TENS OF MILLIONS FOR EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS IN NIS

PanARMENIAN.Net
23.02.2009 22:48 GMT+04:00

The European Commission is set to identify environmental rehabilitation
projects worth tens of millions of Euros in newly independent states
(NIS) with poor environmental records.

The program, set to take place from 2010-2013, will tackle
long-standing environmental problems in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus,
Georgia, Moldova, the Russian Federation and Ukraine.

The EU has commissioned multi-disciplinary consultancy Parsons
Brinckerhoff to review past program of environmental activity, under
its Tacis Regional Action Program from 2000-2006, and recommend a
further tranche of work under the European Neighborhood and Partnership
Instrument (ENPI) from 2010-2013. Tacis had a budget of euro 50m
from 2000-2006.

Parsons Brinckerhoff started work on 20 January this year and is due
to report its findings in six months.

Project manager Cristina Pellegrino said: "All NIS have suffered
from a centralized economy, heavy industrialization, concentration of
population in urban areas and the lack of attention to environmental
problems, such as water and air pollution, soil contamination and
unsafe waste disposal.

"There is a lack of safe and clean water and high levels of emissions
to air as well as hazardous waste. Together, they represent more than
10% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions."

EU cooperation objectives are to build closer relationships with
partner states of neighboring countries in Eastern Europe, in
which respect for democratic principles and human rights and the
transition towards market economy are fostered and supported. The
Tacis Regional Action Program’s (1999-2006) environmental wing aimed
to encourage sustainable use of natural resources and increased
resource efficiency, in particular in regards to water, forests
and energy, improving environments and health conditions, while
fostering economic development and contributing to stability and
security. The TACIS Program has, as from 2007, been superseded by the
ENPI – the European Neighborhood Partnership Instrument which offers
deeper political and economic integration to its closest neighbors,
yourrenewablenews.com reports.