Monday, September 29, 2014, the Organization SHIP from Decani Municipality, in the framework of a project funded by the Env. Net, organized inter – municipal workshop on “Forest Management and the measures taken to prevent illegal logging.”
Through the workshop is intended that the three municipalities of Peja region: Decani , Istok and Juniku , to discuss the measures that are taken in preventing illegal logging and sharing examples of effective practices and the protection of forests .
In round table attended representatives of the three municipalities of the region of Peja, such are: representatives of municipalities, civil society, Forest Protection Agency, the National Park representatives, environmental experts etc.
Discussions of the panelists were oriented mainly on experiences, actions and challenges in forest management, agreeing that coordination among institutions, the confused competencies between different Agencies, lack of law enforcement, corruption and conflict of interest in the whole process of forest management remain major challenges in maintaining the forest and forest mismanagement.
The main recommendations that emerged in the round table:
To have exact data or statistics regarding damages done in all the forests of the region of Peja,
To clarify the powers between the Agency for the Protection of Forests and municipalities,
To increase the number of forest guards
To increase penalties for abusers forest
To create separate budget line for maintenance and management of forests.
To establish a Task Force between the municipality, police, prosecution, courts, Forest Protection Agency, etc.
European Mobility Week and the Car Free Day was celebrated in Istanbul on – of September as a collaboration of AFSGD (AFS Volunteers Association), TEMA Foundation and EMBARQ Turkey (Sustainable Transportation and Urban Development Association) under the Env.net project.
In the first event (Sep, 21), over 80 people attended a Sustainable Life Seminar at Studio X, Istanbul. Speakers from Yeşilist, EMBARQ and TEMA Foundation informed participants on effects of urban transportation on climate change and air quality, principles of ecological literacy and life changes that promote sustainability. Following the seminar, participants attended the People’s Climate March joining millions worldwide demanding immediate action by World Leaders on climate change.
On September, more than 120 Young TEMA and AFS volunteers met up in the Historical Peninsula of Istanbul, a World Heritage site of UNESCO for the ‘Istanbul Culture Hunt’. While choosing the place, main point was leading the participants to an area without using any motor vehicle except for public transportation on the World Car Free Day where they could ‘hunt’ historical relics completely on foot. All-day-long-event started at 10 a.m. and ended at 18 p.m. with a speech on culture and history of Istanbul and prize-giving ceremony.
Started in 2005 in Ankara and later on in 2008 in İstanbul, Culture Hunt has been an annual tradition of AFSGD. This year, with inclusion of TEMA Foundation and EMBARQ Turkey, the ‘hunt’ was determined to cover two events which aimed to draw attention to European Mobility Week (Sep, 16-22), World Car Free Day (Sep, 22) and Alternative Climate Summit (Sep, 21-22).
Throughout the events, both participants and social media followers managed to get a grip of sustainable urban life, as well as improving an eye for the culture which surrounds them every day but tends to be neglected.
The third guerilla action was implemeneted on 29th of september, 2014 on
the public space in front of the kindergarten "Detska Radost" Strumica. The
action was realized by 12 students from the secondary school "Dimitar
Vlahov" and 10 volunteers from EA Planetum. This public area is on a very
frquent place and it has 90м2.
On this action first we cleaned the area, then flowers, grass and trees were
planted, 10 pots were set, bicycle sculpture with flowers was set and also
works made from the organized creative workshops for reused waste. In this
action were included the Major of the municipality of Strumica, Mr. Zoran
Zaev who has planted tree in support of the action. In this action Dusko
Hristov, as representative form the organization 4x4x4 Balkans Bridge, has
also taken part by helping the volunteers. In this action were present:
members of the council of the municipality of Strumica, the principal of the
secondary school "Dimitar Vlahov", employers from the department of Ecology
Strumica and JPKD Komunalec. The action was realized in positive atmosphere,
we could feel the positive reaction from the citizens who supported this
action and the new green and clean look of the area.
The media were invited and present during the activity. There was a
statements for the media by: Major of the municipality of Strumica Mr. Zoran
Zaev, Dusko Hristov representative from the organization 4x4x4 Balkans
Bridge, projcet team and principle from Dimitar Vlahov.
From September 11th to 12th, Centre for Environment organised a regional conference in Banja Luka dedicated to natural resources and energy, which brought together leading civil society organizations in the region that deal with these issues.Macedonian ENV. net partner together with representatives of 4 CSOs (two of them are members of Platform Green Macedonia, a part from ENV.net members in MK) from Macedonia took part in the Conference.
The aim of the conference was to find common solutions for management of natural resources, especially water, as extremely important and sensitive element of the environment. Special attention was paid to the management of flood risks, with the focus on climate change and the necessary mitigation of their consequences on the environment and society. Also, emphasis was placed on unsustainable energy systems in the region and the necessity of shifting from fossil to renewable energy sources.
Last week, ENV.net team participated to the final event organised by DG Enlargement for the FPA partners under the programme 132438, Civil Society Facility Framework Partnership Agreements for CSOs in the Western Balkans & Turkey.
During the event, the results of the Mid-Term Evalutation were presented by Mr Ian Baker and commented by all FPA partners.
The event took place in Brussels on 24rd and 25th of September and was also an important opportunity for ENV.net team to exchange idea with other FPA partners, with whom it is expected to start a fruitful cooperation in the next phase of the project.
ENV.net team had also the opportunity to organise a partnership meeting, before the FPA final event, to define activities of the next phase and new monitoring tools to be developed.
After the finalization of the 6 creative workshops for waste reusage where the participants were pupils from the high school Dimitar Vlahov, we have started with the organization and preparation of two workshops for young volunteers and adults.
The first workshop was help on 26.8.2014. there were 5 young volunteers from the environmental association Planetum and representatives from five other organizations from Strumica municipality.
The second workshop was held on 4th of September, 2014. We had adult participants, volunteers from Planetum and from other organizations as well.
The atmosphere was creative, the waste was inspiring for the participants and we have produced great and original producs. We have confirmed that the waste can be reused if there is enthusiasm, creativity and initiative.
The participants have produced 23 .flower pots and three sculptures.
The feedback from the participants was that there is interest and expectations for more activities like this to come in future.
During this period, the Project team was in parallel preparation for the already planned guerilla actions.
It is important to mention tha constant communication with the municipality of Strumica and the representative for environmen, the responsible person for horticulture from JPKD Komunalec, the director of the Dimitar Vlahol high school, the mentor and the media.
The first guerrilla action was implemented on 19th of September, 2014 in cooperation with the firemen from municipality of Strumica. We have reused our products to refresh and create more beautiful public space in front of the Fire station. The public area is on a very frequent place and it has 60 м2.
We had 10 volunteers from Planetum and 10 firemen from the anti fire brigade of the Strumica municipality involved in this activity.
Together we have cleaned this area, we have planted grass and created flower pots from old anti fire devices.
The media were invited and present during the activity. There was a statement for the media by the Project coordinator and the Comandir of the Anti fire unit.
On 12 September 2014, Center for Policies and Advocacy – CPA organized a roundtable with the topic: ‘We deserve a clean environment’, in Prishtina. The roundtable has been organized as a part of the ENV.Net project funded by the European Commission, managed by Punto Sud, and implemented by ATRC in Kosovo.
The purpose of the roundtable was to present findings of the environmental situation monitoring in Gllogoc municipality.
Findings of the report indicate that Gllogoc municipality is one of the most polluted municipalities in Kosovo. This is due to emission of large quantities of dioxide carbon by the industrial company, discharge of black waters in inadequate places, waste mismanagement and disposal of waste in public places, outside containers, and due to activity of quarries.
According to the report, the key polluter in this municipality is the NewCo Ferronikeli Company. This company, besides disposal of industrial waste near Drenica River, erecting piles of scoria, also discharges waters with thermal charge, process waters and waste waters in the river, since the company has no waste water treatment plant.
Participants of the roundtable agreed that competent public institutions have not done enough in preventing this phenomenon. They also expressed their concern regarding lenient sentences against the company by the Environmental Inspectorate and Courts.
This roundtable was attended by representatives of Civil Society Organizations, environmentalists and media.
September 17, 2014. The non government Organization New Millennium in Prishtina organized the round table ‘Germia Park – challenges for a sustainable Park. The round table attended by number of representatives from different Public Institutions and civil society organizations, such are: Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning, Ministry of Agriculture, Prishtina Municipality, Agency for Protection of Forestry, Environment Institute, Regional Environment Center REC, Pensions Association and number of NGOs and media.
The questionnaire, which was organized inside of the Park with different visitors, was used as base line analyze for showing the citizens perception and suggestion regarding the Park, and great opportunity for the panelist to be focused on the addressed issues form citizens.
The panelists from Environment Institute, Municipality of Prishtina, Regional Environment Center – REC, Agency for Protection of the Environment and other participants were more focused on issues, such are: illegal construction inside of the Park, occupation of public property, lack of maintenance of the Park, lack of public lighting, Protocol Headquarters Building of the Assembly of Kosovo, built without planning permission etc were just some of the issues that were discussed in the workshop.
Representative from Municipality of Prishtina, confirm the fact that Germia Park is Regional Park which is protected by Municipal Regulation. However lack of public funds and in the same time lack investments inside of the Park are the main challenges for Prishtina Municipality to protect the Park. The Protocol and Administrative Center, which is built from the Kosovo Parliament in 2005, inside of the Park, still challenge for Prishtina Municipality.
The participants agreed that the coordination between NGOs and the public institutions, joint pressure to the respective institutions and educating citizens for the protection of the Park are the best way to address this problem.
The activity is part of the project: My Germia, supported from ATRC as part of the Env. Net project, financed from EU Commission.
All photos of this week from TEMA were taken during the Volunteer Coordination Meeting.
First photo shows all 300 TEMA Volunteers from 65 cities, 130 towns and 40 universities that attended the meeting in Istanbul.
Second photo is a selfie of Hayrettin Karaca, one of the founders of TEMA Foundation also known as ‘Soil Grandfather’ and TEMA volunteer Yiğit Özşener, famous actor along with the participating volunteers.
The third photo is from Belgrade Forest, 5500 hectares of mixed deciduous forest lying 15 kilometers north-west of Istanbul. Photo was taken during the Ecological Literacy Education Programme. Soil Grandfather joins the joyous song of the volunteers.
Since July 2014, Co-PLAN is part of the Technical Working Group for drafting the energy performance of buildings primary legislation for Albania that is compliant with the provisions of the European Union’s Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) as recast in 2010 (Directive 2010/31/EU) and takes into account country-specific circumstances and policy preferences. The TWG is convened by the Ministry of Energy and Industry (MEI).
The intention of the project “Call-off 6: Drafting the energy performance of buildings primary law for Albania” is that the primary legislation provides a framework for EPBD implementation, but does not simply transpose the wording of the Directive. Sufficient detail is included to ensure that the primary legislation provides clarity regarding processes, procedures and institutional responsibility. 2014.
On the last workshop that took place in the premises of the Ministry (8th of September), it was presented for comments and suggestions from the local experts of the TWG the main structure and key elements of the new draft law on energy performance of buildings.
The process has just started and it will be extended to formalize the relation between the ministry and all groups of interest to further contribute on drafting secondary (and possibly tertiary) legislation on energy performance of buildings.
