*********************************************************** CENTRAL AND EAST EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL NGOs NETWORK GREENWAY NEWSLETTER No.18 June - July 1994 *********************************************************** I. GREENWAY...GREENWAY?...GREENWAY! 1. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF GREENWAY The meeting of Greenway ExCom took place on June 10/12, 1994, in Bratislava, Slovak Republic. The most important issues we have discussed at the meeting: - Greenway Annual General Meeting `94 will be organized on 23/25 September 1994 in Csilleberc near Budapest, Hungary. ExCom proposed for the AGM `94 this provisional agenda: 1. Report on Greenway activities 2. Report from the work of Greenway office 3. Financial report 4. Reports from members - will be distributed in written form 5. Discussion on By-Laws 6. Election of ExCom 7. Election of Auditing Committee 8. Information on international events - Sofia `95 process - ENCY `95 - Global process 9. Workshops - energy - environmental education - global issues Executive Committee meeting will take place on 22 September 1994 in the same place as AGM `94. - Environmental education working group restructalization: we need to indicate NGOs which are working in CEE on EE issues and to make subregional division between them: some are more experienced, some are only starting with EE work. GEEWG role will be to design new projects, to set up focal points - EE officers in countries for dissemination of information, materials, organizing trainings. EE Net News as a special newsletter for the environmental education can be followed, the database on EE people, materials, as a product of previous Greenway EE project have to be disseminated in the CEE region. We should decide in GEEWG what has to be done-what are the needs, how to do it-methods, who will do it (leading NGO/persons and contact persons, selection of advisory board), how to ensure communication, publication of different materials. - By-Laws, as an internal material for organisational matters, was distributed as a first draft to the members of ExCom. It was decided to send this material also to the Greenway members and discuss it on AGM`94. - Request from Greenway Energy working group (GEWG) to approve the adoption of Climate Action Network Central and Eastern Europe (CANCEE) as a project of the GEWG: Written material on basic framework of the CANCEE and working plan from Toni Vidan was distributed to the ExCom members. Advisory Board of GEWG decided to adopt CANCEE as a project of the GEWG, and decided upon basic legal framework and governance on the project - on 28 May 1994. This decision was supported by GEWG members participating on the international conference organized by GEWG "Energy Policy in Eastern and Central Europe and the CIS Countries", 25/29 May 1994, Gardony near Budapest. (More about the conference you will find on the next pages.) ExCom approved the CANCEE as a project of the Greenway Energy Working Group with the request to the project officer to ensure fluent information exchange between Greenway office and CANCEE. - Information about development of activities in frame of Sofia `95 process: main task is how to link NGO groups to work together on issues - Sustainable Europe - Biodiversity - Environmental Action Plan - Patterns of Consumption Till the present time three meetings of NGO Working Group on Pan- European Environment were organized. 100 NGOs are getting information - Greenway served with addresses. Dissemination of information is done by all kind of means - by Aegis - European Environment Protection Newsletter, NEAP Bulletin, and also by Greenway Newsletter. Meeting in Poland on 16/18 June 1994 will be dedicated to discussions on concrete issues, involvement of NGOs to creation of National Environmental Action Plans, which role NGOs should play in NEAP implementation, how to get message on NEAP to local level, preparation of roundtables with governments and parliamentarians on August-September 1994. ***** Every year is Ecological Movement of Macedonia (DEM) awarded the "Green Apple" and "Rotten Apple" for the organizations and individuals concerning their approach to the environment. In the year 1993 the "Green Apple" of DEM was awarded to the GREENWAY ! Josif Tanevski, president of DEM, delivered the price by the occassion of both meetings Executive Committee and Environmental Education WG to Mara Silina, co-chairperson of Greenway. ***** 2. GREENWAY ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION WORKING GROUP MEETING GEEWG meeting took place on 11/12 June 1994, in Bratislava, Slovakia. Present were 17 participants. We started the meeting with an introduction of present NGOs and their environmental education work with the aim to have an overview about development of EE in different countries and NGOs. Also the presentation of previous Greenway EE projects was made: Two projects which were conducting by University of Latvia Ecological Centre in the period of years 1992-1993: 1. Environmental Education Network (EENET) project for Central and Eastern Europe. Products of the project were - data base on EE personalities, organizations, institutions, materials and published materials from CEE, - newsletter EENET NEWS: 4 issues - Year Book: articles with overview on the EE situation in different countries of Europe - EE Catalogue: directory of European NGOs dealing with EE 2. Simulation and Gaming Set in Environmental Education for Central and Eastern Europe. Project aims at the development of set of 11 various simulation games for EE with a view to resource and environmental circumstances of CEE. Product - source of material for environmental education comprising a variety of interactive training material. It was proposed to spread the products from both projects to the Greenway members: - by organising a pilot training seminar of interested people (simulation games), using another opportunities - Greenway AGM or conferences in Latvia next October, - by E-mail (databases) - by publishing some results in Greenway Newsletter. As next we discussed the very important question - How to follow with the work within GEEWG: In CEE region we have common goals and interests. It is here the need to exchange experiences from EE work of different NGOs , to implement good examples to national programmes. We have to prepare a good strategy for the next period: a common project on environmental education with involvement of NGOs from national, local level. It was also stressed the need of good methodology on international level with the aim to improve the environmental education issues on national level. The participants of the GEEWG workshop agreed on the establishment of a/ EENET Library - on international level, which will collect books, manuals, organize seminars, trainings - in English language, and b/ Environmental Education Officers - on national level. They will share information and materials to NGOs and educators,etc. The main task will be a communication from international level <-> to national level. EE officers have to be employed professionally (part-time), having finances for communication and office. Criterias for selection the EE officer on national level: - a person experienced on environmental education work (if possible professionally working on EE) - (s)he has to have good contacts to other NGOs within the country - speaking English , resp. Russian - computer skills Job description of the EE officer: - national EE resources inventory - collection of books, materials - communication from national <-> to international level - dissemination of information, materials in own country - organization of translation of selected materials to national language. First draft of common project proposal for establishment of EENET Library and national EE Officers should include also the budget for national activities - half time employment, communication cost and office costs. Duration of the project will be one year. After decision on Greenway Annual General Meeting 23/25 September 1994 on the project proposal, it could be send to the Regional Environmental Center in Budapest with an application for an earmarked grant on environmental education (till October 1st, 1994). The first contact persons are the participants of GEEWG workshop. The address list is enclosed on last pages of the GREENWAY NEWSLETTER. ***** II. FROM GREENWAY MAIL BOX 1. STRATEGY PLANNING IN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IN THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC Bratislava, 27 - 28 April 1994. A conference sponzored by Minister of Education and Science of SR and Minister of the Environment of Slovak Republic was organized by - Ministry of Education and Science of SR - Institut for Youth Education, - Faculty of Science, Comenius University, Bratislava, - Tree of Life, - World Wide Fund for Nature. The main aim of the conference was to evaluate the present state of environmental education in the schools of Slovak Republic and to formulate new directions of development in the school system in the frame of environmental education. At the conference took part more than 100 specialists from a lot of institutions and organizations, state school administrations, universities, schools and non-governmental organizations which are involved in environmental education and the guests from Austria and Czech Republic. The most important results from the statement of the conference are as follows: In the terms of Agenda 21, Chapter 36 of the U.N.Conference on Environment and Development (Rio de Janeiro, 1992) the participants of the conference recommend to the Ministry of Education and Science SR and the Ministry of the Environment of Slovak Republic: 1. In frame of the Environmental Policy of Slovak Republic to work out the programme of ecological and environmental education in Slovakia as a basis for activities of all subjects dealing with this issue. 2. To establish within the ministries a Commission (resp. expert- group) for drafting the Environmental Education Strategy for the School System and Out-door Education in Slovakia with the collaboration of non-governmental organizations. 3. To support the establishment of National Environmental Education Centre as the coordination and advisory body on the issue. 4. To take part on activities of "Permanent Conference for Environmental Education": the participants are all subjects dealing with the environmental education issues. The Permanent Conference use for practical collaboration of all subscribed subjects. The draft of Permanent Conference Statute will be prepared by National Environmental Education Centre with cooperation of ministerial Commission of Environmental Education. 5. To modify the content of education in the schools in terms of interdisciplinary approaches to the education process from the environmental point of view; intensify the trainings for the teachers. In the preparation phase of an innovative content of education divide in curriculum and teaching programmes ecology as a science discipline and environmentalistic as a new interdisciplinary approach which is based on ecological principles and applicable to all human activities. Conference was organized with the broaden participation of spectrum of specialists, institutions and organizations which are dealing with the environmental education in Slovakia. It was established the nation-wide basis for cooperation and coordination of iniciatives in environmental education. The very important and positive outcome from the conference was willingness for follow-up collaboration from both sides governmental institutions and non-governmental organizations. (Source: Conclusions from the conference) ***** 2. THE ROLE OF DEM IN RISING THE ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS DEM - the Ecological Movement of Macedonia was established three years ago, as an umbrella organization of non-governmental environmental associations as well as professional organizations. With its activity in rising the public environmental awareness, it became a synonym of free citizens initiative for the protection of the environment. Now the Movement includes 31 environmental associations and 31 professional organizations. The results of the activities of the Movement enable its opinions and suggestions to be respected from the ministries. According to the working - program of the Movement, one of the priority task is to rise the environmental education. Numerous activites were realized. The most important are: During the events "Days of spring - days of ecology", 22 April - Earth Day as well as 5th June - Day of Environment, were undertaken several activities such as reforestration, collecting the materials for recycling, lectures, round-table, bicycle race, environmental exhibitions, eco-classes, eco-camps, etc. The activists of the Movement are taking active role in presenting local and global environmental problems and their solutions in the radio, TV, newspapers. Starting from the school year 1993/1994 DEM together with several Ministries (of the Environment, Education and Forestry) of the Republic of Macedonia established a new project "I Like Nature - I Like Life". The idea is to provoke love towards nature of the children from the first year of the elementary school with tree - planting. The children from upper classes should help in these activities. DEM's Commission of Education is planning to organize the round table "Ecology in the Education" with aim to gather the opinions from the scientific workers and teachers as well as the opinion of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Macedonia. (Source: Written material from Josif Tanevski) ***** III. CONFERENCES, EXHIBITIONS, EVENTS 1. ENERGY POLICY IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE AND THE CIS COUNTRIES The international conference on Energy Policy in CEE and the CIS countries was organized by GREENWAY Energy Working Group on 25- 29 May 1994, Gardony near Budapest, Hungary. The main aim of the conference was exchange of information on energy issues from different countries, formulation of national energy policy aspects, ways of lobbying and possibilities for international activities. It was a joint preparational activity of GEWG for Sofia '95 process. At the conference participated over 50 participants from 18 countries from Central and Eastern Europe together with energy experts from around the world. They discussed the growing energy problems of CEE and other countries of the former Soviet Union. The presentations were made regarding the environmental, economic, and technological aspects of energy issue, international environmental treaties, energy policy, etc. There were discussed the main elements of an effective and progressive energy policy, the actors of the energy system: the government (pricing policy, non-fiscal instruments), lobbies (fossil fuels, nuclear, renewables), consumers (society, industry and utilities), international situation, cooperation with special emphasis on Energy Charter and the Climate Framework Convention. East-East and East-West cooperation on various elements of energy policy discussed from different point of view - economic, legal and technical. The case studies from Austria, Denmark, Germany, The Netherlands, Poland and USA were presented. A new Energy Policy Agenda was formulated with a particular focus on decision-makers in the European Union, multilateral banks (such as the World Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the US Ex-Im Bank, and the European Investment Bank), national governments and utilities from the region, negotiators at climate change, acid rain, energy and nuclear energy conventions, and private sector or energy industries. As particular result from the conference was also an agreement between Slovak and Hungarian NGOs and Global 2000 (Austria) on a joint programme /campaign against construction of the nuclear power plant in Mochovce (Slovakia). The participants agreed on the final statement from the conference - The Gardony Declaration, which is dealing with the implementation of energy reforms in CEE countries including: * a change of state and international investment policies, * development of priorities and incentives for sustainable energy supplies in CEE countries, * active programs to indorm the public and encourage their involvement in energy saving and energy efficiency policies. The Declaration is being circulated widely to national governments, international development and financing agencies, participants in regional and international climate, acid rain, and nuclear safety negotiations, and NGOs and consumers groups throughout the world. It is a contribution and call for decisive action to reduce the massive environmental demage and risks from energy production and use in the region, and to develop sustainable energy systems in the future. (Source: Gardony Declaration) ***** 2. ENERGY EFFICIENCY BUSINESS WEEK (EEBW) November 8-10, 1994, Prague, Czech Republic Energy efficiency is certainly one of the most promising and environmentally friendly sources of energy for the future. SEVEn, The Energy Efficiency Center - a non-profit, non-governmental organization - develops multi-faceted activities so that energy efficiency becomes a natural part of society`s development. One of these activities is EEBW. What is EEBW ? Energy Efficiency Business Week (EEBW) is an international conference and exhibition on the efficient use of energy. Since 1992 it has taken place every autumn in Prague`s Palace of Culture. EEBW offers participants new information from the energy conservation field and gives them the opportunity to meet, exchange ideas, present their production programs, make new contacts and close deals. This year the theme for EEBW `94 is "State -of-the Art Technology for Energy Efficiency". EEBW `94 will present the greatest achievements in the field of energy conservation. Research and implementation of top-notch technologies for energy efficiency, however, cannot take place without a wide range of related activities. For that reason EEBW`s seminars will include information on energy policy, legislation, financing, development of the energy-service sector, and support for commercial activities. SEVEn added an unique program of EEBW: conference participants, exhibitors, and interested walk-in parties could make use of a special contact database. By registering in this database, participants could meet suitable customers or partners at EEBW and discuss possibilities for joint activities. EEBW`94 is a combination of features that appeals to a wide audience range: classic conference and exhibition, a service for matching offers of cooperation or business, company presentations, a contest for the most efficient product/technology/project/service, and a contest for the best college thesis in the field of energy efficiency. After meeting the active faces in energy efficiency in the Czech Republic, participants can continue their activities in Slovakia, where a similar event is taking place, the conference and exhibition "Feature Perspectives for Energy Efficiency in Slovakia", held on November 15-17, 1994 in Banska Bystrica, Slovakia. Contacts: EEBW`94 ENEF SEVEn EMES Ing. Martin Dasek Ing. Marian Rutsek Slezska 7 Partizanska 94,P.O.Box 135 120 56 Prague 2 974 01 Banska Bystrica Czech Republic Slovak Republic Tel: +42.2.2424 7552 Tel: +42.88.745 183 Fax: +42.2.2424 7597 Fax: +42.88.745 183 (Source: Letter and information leaflet from SEVEn) ***** 3. 1995-EUROPEAN NATURE CONSERVATION YEAR The Council of Europe has declared 1995 to be European Nature Nature Conservation Year (ENCY `95). Through this programme, the Council intends to promote widespread environmental education and awareness under the theme of "Nature Conservation Outside Protected Areas" by inviting the participation of all European states. The message of ENCY `95 is greater harmony between man and nature where the two should not be mutually exclusive. The goal of ENCY is to facilitate a new relationship between European citizens and their environment, one in which wildlife in both remote aand populated areas can exist with people. The four groups which will be specially targeted are authorities on the local, regional, and national level; people who use the environment such as hunters, foresters, and farmers; people involved in activism such as tourism, industrial planning, and public works; and young people. The Council is inviting the participation of other organizations in this Nature Conservation Year in the form of conferences, workshops, exhibitions and other activities. For more information contact: Council of Europe ENCY` 95 Secretariat Miss M.-F. Glatz F-67075 Strasbourg FRANCE tel: +33.8841 2278 fax: +33.8841 2715 ***** 4. ECOFINEX 1995 An exhibition "Nature and Wildlife on currencies of the World". Determination: To give a publicity to the EUROPEAN NATURE CONSERVATION YEAR 1995, it's message and related programmes, activities. To support strategies such as Global Biodiversity, Caring for the Earth, Agenda 21, and related charters, declarations, conventions. Purpose: Presentation and display of collected samples (originals, specimens, enlarged copies) of recent valid coins and banknotes bearing intentions taken from nature. That are pictures of plants and animals of any species and in any position, beauties of the landscape and activities such as planting trees, harvesting, fishing, riding on horse or camel ... Particular attention will be paid to samples of "occasional, memorial, jubilee and conservation" categories of coins. Aims: - To present the attention paid to the nature and ecology by states and national banks on their currencies, - to emphasize the role of applied design by means of intentions relevant to the title, - to grow the public interest and awareness in relation to the nature and environmental issues, - to encourage communication, familiarity, partnership among nations of the World, - to publish an illustrated catalogue with review of scale, topics, frequency, quality of intentions, - to honour the most spectacular items. Opening day: The Earth Day, April 22, 1995 Location: Slovak National Museum, Bratislava, Spring 1995. Alternatively in adopted train cars to be moving along railways in Europe for longer time. Organizers: Ministry of the Environment, Slovak Republic Slovak Agency of the Environment Slovak Union of Nature and Landscape Protectors Potential co-organizers (and sponzors): national and international agencies, NGOs, banks, private firms. Contact person: Dr. Jan Kleinert Slovak Agency of the Environment Dept. of Nature Protection Lazovna 10 974 01 Banska Bystrica SLOVAKIA tel:+42.88.754269 ***** IV. IT MIGHT BE INTERESTING/USEFUL TO KNOW 1. FORD EUROPEAN CONSERVATION AWARDS 1994 The Ford Conservation Awards are for conservation initiatives undertaken by individuals or community groups in any European country. Projects that involve natural environment, heritage, and conservation engineering are all eligible, and there is a special category for projects by young people. The Conservation foundation judges will choose three finalists in each of four categories - these twelwe finalists will be invited to London for the European Final event in December 1994, when an international panel of conservation experts will hear project presentations in English and select first, second, and third in each category. Prizes: Category winner: 20.000 ECU Second: 15.000 ECU Third: 10.000 ECU UNESCO will contribute to the prize fund from the many sources at its disposal by providing training courses, seminar places, scholarships, expert advice, or other practical assistance gearde to the specific needs of the winning projects. Eligibility: Projects from all European countries are eligible. Obligatory Requirements and Rules: 1. Entry form and cca 300 word project summary must both be completed in English. 2. A minimum 0f 2 coluor slides of the project, eother 35 mm or 6 x 6 cm, must be included with each entry. These will be reatined by the organisers, and may be used for publicity about the awards. They must be clearly marked with the project name, country and description of the subject, and must be free of copyright. 3. All above elements and any supporting material must be sent at the same time. 4. The judges decision is final. 5. CLOSING DATE FOR ENTIRES IS 23 SEPTEMBER 1994. Only entries conforming to the above rules and requirements will be accepted. CATEGORIES: Natural Environment - Projects to conserve flora, fauna, and their respective habitats. Heritage - Projects to conserve man-made aspects of National or European heritage. Conservation Engineering - Projects to reduce the rate of consumption of natural resources, or to provide solutions to problems. Young People`s Projects - Any conservation projects in the above three categories undertaken by people under 20 years of age in full-time education. More information on application forms for Ford European Conservation Awards 1994 could be obtained from at: The Conservation Foundation, 1 Kensington Gore London SW7 2AR U.K. ***** 2. FORUM OF SLOVAK ENVIRONMENTAL NGO-ACTIVITIES Maninska tiesnava, 7 May 1994 The Forum of Slovak Non-Governmental Activities was organized by the Slovak Union of Nature and Landscape Protectors in the Field Centre for Environmental Education in Maninska tiesnava near district town Povazska Bystrica. Presentations and discussions were completed with an excursion to two nature reserves. 20 participants from 15 non-governmental organizations and foundations took part at the Forum meeting. Main aims of the meeting were: the most serious problems of third sector of society=NGOs (governments and businesses are the other two), maping the situation of environmental NGO activities, possible common activities, news, information flow. What we discussed: 1. The third sector - common problems and how to solve them. 2. State of environmental part of the third sector - who is it, what is the position of NGOs in the society, what we have and what is missing, what we are doing and what not - what we have to do, which problems we have. 3. How is working the environmental part of third sector - in lobbying, information flow, publishing activities, international structures and cooperation, biodiversity, environmental education, "big" and "small" environment, campaigns. 4. Financial sources and their influence to the environmental part of third sector. What was the result from the meeting: 1. Concrete involvement to preparational work on the tax law. 2. Lobbying in the parliament regarding the tax law. 3. Information on the activities and problems of NGOs in journal NON PROFIT and The ENVIRONMENT. 4. Publishing of NGOs contact addresses with the main areas of their interests. 5. Following the international events (conferences, seminars, etc) on environmental issues and transfering them to national activities (such as UNCED '92, Lucerne '93). 6. Presentation of environmental education activities of Slovak NGOs on the meeting of Greenway Environmental Education Working Group in Bratislava (10-12 June 1994). 7. Establishment of National Information Center for NGO Forum. 8. Strenghtening of Centres for Environmental Education in Slovakia runned by NGOs. 9. Continuation of programmes and projects on biodiversity. 10. Campaigns recently running by NGOs: Ozone (Children of the Earth) Anti-Nuclear campaign: For Nuclear Free Slovakia (Greenpeace, Children of the Earth) Environmental forest economy (Vlk) Multinational financial institutions (SZOPK,Center PPMA) Teaching for sympathy (compassion) (Freedom of Animals) Winter Olympic Games 2002 in Slovakia (SZOPK) Water for the Third Millenium (Slovak Rivers Network) Against the spring burning of grass (SZOPK). 11. Publishing activities and publishing houses of NGOs - cooperation. 12. Lobbying in the Parliamentary subjects (parties, movements and coalition) for their environmetally friendly programmes before the next elections (September 1994)in Slovakia. The next meeting of Slovak NGO Forum will be organized by the Society for Sustainable Living in October - November 1994. (Travel report from Elena Vartikova) ***** 3. ECOMISSIA - UKRAINIAN NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL NGO NETWORK Conference on "Problems of Cooperation and Priorities of the Activity for Environmental NGOs" was held on 20/22 May 1994 in Kiev, Ukraine. We present here the conference MEMORANDUM for you: Non-governmental organizations (NGOs), including environmental ones, are an indivisible part of democratic system. In today`s Ukraine, however, they are unable to play their positive role to the full extent, until society has not yet been completely reformed. The lack of a legal base regulative NGO activities, the absence of instruments by which NGOs can exert influence on the decision-making process and public ignorance on issues regarding existing ecological legislation, considerably decrease the possibilities of working efficiently. The potential of the Ukrainian Green Movement cannot be fully utilized also due to the absence of sufficient means of cooperation between the respective organizations as well as the information-link between them. A considerable number of the environmental NGOs does not even posses the technical equipment needed for them to function normally. The creation of a coordinating body and the provision of material-technical support to facilitate fruitfull cooperation, is an important means by which to preserve the environmental movement as such and also to facilitate its continued activisation. From the view point of various environmental groups the most efficient means of interaction is a horizontal network based on the principle of parity between its members. Such a system was created with the agreement of the conference by means of extending an existing network of environmental NGOs "EcoMissia" to the national level. Planned activities for the national network "EcoMissia": - continous exchange of information, - creation of a database containing: information on the state of the environment, environmental legislation, global ecological transformations, and problems regarding the sustainable develop- ment, - cooperation on the field of joint projects and programmes, - seminars and conferences on relevant topics, - lobbying on environmentally important decisions at various levels, - publishing and distribution of environmental literature and periodicals. EcoMissia`s strategical direction and priority issues are decided at regular conferences by way of consensus. In order for the network to operate as smoothly as possible, an information/service office will be created - based on the Environmental publishing house UNICORN. Priority issues of EcoMissia: - environmental enlightment, - collection and expansion of environmentally important information, - propagation of ideas of sustainable development, - working aagainst further development of the nuclear industry, - introduction of environmentally friendly technologies in the energy sector, industry and agriculture. EcoMissia`s member organizations use non-violent methods and propagate the idea of peace and cooperation. (Source: written material from UNICORN) ***** In the issue No.15 of GREENWAY NEWSLETTER we published an appeal of Slovak NGOs and protest letter against acceptance the candidature of Poprad (Slovakia) for the Winter Olympic Games 2002 organization in two National Parks of Slovakia. Here we are introducing more information on actual results from the last VOC in Norway and opinion of Slovak NGO experts to the proposed VOC in Slovakia, compiled by Peter Sabo, who is one of a leading persons of the campaign. 4. LILLEHAMMER 1994 Were the "Environmental Olympics" just a PR gimmick, or were environmental results actually archieved? Were the Lillehammer Games an ecological disaster or a showcase for Norwegian environmental efforts? Such questions are now being asked by international media. In this report, the Norwegian Society for the Conservation of Nature (NSCN) present independent, unbiased and critical information and draws some conclusions. "Environnmentally friendly" or not? The Olympic Games have grown too big and too resource- demanding. This is the environmental movement's fundamental criticism, and it is directed towards the system. However, a basically environment-unfriendly concept should and must be improved. The interesting question then is whether any changes took place in connection with the 1994 Winter Olympics? And if so, were these enough to give the Lillehammer Games a true "green" profile? Three partners for the environment There were three main operators in the olympic environmental work in Norway: the authorities, the organiser and the environmental movement. Their priorities and methods differed, but they had mutual respect for each other's roles. This formed the basis for a constructive atmosphere of cooperation. Details and entity Both the details and the total results should be recognized as important for at least two reasons: a) For the first time ambitions environment action was planned and carried out in connection with a major world sports event; b) The focus on environmental planning and practice represented the start of an important process which must be improved and developed further by future organisers. From the outset we warned the organiser and the authorities against environmental rhetoric. With a few exceptions, LOOC was careful to point out that the organiser's main job was to arrange a big sports event, but that they tried to add a "green" profile to the Games based on the organisation's good - albeit limited - portfolio of environmental projects. Below, the NSCN lists some negative and some positive environmental effects of the Lillehammer Games. The survey is based on active participation, field studies and personal experience. In addition we have received reports from the NSCN's country and local branches as well as individual members of the organisaation. Negative results -The extensive use of land for arenas and roads was the single most negative environmental effect. -Culture landscaspe qualities were lost in the northern parts of Lillehammer because of road construction. -Some protection forest was felled. -Areas in the protection forest belt and the hill side were lost because of cabine construction project and infrastructure development. -Parking facilities and relocation and extension of roads, have encouraged the increased use of private cars in Lillehammer. This has resulted in general increase in noise and pollution from road, traffic and is in direct conflict with the overall environmental strategic plans of the municipality. -Local environmental qualities of residential areas are adversely affected by increased traffic because of new road networks. -Excessive road traffic during the Olympic games caused increased concentrations of exhausted gases. Positive environmental results The main aims of NSCN's work have been to make others work for the protection of the environment and nature, to increase environmental awareness, to reduce damages and to place the environment firmly on the Olympic agenda. We feel that we have succeeded in this. Because of the NSCN's position as a critic of excessive size and use of resources during the preparatory phase, we did not give priority to focusing only on the positive factors. However, now that the games are over and our job is a approaching its end, the time is ripe to also assess the positive aspects of the Olympic environmental work. Information on positive results was well covered LOOC, the Ministry of Environment and the municipalities. Below we list some results that we feel deserve attention. -There was increased awareness of environmental and nature protection issues.. -This increased environmental awareness was made possible by the fact that several operators work together for the environment (central and local authorities, the organisers, sponsors, sports federations and the environmental movement). -A unique model of cooperation with three main agents was developed. The main participants were the authorities, LOOC (which can be seen as the representative of trade and industry) and the environmental movement. This model can be adopted by other branches of trade and industry in their environmental work. -Two projects based on experience from the Olympic environmental cooperation are already established - one on "green" tourism and another to follow up the environmental aspects of the construction of the new main national airport and related infrastructure. -Good planning tools for large scale construction work and road building were developed and are expected to prove useful in the future. -With a few exceptions, environmental damage after the construction of Olympic arenas was repaired. General Assessment -From different starting points the partners in the environmental work managed to define common goals. The interaction, cooperation and building of networks were essential factors leading to results that none of the participants could have achieved working alone. -The total damage to nature and the environment was less than expected, as stated in the introduction, the NSCN has not found scientific backing for describing the Lillehammer games as an ecological disaster. Some media reports conclude differently and it would be interesting to know, what observations or evidence these are built on. On the other hand, both people and nature were adversely affected, and frequently less resourceful groups of people are more severely hit than others. -Behind even small detail solutions that contributed to the environmental profile lies hard work from the authorities, initiative or mover efforts from the NSCN, and readiness to take practical action by LOOC as well as involved trade and industrial enterprises and individuals. -The environmental work in connection with the Lillehammer Olympics was important even if many people are not impressed with the results. It represents the first step in a process which must be developed and continued. Enthusiasm and readiness to take responsibility became the trade mark of organizers sponsors and business in general, sports federations and the environmental movement. It is important for the participants to keep up the commitment and enthusiasm also after the Games. -It is equally important to anchor environmental responsibility firmly within the IOC, sports federations and the partners from trade and industry for the future. (Source: Environmental Status on the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympics, report from NSC - short version) ***** 5. WHY WILL THE WINTER OLYMPIC GAMES DAMAGE SLOVAKIA? It seems that the pressure of the environmental NGOs has compelled even the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to consider environmental aspects of the games more seriously. According to the information from the Norges Natur Vernforbundet (successfully acting in Lillehammer), in the near future the IOC may reach a decision that the Winter Olympic Games (WOG) will never be held in the protected area or in its vicinity. Therefore, I do believe, the Slovak candidate - the town Poprad below Tatra Mountains - simply will not be chosen, as apart from us, no other candidate plans to spread the olympic message by cutting the trees in the national park. Nevertheless, in January 1994 the previous Slovak Government has approved the complex study of the olympic candidacy of the town Poprad and despite the lack of financial means needed for education and health care, it has allocated 10 million crowns to the Organizational Committee for the WOG propagation for 1994 (and 10 million for 1995). Dangerous is the decision to include WOG relations into the landscape - planning documentation. Therefore, we still have to take the threats of WOG 2002 very seriously. Here are some of the arguments how WOG will damage our country: 1. WOG will damage national parks of Slovakia. The pro-olympic study calculates with cutting 6.127 ha of spruce forest and 1.278 ha of dwarf pine in the core area (!) of the Low Tatra National Park. The reason is a new FIS ski track required for WOG. Meanwhile, IUCN - the World Conservation Union - has included the Low Tatra National Park among the most endangered national parks in the world. The forests already suffer from the impacts of immissions, forest economy in the past and unregulated tourism. In Demanovska valley, the forests retreat 0.5 m per year around the ski tracks. The winter winds increase their speed in the open slopes in more than 60%. On the existing ski tracks in the Low Tatra National Park, the erosion is high, the fragmented forests decreased their ecological stability and their potential to accumulate the rainfall water. The planned WOG may even damage the well known karst system of the Demanovska cave. This is just one of the touched areas, the devastation caused by WOG will be much larger, it includes cutting of trees also in the High Tatras, large new apartman-like accomodation facilities with thousands of beds on the frontiers of the national parks in the villages below Tatra mountain ridges (e.g. 1000 beds in Liptovsky Trnovec, 740 beds in Certovica, etc.), a huge infrastructure (e.g. bob-sleigh course in Zavazna Poruba). Surely, organizers are blowing bubbles about the "green" olympics all the time, but we have no reason to believe them. "To green" really the olympics would be very costly and Slovakia is not a rich country. 2. WOG will violate the valid laws and constitution. The fact that WOG are planned to be held on the territory of the national parks is a direct violation of several laws (even of the Constitution of the Slovak Republic). Those, who promote WOG 2002 in Slovakia, are violating especially the laws No.11/48 on the Tatra National Park, No 1/55 on the state nature conservation, No.17/92 on the environment. But also the laws concerning waters and forests. According to the new Constitution of the Slovak Republic, paragraph 44, point 3 "Nobody may endanger or damage the environment, natural resources and cultural monuments above the measure settled by law." It is clear that in case of holding WOG 2002 the measure settled by law will be several times exceeded. The approved candidacy of the town Poprad also violates other decisions of the previous governments, e.g. No.119/78 on the Low Tatra National Park or No.300/90 on the Tatra National Park. Considering legislation, the attitude of the European Parliament should also be taken into account - as two important committees of this parliament have already passed the resolution calling IOC to held WOG in the future in the same place, where all the necessary facilities are already built. This precaution would save many other mountain areas before devastation. 3. WOG will increase financial instability and injustice. In current economic transformation of the Slovak Republic, the risk of a WOG mega-event should be carefully considered. Organizers calculated assumed WOG expenses to 8,22956 billion Slovak crowns (cca 250 million USD) and incomes to 13.074 billion Slovak crowns (cca 400 million USD). At the same time they claim that none of the last winter olympic games showed a financial loss. But the facts say something very different. Even in the economically much advanced France, the organizers needed more than 4.2 billion French francs (cca 600 million USD) and the games brought the loss of 280 million francs (cca 40 million USD) The assembly of the General Council of Savoy has announced this on July 9, 1992 in Paris, while voting to cover 25% of this loss. The state has covered other 75% of this loss. Even more expensive were the "green" (?) WOG in Lillehammer - with the expenses equivalent to cca 30 billion Slovak crowns (cca 900 million USD). In the light of this figures the claims of our organizers, that they are able to organize WOG just for 250 million USD look rather funny. Who believes this? Also, the WOG organization is not possible without the direct financial guarantees of the state. But economical guarantees of the Slovak government imply that the highly probable high deficit of the WOG will be paid again by the citizens. Simply to say, we have not enough means for the mega-event of such a huge scale. The debts of the towns and villages in Europe, which got into financial debts left by WOG should be a warning to us. 4. WOG will liquidate the potential for the sustainable development of the Tatra region. One of the arguments of the organizers is that WOG will decrease unemployment, provide profit for the Tatra regions and activise the whole enetepreneur sphere. Surely, for a certain period of time - during preparation and running of the WOG - it will certainly happen. But what then? Are we developing Tatra regions just for the two weeks of glory? Who will be attracted to spend his free time in the little towns and mountain villages filled with ugly mega-infrastructure? (Moreover, the largest part of the profit will end behind the gates of multinational companies.) "Man is the measure of all things", said Prothagoras. The natural and human potential of the region represent the scale of possible future development. A large part of WOG megastructure will be unusable later and large part of the jobs created by WOG will not last too long. Further, their creation will be paid by future paralysis of the sustainable development of Tatra region, due to this inappropriate infrastructure and inappropriately directed investitions. I believe, instead of this, the real assets should be valued again. This includes Carpathians and their still unique and marvellous nature, our villages in the mountains and below them. Tourism will surely be one of the pillars of our economics. But we should judge what kind of tourism. The European tourist is loosing his interest in the piles of concrete in the mountains and is looking more and more for harmony and beauty of undisturbed nature. (Source: Peter Sabo info-material) ***** GREENWAY ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION WORKING GROUP - WORKSHOP, 11-12 June 1994, Bratislava, Slovakia LIST OF PARTICIPANTS Albania: Mitat Sanxhaku Protection and Preservation on Natural Environment in Albania (PPNEA) Rr.Luigj Gurakuqi, Pall.15/1,Shk.4,Ap.25 Tirana tel/fax:+355.42.27048 Donika Xhumari Albanian Eco Club Ismail Quemali Albanian Radio-Television Tirana tel:+355.42.24543 fax:+355.42.23726 Croatia: Inge Perko-Separovic Green Alliance of Croatia Dordiceva 7 41 000 Zagreb tel/fax: +385.41.430119 Dubravka Bacun Green Action Radnicka cesta 22 pp.876 41 000 Zagreb tel/fax:+385.41.610 951 Georgia: George Dartsimelia, + Zviad Mukbaniani Georgia Youth Eco-Movement David Aghmashenebeli ave. 182 380012 Tbilisi tel:+7.8832.348068 fax:+7.8832.351674 Germany: Dorothea Bogelsack Green League Friedrichstrasse 165 0-1080 Berlin tel/fax: +49.30.200 2554 Hungary: Erzsebet Schmuck National Society of Conservationists Kolto u.21 1121 Budapest tel./fax:+36.1.175 0684 Latvia: Valdis Bisters University of Latvia, Ecological Centre 19, Rainis blvd. LV-1586 Riga tel: +371.2.225304 fax: +371.8820384 E-mail: root@ekocentrs.riga.lv Macedonia: Josif Tanevski Ecological Movement of Macedonia P.O.Box 558, Bul. Ilinden 91 000 Skopje tel:+389.91.220 518 fax:+389.91.331 434 Romania: Istvan Sido Rhododendron Action Group P.O.Box 317 4300 Tirgu Mures tel.+40.65.162 704 fax.+40.65.162 907 Slovakia: Marcel Zajac, + Rudolf Domaniza Strom zivota / Tree of Life Prazska 11 816 36 Bratislava tel: +42.7.498473 tel/fax: +42.7.498703 Ukraine: Svetlana Shmeleva Zelenyi Svit P.B. 273 320 031 Dniepropetrovsk 31 tel: +7.0562.781301 or 520262 fax: +7.0562.441146 Evgeni Kotsubniak UNICORN P.O.Box 64 254060 Kiev - 60 tel/fax: +7.044.440 3017 E-mail: john-kotsubnyak @p3.t66.n463.z2.fidonet.org Mara Silina: Greenway/FoE Europe,East-West Programme 29, rue Blanche, 1050 Brussels, Belgium tel: +32.2.537 7228 fax: +32.2.537 5596 Elena Vartikova: Greenway P.O.Box 163 814 99 Bratislava Slovak Republic tel/fax: +42.7.827213