RENA: how it could help to address environmental challenges

1. 11thREReP Task Force meeting November 20th, 2008 Becici, Montenegro ALBANIA RENA: how it could help to address environmental challenges

2. Strategic Planning & Investments (incl. Progress Monitoring & Compliance Check) • Key Challenges • Responsibility for environmental policy at the national level go to Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Water Administration (MoEFWA) and the Ministry of Public Works, Transport and Telecommunications. These are in charge of developing strategies, drafting laws and setting tariffs in the waste and water sectors. (MoPWTT) manages a capital investment programme which contributes to the development of communal environmental infrastructure – drinking water supply, wastewater collection and treatment, and solid waste management. • Until recently the National Strategy for Socio-Economic Development replaced by the National Strategy for Development and Integration (NSDI) is to be implemented over the period 2007-2013. As regards environmental protection, the Ministry (MoEFWA) has prepared the 2007 Environment Sector and Cross-Cutting Strategy (ESCCS) which forms an integral part of the NSDI.

3. Strategic Planning & Investments (incl. Progress Monitoring & Compliance Check) • Key Challenges • The Strategy sets out a number of strategic priorities, including: • Enforcement of environmental legislation • Adoption of EU legal (technical) standards • Financial support for environmental infrastructure • Capital investment in environmental protection • Environmental resource management • Improved communication and awareness • Decentralisation and land ownership. • Following the recommendation of EC Progress Report 2007 a strategy for further harmonization of the environmental legislation with the acquis and its proper implementation is needed for Albania

4. Strategic Planning & Investments (incl. Progress Monitoring & Compliance Check) • Key Challenges The Environment Sector and Cross-Cutting Strategy (ESCSS) has identified in the field of the waste management some measures to be undertaken , one of them is : • Definition of best practice for waste management in the medium term (Develop guidance documents for local authorities on planning and operation of waste collection and disposal services)- CARDS 2006 • Waste Management Planning System (Preparation of waste management plans in accordance with the best practice guidelines by 2008 and to implement these plans until 2014)- CARDS 2006 • Implement Priority Projects for Waste Management – Phase 1 (On the basis of existing waste management plans and feasibility studies for regional landfill sites, investments should be made using government and donor finance to ensure the completion of five regional landfills by 2012) • Implement Priority Projects for Waste Management – Phase 2 (On the basis of the developed waste management plans further priority projects should be identified and implemented so as to ensure that engineered sanitary landfill sites are available for disposal of municipal waste throughout the country by 2014)

5. Strategic Planning & Investments (incl. Progress Monitoring & Compliance Check • Possible ways to address them The EU CARDS 2006 project: “Implementation of National Plan for Approximation of Environmental Legislation in Albania”. The overall objective of the project is to “ensure that sustainable development of the country will be achieved in concomitance with the implementation of the European Community environmental legislation”.

6. Strategic Planning & Investments (incl. Progress Monitoring & Compliance Check Possible ways to address them • Environmental investment projects are almost fully financed with assistance from foreign sources of financing from bilateral donors and IFIs. The Donor coordination in this regard is needed • There is an on-going process of preparation of different inter-sectoral strategies, which can include environment and directions for investments in different fields. (draft strategy for reforms in water sector, draft strategy for water used, ) • The government has allocated a considerable state budget for the years 2007-2011 for investment projects mostly in the field of water. Both the governmental programme and the National Environmental Strategy call for the establishment of a national environmental fund to be fed by income from environmental taxation. Other needs: • the capacity building for the identification and prioritization of investments needs through maintaining and updating the national list of priority environmental projects, assistance in drafting investment and financing strategies, identifying the best practices on project preparation • capacity building on the strategic planning of approximation process and effective development of implementation and enforcement of environmental legislation , and public participation in the planning process as well. • “Support for implementation of National Environmental Strategy” which will deliver, among other outputs, the draft law for establishment of Environmental Fund.

7. Climate Change • Key Challenges • Albania is a Party to the UNFCCC (as of 1995) and the Kyoto Protocol (as of 2005) and holds the status of Non Annex 1 to both treaties which means the Albania has no commitments to reduce certain amount of greenhouse gas emissions. • As defined under the article 4.1 of the UNFCCC Albania as all Parties has a commitment to report on the following: (i) an national inventory of greenhouse gas emissions; (ii) formulate, implement and report measures to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and (iii) facilitate adequate adaptation to climate change. • With the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol, given the status of non-Annex 1 Party, Albania started to work on enabling the environment to hosting Clean Development Mechanism projects and get advantage of the emerging carbon financing. • Albania is a relatively low net emitter country and will be highly affected to the expected climate changes

8. Climate Change • Key Challenges • Reducing the growth rate of greenhouse gas emissions • Adaptation to the expected climate change (water resources, hydropower generation, health, ecosystems) • With the assitance of the UNDP, Albania has in process of implementation the “Program of Climate Change” from 2001. In this frame : In 2002, submitted the First National Communication Report to the Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC. In 2004, Albania finalized the Needs Assessment for climate friendly technologies for adaptation and mitigation. In 2005, Albania started the process of preparation of the Second National Communication to the CoP of the UNFCCC and is still working on that.The national inventory of greenhouse gas emissions for the base year 2000 and time series from 1990-2000 has been compiled; An updated baseline scenario of the greenhouse gas emissions for the time horizon: 2007-2030 has been developed. A set of activities has been carried out to increase the level of awareness of climate change at all levels of population

9. Climate Change Possible ways to address them • Addressing mitigation and adaptation to the national development strategies • Enforcing institutions and legislation to get advantage of the carbon finance and flexible mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol • Capacity building/information exchange on developments of EU regional policies on Climate Change Programme, assistance for adoption strategies relating with the Monitoring Mechanisms are needed. • UNDP will continue its support to the national government in implementation of main international conventions such as UNFCCC to ensure environmental sustainability (until 2010). • A Memorandum of Understanding signed by the MoEFWA with the Italian Ministry for Environment and Territory to develop a programme of technical assisitance for evaluation of interventions to reduce the GHG emissions.

10. Cross-Border Cooperation on water, nature, EIA and SEA • Key Challenges To increase the cooperation in the cross-border context for protection of biodiversity and , cross-border lakes, and nature protection monuments. To transpose the requirements of the respective EU-Directives in to the national EIA and SEA system, and to promote the cross border cooperation in this context

11. Cross-Border Cooperation on water, nature, EIA and SEA Possible ways to address them During 2008 in implementation of the NPSAA are approved this acts: • Decision of the Council of the Ministers “For the approval of rules and procedures for the assessment of the projects and activities with significant negative impacts on the environment of the neighbouring countries” (under publishing on the Official Journal) • Guidance no. 5 date 3.11.2008 “On the format of notification of the neighbouring countries for the environmental impact assessment in transboundary context” • Guidance no. 6 date 3.11.2008 “On expenses list and criteria for calculation of the value in process of environmental impact assessment in transboundary context” (All these acts transpose the requirements of the Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment as amended by Directive 97/11/EC and by Directive 2003/35/EC and the Convention “On the environmental impact assessment in transboundary context” (Espoo 1991).)

12. Cross-Border Cooperation on water, nature, EIA and SEA Possible ways to address them • A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry for the Environment Land and Sea of the Republic of Italy and the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Water Administration of the Republic of Albania on “Cooperation for Environmental Protection” is signed. The aim of this MoU is the development of joint programs, initiatives and projects dealing with the prevention and/or reduction of environmental pollution, environmental protection and promotion of sustainable development. • Technical secretariat for Ohri Lake protection (Albania and Macedonia) • Implementation of the projects: • “Integrated Ecosystem Management in the Prespa Lakes Basin of Albania, Macedonia and Greece” • Lake Shkoder/Skadar Integrated Ecosystem Management Project (Albania and Montenegro) • Other cooperation to be defined

13. Enforcement and Compliance, ECENA • Key Challenges • Harmonizing the legislation which regulates the Environmental Inspection • Law Enforcement/further improvement of enforcement of sanction measures: administrative and penal. • Improvement and capacity building for permit writers • Improved human resources management • Public access to the inspection reports

14. Enforcement and Compliance, ECENA Possible ways to address them • Capacity building and Information exchange in the framework of ECENA (Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Network for Accession) • MoEFWAwill intensively worked for completion of the legal frame work on the issue of public participation. • Albania commits in its National Action Plan for the Implementation of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (2007) to establish an IPPC Unit within MEFWA for 2010. This Unit will be the authority responsible for issuing permits. • Albania still needs to strengthen its technical and human capacities as well as to offer training sessions to all relevant staff that will be dealing with IPPC issues. • Competencies and skills for issuing integrated permits are planned to be increased under the new CARDS 2006 project on “Implementation of the environmental plan for approximation of legislation”.

15. 11thREReP Task Force meeting November 20th, 2008 Becici, Montenegro THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!