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Danube Reduction Pollution
Program |
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INTRODUCTION |
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The
results achieved in 2002 within the DANUBE POLLUTION
REDUCTION PROGRAM highlighted the need to continue its
implementation in 2003 due to constant concerns about
the low public awareness on the impact of the human-related
activities on the water bodies.
Thanks to a 1999-2000 PHARE Programme in the Danube
River Basin implemented by the International Commission
for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR), the
NGO community was assisted to get involved and become
stronger as a network.
In 2003, within the work programme of the ICPDR and
in the frame of the "Danube Regional Project"
(DRP) financed by UNDP/GEF , ECCG has the status as
DEF National Focal Point, Board Member and Speaker for
the Lower Danube Area.
All over 2003, ECCG got actively involved in activities
that made DEF and its successes known and appreciated,
both in the frame of the UNDP/GEF financed programmes
and the Luxembourg funded projects, as well. The activities
focussed mainly on:
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Organizing workshops,
consultation meetings and their respective materials
in the frame of DRP. This provided approx. 80 environmental
organizations direct opportunity to learn about DEF
and the DRP projects |
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Participating at the
DEF Board Member meetings, International Training Workshop,
and the General Assembly: October -Vienna, and November
- Obrenovac (Serbia). By holding these meetings, there
was the hope to strengthen co-operation and understanding
betwwen the DEF network, the ICPDR and the UNDP/GEF
Danube Regional Project staff. Country reports were
prepared, and presentations accomplished by the ECCG
representatives. |
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Contributing to REC
Danube Small Grant Programme, on the project proposal
evaluation on national level |
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River Basin Management
Plans. ECCG and the Prut River Basin Committee |
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Developing DEF/DRP expert
database and improving the DEF Communication and Media
Strategy so as to provide the environmental non-governmental
community, both domestic and foreign, access to the
information (written, audio, video, Internet), knowledge,
data base about the DEF activities, expertise, current
projects' funding opportunities, documentation, and
DRP -related activities; Press Releases, and press conferences,
both locally and nationally |
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Developing NGO Joint Activities, and Raising co-funding.
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DETAILED PRESENTATION: |
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Organisation of the consultation
meetings and training course workshops on "Nutrient
Reduction and Wetland Restoration" 4 -6 April 2003,
and October 10-11
Main Goal: to develop human resources in wetland restoration
and nutrient reduction. Objectives:
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to raise awareness
and improve the knowledge and skills of NGOs representatives
about wetland importance in the process of restoration
and nutrient and toxic reduction in the DRB |
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to assist NGOs in meeting
the requirements set in the frame of the REC Danube
Grants within the Danube Regional Project. |
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The
short- term objectives were focussed on the participants'
acquisition of the necessary knowledge and abilities
to practically implement wetland restoration measures;
once the courses over, they are expected to be very
familiar with the guidelines, requirements, criteria,
and deadlines regarding Danube Grants Programme.
The planned medium- long term
objectives were focussed on the expectations
that the NGO workshop participants would be able to
develop effective measures to secure WR and NR, would
design and submit to REC Offices good proposals for
financing, once the national priorities have been identified.
First national training course
- Galati, April, 2003
Trainers: 5 experts from REC Country Office, ECCG, PRODELTA
Tulcea, and the Prut Barlad Council-Iasi. As the ICPDR
recommendation was to invite the Country Heads of Delegation,
the workshop participants were honored by the presence
of: |
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Mr. Stadiu Florin -Secretary
of State (MoWEP, and the ICPDR representative), |
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Mrs. Ane Marie Ciurea
(MoWEP) on behalf of Mr. Gheorghe Constantin, the Country
Water Director |
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Galati "Romanian
Waters 'Company, Mr. Dobrea. |
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40 NGO representatives
were formerly invited to Galati, out of which 35 confirmed
and participated in different days. The constant number
of participants was 27, and they were members of: |
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environmental NGOs
(22), and DEF members (3), |
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Central governmental
institutions: |
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the Ministry of Waters
and Environment Protection (MoWEP), |
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the Romanian Water National
Company (Bucharest), |
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one representative of
ICIM, on behalf of Mr. Liviu Popescu, |
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WWF Office Bucharest,
Mr. Sevastel Mircea |
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Environmental Experts'
Association, Bucharest. |
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Regional and local governmental
institutions: Galati Environmental Protection Agency
(3 representatives), Romanian Waters Company from Iasi
and Galati |
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Central and local Media:
The Romanian Environmental Journalists' Association,
and the local 'Monitorul' Newspaper. |
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A special guest was
Mrs. Victoria Resetnic from Ecological Movement of Moldova
(NFP) invited to join the group. |
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All the main areas of
the country were represented: Transylvania - Baia Mare,
Cluj, Alba- Iulia, Dobrogea with the Danube Delta -
Tulcea, Northern Moldova -Suceava, Pascani, Iasi, and
Southern Romania - Turnu Severin. |
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The second nutrient
reduction training course was organized in Sf. Gheorghe,
Covasna County.on October 10-12 |
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This training course
focussed on the nutrient reduction problems from the
Center and Western part of Romania River Basins. This
was accomplished within the co-operation with the NGO
Strawberry-net Foundation. |
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Trainers:
5, CCEG Petruta Moisi, Mirela Leonte si Olivia Radu,
Emil Paul - PAEM Alba Iulia, BIOTECH - Marilena Teodorescu.
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Number
of participants: 16 (out of 35 formerly invited
persons) represented: |
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NGO's represented the
following counties: Mehedinti, Alba, Covasna, Arad,
Harghita |
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3 Peace Corps volunteers
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1 representative from
a governmental organisation (Directia Silvica Arad)
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NGOs were presented
the Danube National and Regional Grants for 2003 to
2006 (First call for Tender).
NGOs were advised to draw project proposals for 2004
Danube Grants, ECCG providing all the needed support
for it.
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There were brief presentations
of the REC Danube Grant programme Winners |
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BIOTECH' Foundation
for the National grant project |
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Eco Counselling Centre
Galati for the cooperative grant project proposal "The
Prut Basin Wide Approach for Nutrient reduction and
Cross Border Co-operation". Partners are: Ecological
Movement of Rep. Moldova and Eco Counselling Centre
from Kahul, Rep. Moldova |
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Conclusions |
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There is need for setting
a national DEF/NGO network members in River Basin Committees;
Setting one NGO network withineach River Basin |
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Efficiency needs improving
in information exchange and public participation |
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DEF/ NGO Forum is important
to be organized in 2004, possibly on Danube Day event. |
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The need to organize
NGO periodical seminars for future projects management.
The benefits of such events would be information exchanges
and mutual among NGOs, mainly those which develop similar
projects and could share experiences. |
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The profession of an
environmental educator needs to be officially legalized
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Preparation of the training
materials for the workshops and meetings, some formerly
produced in English, and further translated into the
Romanian in the frame of the Danube Regional Project.
The training materials were developed in co-operation
with NGOs' experts from the DEF network within Romania
and from other Danube countries under the supervision
of the UNDP management team. |
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Results: |
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Special NGO publications
in national language on nutrients and toxic substances
were produced |
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NGO Training Manual
on Nutrient Reduction and Wetland Restoration |
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ECCG role at national
level: |
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Collected,
assessed, selected, translated the available publications
and information materials on nutrient reduction and
toxic substances' issues.
Also, selected the Romania legislation on the nutrients
and wetlands issue including the agreements signed by
Romania in cooperation with neighboring countries on
the wetlands protection issue.. Ultimately, secured
the final content of Romanian version of the Training
Manual, its printing, and its dissemination within the
GO and NGO Communities. |
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The Households Pollution
File |
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The
Households Pollution File, a 8- page brochure in an
easily- accessible language, both English and Romanian,
was entirely assembled and produced by ECCG expert,
Luiza Florea, assisted by ECCG staff and Peace Corps
Volunteer.
The brochure highlights the nutrients' pollution sources
in urban, and rural areas, and focussed on: |
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the environmentally
-friendly waste water treatment solutions, mainly for
single family homes. |
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Best Practices in Nutrient
reduction |
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Rainwater Management |
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Clean detergents, etc
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Within the Danube Environment
Forum and the UNDP/GEF "Danube Regional Project",
ECCG has covered the DEF representation, participation
at national and international events, holding presentations
and chairing. |
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Thus:
ECCG has participated in 18 local and national meetings
related to water issues, and NGO networking, holding
presentations in many of these. Also, on behalf of DEF,
ECCG has participated in 12 international events; the
papers presented being included in conference-related
materials. Among these, it is worth mentioning: |
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DEF Board Member meetings
(2) International training course on PP and WFD, and
General Assembly, ECCG presented the DEF Country reports. |
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ECCG involvement in better
understanding of the Public Participation issue in the
Danube River Basin within the followings: |
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In April, at Bratislava,
in August, at Zagreb, and in September at Szentendre,
Hungary, stakeholders from all over the Danube River
Basin contributed to the development of a strategy on
public participation (PP) in line with the EU Water
Framework Directive (WFD). Also, guidance in planning
and co-ordinating PP activities at four levels: International;
Sub -basins; national, and local (where WFD gets really
'implemented'). |
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April 10-12, ECCG president
participated in the European Conference on the role
of the Territorial Authorities in the Danube'River Basin
Management, organised in Turnu Magurele, Romania by
the Teleorman County Council together with the Council
of Europe and the Gelderland Province, The Netherlands.
P. Moisi made a presentation of the DEF network, mission,
projects, and expectations. The chapter "NGO Roles
in Danube River Basin Management Plans" focussed
on the decision taken by the entire NGO community in
the DRB.
Paper" DEF, WFD and Public Participation: ECCG
held a presentation regarding these topics in the Accession
Countries. The ECCG contribution helped audience get
a better understanding of DEF in terms of roles, tasks,
readiness, and costs in implementing the strategy. |
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In May, ECCG representative
participated in the Seminar on Environment Technology
organised by the Swedish Embassy from Bucharest. |
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Hot Issues Campaigns.
On June 30, ECCG was invited by the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of Romania for consultations regarding the plans
initiated by the Ukrainian government to build a navigable
channel along the Chilia Arm through the Danube Delta,
Biosphere Reserve under the Ramsar and Espoo Conventions.
Results and successes: |
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A letter of protest
was filed to Romanian governmental institutions to take
action against the decision of the Ukrainian authorities. |
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A protest campaign
and a 'signature collecting campaign -NGO list were
organised under ECCG leadership |
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Hundreds of NGOs issued
letters of protest to Ukraine's President and Prime
Minister. |
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A DEF Statement was
issued by the General Assembly on Nov. 28 in Obrenovac,
Serbia, and made known to the International Commission
for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) on December
2 in Vienna. |
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ECCG, together with
Ukraine's DEF National Focal Point contributed to the
DEF involvement, other international NGO networks, too.
Lately, the decision was taken by highest Ukrainian
officials to stop the Bystroye Channel construction
until Environmental Impact Assessment in entire DR Basin
is accomplished. |
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ECCG was invited to participate
in the World Water Week in Stockholm and make a presentation
about DEF "The Danube Environmental Forum- A successful
Story", a paper that was selected among the 50
presentations out of 350 registered. Because of financial
constraints, ECCG participation was not possible. |
