Environmental Strategy EECCA region

1. Environmental Strategy EECCA region Sascha Gabizon Women in Europe for a Common Future WECF Tbilisi 20-21 October 2004 Some discussion points

2. Environmental Strategy • Environmental Strategy WSSD Partnership between East and Western countries • Aim: set targets, monitoring, allocate resources to improve environmental management • Instruments: standards, monitoring, EIA, legislation, enforcement… • Take decision based on facts “a recommendation without data is only a good opinion” • Important link with the Aarhus convention, access to environmental information and justice and public participation

3. Financing key issue • 90% of funds spend on environmental management from national budget (exceptions Georgia, Armenia..) • EU Environmental ministries have comparable low budgets • EU countries Promote financing by private sector, partnerships; higher standards of European companies • Lots of money coming from others (EU EuroAid, WB, EBRD) could be spend with higher environmental benefit; examples 100 water projects Romania, EBRD support privatization water sector… • These sources of financing are now counted as ‘partnership’ funds

4. How to get better results Role of NGOs is essential! • NGO should help set priorities • Always recall - focus on prevention now! • Assure public participation in monitoring, environmental impact assessments (EIA) • Legal support to defend poor, powerless • Watch dogs, is Government living up to its promises

5. How to get better results 2. Different NGOs can have different roles: • NGOs which mobilize consumers, media, lobby • NGOs that participate in development legislation • NGOs that cooperate with companies in PPPs • NGOs that show alternatives through demonstration projects (take the lead, bring the money)

6. How to get better results 3. Possible Actions: • Propose priority indicators • Make sure that not only measured what can be afforded - take preventive action now where possible • Dioxin test up to 10.000 USD • Laboratories unable to give reliable data on pesticides in water • Assure that in the Environmental Impact Assessment public participation is really broadened • Take lead in partnerships • Independent case studies: good and bad examples • Set criteria for PPPs • Do indicative tests to see if government data is reliable

7. Partnerships - summary • Launched at WSSD Earth Summit • Focus on Mobilizing Private Sector Funds • Task Force Environmental Strategy identified 300 partnerships in EECCA countries • Most initiated by Governments • Funding from World Bank, EBRD, EU Tacis, Individual donor governments • Many old cooperation ‘re-baptised’ as Partnership • NGOs participate involved in 12% • Private Sector involved in 2% • BUT, most technical assistance

8. Partnerships; making them fair and sustainable is a challenge • Partners should be equal (ones with money decide?) • Partnerships should be multi-sectorial, include e.g. NGOs, universities, local authorities • Partnerships should not be green-wash or market-creation for industry • Partnerships not an excuse for government in-action • Not a cover for privatization of public services • Partnerships often not the right instrument for the set aims (MDGs) • Partnerships often don’t include new environmental friendly companies, too small

9. Partnerships - positive From my experience Some examples of Positive partnerships • Codes of Conduct Flowers • Odessa Local Authority - NGO MAMA-86 water meters and IWRM • Organic farming and promotion Unser Land Germany • Romania eco-sanitation TUHH, NGOs, LAs (all NGO-based, not initiative of governments)

10. Codes of Conduct Reducing negative effects flower industry • Cooperation with trade unions and NGOs in flower producing countries (Kenya, Colombia, Ecuador..) and importing countries (Netherlands, Germany, UK) • Negotiate with flower industry to improve environmental and social protection by agreeing to a voluntary code of conduct among all companies • Campaign among consumers to not buy ‘bloody flowers’ Facts of the industry: • The flower industry in Kenya supplies 40% of the flowers imported to Europe and employs 50,000 people, 90% women. • Most of the firms are British or Dutch owned and have foreign managers. It currently generates some $110 million a year in revenue. • Massive use of pesticides and other agro-chemicals with little or no protective clothing.  • Women report barrenness and blindness as a result.  Pesticides accumulate more in women's bodies than men's because of more fatty tissue. 

11. Creating markets for healthy organic products “Unser Land” partnership • Partnership between farmers, NGOs, churches, local authorities, supermarkets, schools and restaurants in region around Munich, Germany • Produce 40 organic local products from 180 farmers: wheat, vegetables, meat, fruits… • 200 bakeries and 8 butchers buy and sell directly • Agreements with 530 supermarkets, 10 restaurants • 1500 volunteers, 55 part-time paid jobs

12. 74000 water meters, mobilize by saving money • Leaking pipes in streets and houses make that up to 80% of water is lost on way to tab • MAMA-86 and university did research on water losses inside houses • Market research of available local meters • Cooperated with LA to change rules • Showed in a pilot project how to install water meters • TV and radio covered project widely • Result: in one year 74,000 water meters • The city of Odessa saved 20% of its water • Next steps, water source protection

13. Water partnerships; Romania - polluted water in villages • 7 mio people in rural Romania drink water from wells in their garden • Villages have no sewage systems and no waste management • Drinking water is heavily polluted by: • Human excrements • Pesticides • Waste dumping • No reliable info about pollution of water • Even best laboratory can’t give reliable pesticide data

14. Private sector supplies water? • Business (WBCSD) says private sector is needed to invest 15 billion euro in water and sanitation • Business says water prices need to be increased and governments need to protect company ownership • For many people water too expensive • If there is polluted water for free, will take polluted water • misjudgement that PPPs can provide safe water for the poor

15. Solutions; Preventive and affordable actions Preventive Actions: • Eliminate main source of nitrates, affordable technology • 6 Eco-sanitation toilets built • Developing organic farming with importers from Germany and the Netherlands • Partners: University Technology Hamburg, Local Authority, School, Dispensary, National and local NGOs, Water filter producers Germany

16. Burning plastic (PVC) waste in home ovens and municipal incinerators dioxins - make it a priority, preventive action

17. Thank you For more information: WECF www.wecf.org wecf@wecf.org

18. Women in Europe for a Common Future • Responsibility of industrialized countries - e.g. climate change effecting the poor most • Solidarity - support women’s environmental organisations • Build women’s capacity for effective participation in (environmental) policy making • Develop solutions according to women’s vision - demonstration projects • 60 member organisations in 30 countries