Role of NGOs in increasing effectiveness of environmental policies and promoting stakeholder dialogu

1
Role of NGOs in increasing effectiveness of
environmental policies and promoting stakeholder
dialogue

• European Eco-Forum

2

• Changing the status of NGOs in the region
• Trend of increasing role of NGOs in the
  development and implementation of environmental
  policies
• Differences of forms and methods between and
  within countries

3
Environmental Policy Development

• Ukraine lobbying a Presidential decree on
  environmental policy priorities
• Russia, Murmansk oblast commitment to a target
  of 20 of wind energy by 2020
• Belarus draft law on GMO completely reworked

4
Environmental Compliance Assurance

• Fighting illegal logging in the Lori region of
  Armenia (public protests)
• Invalidation of conclusions of the state
  environmental review of the project of
  high-voltage lines near Almaty (Kazakhstan)
• Conviction of the Nadvoitsk aluminium plant of
  polluting the environment and endangering public
  health. The court imposed 50,000 roubles worth of
  health damages payable to the citizen plaintiff
  (Russia, 2003)

5
Preventing Environmentally Dangerous Projects

• Russia Baikal is worth more than oil against
  the construction of a pipeline in the lakes
  watershed
• Armenia preventing the construction of a highway
  across the Shikohan nature reserve
• Repeal of a Kyrgyzstan Government decree on
  fishery activities on Lake Chatyr-Kul

6
What to Do?Nongovernmental organisations

• Work actively with mass media and government
  bodies, showing linkages between environmental,
  economic and social issues
• Develop cooperation with other civil society
  institutions, dialogue with business and industry
  as well as the general public
• Actively raise awareness of the public of its
  rights and possibilities, help the public defend
  the right for a healthy environment
• Raise own effectiveness and capacity (learn and
  exchange experiences!)

7
What to Do?Government bodies in EECCA

• Regard NGOs as a partner
• Create mechanisms for NGO participation in legal
  drafting
• Develop mechanisms for consulting the public and
  taking account of its opinion
• Support national and regional networks
• Financially support NGO initiatives (positive
  example government grants in Russia, Kazakhstan)

8
What to Do?International/donor organisations

• Support programmes to build NGO capacity in the
  environmental policy area
• Facilitate NGO participation in international
  processes
• Larger grant programmes to support NGO
  initiatives in EECCA
• Boost new RECs activities to support public
  participation (in accordance with their initial
  mandate)