployed to support with arrests, access properties and assist with collecting evidence. The Home Office Immigration Enforcement and Social Services were also involved as part of this multi-agency operation, due to a suspected number of illegal workers at the sites.

The 6 people arrested have all been released on conditional bail pending further enquiries.

The investigation is ongoing and expected to take many more months to complete.

Andy Higham, Head of the Environment Agency’s National Investigation Team, said:

The Environment Agency will relentlessly target organised criminals who risk damaging health, livelihoods and the environment by trading in illegal and hazardous waste for criminal gain.

Following a covert Environment Agency investigation we have worked with the police to arrest these suspects and secure evidence. Our enquiries will continue to probe the full extent of suspected offending.

We take waste crime extremely seriously. This is a live and complex investigation, anyone with further information should contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Resource Management Minister Dan Rogerson said:

Waste crime causes problems for local communities, undermines legitimate businesses and costs taxpayers. While it is not appropriate to comment on these arrests, we support the Environment Agency in taking a robust approach to tackle crime.

Earlier flood protection for thousands of homes across England

Budget announcement: More than 31,000 homes and businesses will be better protected from the risk of flooding sooner

The government is bringing forward more than £140 million of the £2.3 billion six-year flood defence programme announced in December to better protect more than 31,000 homes and businesses from flooding sooner than planned.

47 brand new schemes have been given the green light as part of the long-term investment programme and work will start on another 165 flood defence projects earlier than previously announced.

The 6 year programme represents a real terms increase in expenditure and will reduce flood risk across the country by 5%.

Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss said:

We’ve already protected 230,000 homes from the risk of flooding and coastal erosion so far this Parliament.

We’re now bringing forward more money to protect thousands more homes and businesses sooner than originally planned, as part of our long-term economic plan.

Projects include;

• In the North West, more than 2100 properties will be protected by the development of the Fairhaven and Church Scar Coast Protection scheme in Fylde, which is now scheduled to start three years earlier than previously planned.
• In the South East, the Southsea Coastal Flood and Erosion Risk Management scheme - which will improve the standard of protection to more than 2,400 properties in Portsmouth - is now scheduled to start development more than 2 years earlier.
• In Yorkshire, the development of the River Foss Flood Risk Management project will help protect up to 1,500 properties from surface water and river flooding.

Environment Agency Chairman Sir Philip Dilley said:

This programme of more than 1,500 flood risk management schemes will significantly reduce flood risk to more than 300,000 properties in England by 2021, benefiting people, the economy and the environment. Government funding has also been brought forward meaning that over 30,000 properties will benefit from reduced flood risk earlier than originally planned.

Our priority is to do as much as we can with every pound of funding from government and local partners, but of course the risk of flooding can never be entirely eliminated. With one in six homes in England at risk of flooding, I encourage people to check their flood risk and sign up to the Environment Agency’s free flood warning service.

Szentendre considers introducing bike-sharing scheme

REC staff members pitch idea to City Hall

There's some news about a new bike-sharing scheme in Szentendre - good news, and better news!

The idea germinated last fall while the REC's Smart Cities and Mobility Topic Area team was investigating ways to reduce the environmental impact of the REC's own commuting habits, as more than half of the staff live in Budapest. The HEV (suburban rail system) and Volan buses offer a sustainable transport option for Budapest-bound commuters, but at the Szentendre end there's no public transport service for the "last mile".  Ad-hoc car-pooling groups appeared, but a big number still commute in single-occupancy vehicles. Even though many of them would like to come by bike, currently it's not a terribly attractive option as it's 22 kilometres each way from downtown. There is limited capacity for loading your bike on the HEV, not to mention that transporting a bike costs a full extra ticket!

Szentendre itself is a bedroom community: more than half of the town's working population of about 11,000 people work in Budapest and face exactly the same issues as REC employees. An extension to the Budapest Business School (BGF) is now under construction near the REC's offices - about two kilometres north of the HEV - further increasing the area's mobility needs.

A bike-share system could be an effective and relatively inexpensive way to solve this. If the system were cleverly integrated with the HEV and BuBi (the Budapest bike-share system launched last fall), it would allow commuters to bike at both ends of their HEV journey without having to pack their own rides, thus creating an environment-friendly, healthy transport option door to door.

But bike sharing would be good for more than commuters. Szentendre has outstanding tourist attractions and a bike-sharing system would give tourists a fun way to tour the city and its environs, including the Pap Sziget recreation area north of town and the Skanzen folkloric museum a few kilometres away in the Pilis foothills.

Based on these rough ideas, the REC applied for funding from the CIVITAS Initiative and will conduct an in-depth feasibility study by the end of June. The plan is to investigate the market potential, funding sources and operational model - including possibilities for integration with the BuBi system - and then analyse whether the proposal would be financially feasible, and under what conditions.

The interest that Szentendre City Hall has shown is very encouraging: four city experts at the kick-off meeting, supplemented by a team from the Centre for Budapest Transport (BKK/BuBi), are dedicated to supporting the project. In order to achieve the best possible results, the project team will rely not only on experts, but will actively involve the local biking community, set up an interactive Szentendre bike-share website, and conduct large-scale market research among citizens to hear their opinions.