ENVIRONMENTAL DIMENSION OF THE EASTERN PARTNERSHIPPerspectives for Cooperation and the role of Civil Society

by Yauheniya Pazdniakova

PLAN

What is EaP? Why should we enchance the cooperation? How do Belarusian NGO’s participate in EaP? Policy Recommendations

WHAT IS EASTERN PARTNERSHIP?

Eastern Partnership is a common initiative of Sweden

and Poland that has been announced in 2009.

That initiative is intended on broadening of the European

integration processes.

4 PLATFORMS OF THE EASTERN PARTNERSHIP

Democracy, Good governance, Human rights and Stability

Economic Integration and Convergence with EU policies

Environment, Climate Change and Energy Security

Contacts between people

4 PLATFORMS OF THE EASTERN PARTNERSHIP

Democracy, Good governance, Human rights and Stability

Economic Integration and Convergence with EU policies

Environment, Climate Change and Energy Security

Contacts between people

THE FRAIMWORK OF THE 3RD PLATFORM

EU consumes gas and oil from Russia Belarus is a transit country ‘Gas / Oil’ wars between Belarus and Russia Need for guaranteeing efficient mechanisms

of energy transit Sharing experience in environmental

management programs, finding alternative sources of energy, waste recycling

Improvement of the accessibility of information

MAIN ACTORS

Heads of the States and Governments Ministries Officials NGOs

CIVIL SOCIETY FORUM – institutional platform to tell its opinion on the main dimensions on the Eastern Partnership Initiative

BELARUSIAN NGOS AT THE FIRST CIVIL SOCIETY FORUM, BRUSSELS

16-17 NOVEMBER, 2009

NEXT

EASTERN PARTNERSHIP CIVIL SOCIETY

FORUM WILL TAKE PLACE AT 17-18

NOVEMBER, 2010 IN BERLIN

A  CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

TO PARTICIPATE IN IT HAS NOW BEEN

LAUNCHED AND THE DEAD LINE FOR

APPLICATIONS HAS EXPIRED ON 2 OF JULY

2010

HOW BELARUSIAN CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS BEHAVE?

The EaP has provoked a great interest among Belarusian civil society.

In order to draw up a common position, the conference “Civil Society Forum of the Eastern Partnership: the Agenda for Belarus” took place on November 2, 2009;

the National Civil Society Forum in the Resolution of the Conference "Roadmap of the Eastern Partnership for Belarus” on 5-6 July, 2010

ROAD MAP RECOMMENDATIONS

These are the strategic conclusions and suggestions with reference to platform "Environment, climate change and energy security" that have been admitted at the National Civil Society Forum in the Resolution of the Conference "Roadmap of the Eastern Partnership for Belarus”:

1. To consider creation of effective mechanisms for public participation in significant environmental decision-making;

2. To make information about programs and projects submitted by state agencies open and accessible;

3. To consider the necessity to use the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) mechanism for developing programs and projects within the Eastern Partnership framework;

4 To initiate the monitoring procedures of construction and operation of nuclear power plants that are planned to be build;

THE MAIN ROLE OF THE ROAD MAPRECOMMENDATIONS

to provide opinion to the institutions involved in decision-making;

to influence on the decision-making process;

to create a framework for further work, because NGOs intend to conceptualize on each point proposed in the Resolution;

POLICY RECCOMENDATIONSFor EU: To insist on involving neighbors in joint decision of common

environmental problems, providing energetic diversification, improve mechanisms of energy transit;

To intend that Belarus should take into account the CSF opinion.

For Belarusian Authorities: To intensify the participation in transboundary and local

environmental projects, public education programs; To launch a process of convergence with EU Environmental Acquis,

world environmental standards; To take into consideration the opinion of NGO’s, as well as to provide

Belarusian civil society with the more space for participation in state projects and decision making process;

For NGOs: To intensify aggregation and articulation of public opinion, as well as

informal education and promotion of sustainable development.

REFERENCES

http://eurobelarus.info/content/view/68/64/ http://www.eeas.europa.eu/eastern/

index_en.htm http://www.eeas.europa.eu/belarus/

index_en.htm http://www.eeas.europa.eu/eastern/

civil_society/index_en.htm http://www.eeas.europa.eu/eastern/

civil_society/first_csf_meeting_2009_en.htm http://eeas.europa.eu/eastern/civil_society/

second_csf_meeting_2010_en.htm

THANK YOU!