DOCSLIB.ORG

English Is Required to Reach International Users

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
English Is Required to Reach International Users APRIL 2020 Public Disclosure Authorized Strengthening Hydromet and Early Warning Services in Belarus A Road Map Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized ©2020 The World Bank Group 1818 H Street NW Washington D.C. 20433, USA Internet: www.worldbank.org Disclaimer: This report is a product of staff of the World Bank Group with external contributions. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of the World Bank, its Board of Executive Directors, or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of the World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This road map was prepared by the World Bank Belhydromet, for their support and assistance Group/Global Facility for Disaster Reduction in granting access to information, for providing and Recovery (GFDRR) under the “Enhancing support and being available for discussions during Disaster and Accident Preparedness in the the process of preparing the road map. Republic of Belarus” technical assistance. It presents a potential pathway to strengthen the This road map was prepared by Haleh country’s national hydrometeorological (hydromet) Kootval (Senior Specialist, Meteorology and Early Warning Systems and services, forest and Public Weather Services), Andreas fire forecasting, and radiation monitoring and Schumann (Senior Specialist, Hydrology), forecasting services based on the needs of the Kathrin Baumann-Stanzer (Senior Specialist, user community. The road map is based on a Radiation Monitoring and Forecasting), Paul technical evaluation and detailed assessment of Skomorowski (Senior Specialist, Radiation the needs and capacities of Belhydromet which, Monitoring and Forecasting), Andreas as the main service provider in the country, issues Schaffhauser (Senior Specialist, MeteoAlarm weather, water, forest fire and radiation-related Integration), Paolo Fiorucci (Senior Specialist, information, forecasts and warnings. Forest Fires), Tatiana Bedrina (Disaster Loss Data Specialist), Vladislava Nemova (Natural Other government agencies that are responsible Resources Management Specialist) and Daniel for the provision of advisory services related to Kull (Task Team Leader and Senior Disaster weather, climate, hydrology, forest fire, radiation, Risk Management Specialist), with additional disaster management and agriculture to end- Russian-language technical support from users are considered as key stakeholders of the Nora Mirzoyan (Disaster Risk Management Belhydromet information and services. Some Specialist), Anna-Maria Bogdanova (Disaster important stakeholders include the Ministry on Risk Management Specialist) and Vladimir Emergency Situations; Department of Crop Tsirkunov (Lead Specialist). Production at the Ministry of Agriculture and Design: Johanna Mora Food; State Institution for Forest Protection and Monitoring; Forest Institute; National Statistical Cover photo: Belhydromet Committee of Belarus; Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant; and State Aviation Rescue Institution. This road map identifies gaps and challenges in the production and delivery of weather, climate, hydrological, forest fire and radiation-related information and services, and proposes a strategy for improving the country’s institutional capacity in support of saving lives, protecting property and livelihoods, and social and economic development. The road map authors consulted a number of government institutions and agencies (including several among the above-listed). The road map is the result of a collaboration between the Government of Belarus and the World Bank Group. The authors wish to extend their appreciation to and acknowledge the national agencies, ministries and organizations, in particular the Ministry on Emergency Situations and 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS _______________________________________________________________ 3 ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ______________________________________________________ 8 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY _______________________________________________________________11 1. INTRODUCTION TO GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES AND WEATHER, CLIMATE AND HYDROLOGICAL HAZARDS __________________________________ 17 2. WEATHER AND CLIMATE RISKS _________________________________________________________ 23 3. SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACTS OF HYDROMET HAZARDS ______________________________________ 25 4. ASSESSMENT OF USER NEEDS FOR WEATHER, CLIMATE, AND HYDROLOCIAL SERVICES AND ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING _________________________ 26 5. INSTITUTIONAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS _________________________________________ 28 5.1 HISTORY OF BELHYDROMET ________________________________________________________ 28 6. CURRENT STATUS OF BELHYDROMET _________________________________________________ 34 6.1 SERVICE DELIVERY SYSTEMS _______________________________________________________ 34 6.1.1 Public Weather Services System __________________________________________________ 34 6.1.2 Disaster Management Services System _____________________________________________ 35 6.1.3 Water Management and Flood Forecasting Services System ____________________________ 35 6.1.4 Agriculture Services System ______________________________________________________ 37 6.1.5 Aviation Services System ________________________________________________________ 37 6.1.6 Climate Services System ________________________________________________________ 38 6.1.7 Forest Fire Services System ______________________________________________________ 39 6.1.8 Environmental Monitoring Services System __________________________________________ 40 6.2 QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS ___________________________________________________ 40 6.2.1 Institutional and Operational Management Systems ___________________________________ 41 6.3 CAPACITY BUILDING _______________________________________________________________ 41 6.4 MONITORING AND OBSERVATION SYSTEMS ___________________________________________ 41 6.4.1 Global and Regional Data Systems ________________________________________________ 41 6.4.2 National Data Systems __________________________________________________________ 42 6.4.3 Upper Air System ______________________________________________________________ 43 6.4.4 Radar System _________________________________________________________________ 43 6.4.5 Remote-Sensing System ________________________________________________________ 43 6.4.6 Radiation _____________________________________________________________________ 44 6.4.7 Data Management and Archiving Systems: Data Collection System, Quality Control/Assurance System, Storage and Archiving System ____________________________ 47 6.5 ICT SYSTEMS: TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEM (DATA EXCHANGE AND DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM, TRANSMISSION) _____________________________________________ 48 6.6 MODELING SYSTEMS ______________________________________________________________ 48 6.6.1 Meteorological Models (Global and Regional NWP Systems) ____________________________ 48 6.6.2 Limited Area Meteorological Models ________________________________________________ 48 6.6.3 Hydrological Models ____________________________________________________________ 48 4 6.6.4 Radiation Dispersion Models _____________________________________________________ 49 6.6.5 Forest Fire Models _____________________________________________________________ 49 6.7 OBJECTIVE AND IMPACT FORECASTING AND EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS __________________ 51 6.7.1 Severe Hazard Forecasting Systems _______________________________________________ 51 6.7.2 Short-Range Weather Forecasting Systems __________________________________________ 52 6.7.3 Medium-and Long-range Weather Forecasting Systems ________________________________ 54 6.7.4 Hydrological Forecasting Systems _________________________________________________ 54 6.7.5 Radiation Forecasting systems ____________________________________________________ 54 6.7.6 Forest Fire Forecasting Systems __________________________________________________ 55 6.8 METEOALARM ____________________________________________________________________ 56 6.8.1 About Meteoalarm ______________________________________________________________ 58 6.8.2 Basic Requirements for Meteoalarm Members ________________________________________ 60 7. MODERNIZATION OF METEOROLOGICAL AND HYDROLGICAL SERVICES AND EARLY WARNING SYSTEM ________________________________________________ 62 7.1 VALUE CHAIN APPROACH ________________________________________________________ 62 7.2 DEVELOPMENT AND COOPERATION PARTNERS _____________________________________ 66 8. PROPOSED ROAD MAP FOR MODERNISATION OF BELHYDROMET ___________________________ 67 8.1 DELIVERY OF SERVICES _________________________________________________________ 67 8.1.1 Strengthening Public Services for Weather, Climate, Hydrology, Forest Fire and Radiation _____ 71 8.1.2 Developing a National Drought Monitoring Service ____________________________________ 72 8.1.3 Developing a National Framework for Climate Services ________________________________ 72 8.1.4 Developing a National Information System for Airborne Hazards _________________________ 72 8.2 INSTITUTIONAL STRENGTHENING AND CAPACITY BUILDLING ____________________________ 73 8.2.1 Institutional Strengthening _______________________________________________________ 73 8.2.2 Capacity Building
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Between West and East People of the Globular Amphora Culture in Eastern Europe: 2950-2350 Bc
    BETWEEN WEST AND EAST PEOPLE OF THE GLOBULAR AMPHORA CULTURE IN EASTERN EUROPE: 2950-2350 BC Marzena Szmyt V O L U M E 8 • 2010 BALTIC-PONTIC STUDIES 61-809 Poznań (Poland) Św. Marcin 78 Tel. (061) 8536709 ext. 147, Fax (061) 8533373 EDITOR Aleksander Kośko EDITORIAL COMMITEE Sophia S. Berezanskaya (Kiev), Aleksandra Cofta-Broniewska (Poznań), Mikhail Charniauski (Minsk), Lucyna Domańska (Łódź), Viktor I. Klochko (Kiev), Jan Machnik (Kraków), Valentin V. Otroshchenko (Kiev), Petro Tolochko (Kiev) SECRETARY Marzena Szmyt Second Edition ADAM MICKIEWICZ UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF EASTERN STUDIES INSTITUTE OF PREHISTORY Poznań 2010 ISBN 83-86094-07-9 (print:1999) ISBN 978-83-86094-15-8 (CD-ROM) ISSN 1231-0344 BETWEEN WEST AND EAST PEOPLE OF THE GLOBULAR AMPHORA CULTURE IN EASTERN EUROPE: 2950-2350 BC Marzena Szmyt Translated by John Comber and Piotr T. Żebrowski V O L U M E 8 • 2010 c Copyright by B-PS and Author All rights reserved Cover Design: Eugeniusz Skorwider Linguistic consultation: John Comber Prepared in Poland Computer typeset by PSO Sp. z o.o. w Poznaniu CONTENTS Editor’s Foreword5 Introduction7 I SPACE. Settlement of the Globular Amphora Culture on the Territory of Eastern Europe 16 I.1 Classification of sources . 16 I.2 Characteristics of complexes of Globular Amphora culture traits . 18 I.2.1 Complexes of class I . 18 I.2.2 Complexes of class II . 34 I.3 Range of complexes of Globular Amphora culture traits . 36 I.4 Spatial distinction between complexes of Globular Amphora culture traits. The eastern group and its indicators . 42 I.5 Spatial relations of the eastern and centralGlobular Amphora culture groups .
    [Show full text]
  • The Chernobyl Liquidator Medal—An Educational Essay
    Article Chernobyl’s Lesser Known Design Flaw: The Chernobyl Liquidator Medal—An Educational Essay Michael McIntire * and John Luczaj Department of Natural & Applied Sciences, University of Wisconsin–Green Bay, Green Bay, WI 54311, USA * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +1-920-465-5131 Received: 26 June 2019; Accepted: 7 August 2019; Published: 9 August 2019 Abstract: The honorary Chernobyl Liquidator Medal depicts pathways of alpha, gamma, and beta rays over a drop of blood, signifying the human health impacts of the Chernobyl accident. A relativistic analysis of the trajectories depicted on the Chernobyl Liquidator Medal is conducted assuming static uniform magnetic and electric fields. The parametric trajectories are determined using the energies of alpha (α) and beta (β) particles relevant to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident and compared with the trajectories depicted on the liquidator medal. For minimum alpha particle velocity of 0.0512c, the beta particle trajectory depicted on the medal is highly unlikely to have come from a naturally occurring nuclear decay process. The parametric equations are used to determine the necessary beta energies to reproduce the depicted trajectories. This article documents the unfortunate misrepresentation of a famous scientific experiment on an honorary medal and illustrates the importance of better communication between artists and scientists. Keywords: Chernobyl; liquidator; medal; radiation; trajectories; physics; design 1. Introduction 1.1. The Chernobyl Power Station Accident and the Liquidators With near universal acceptance of global climate change by today’s scientific community, coupled with a looming energy shortage as carbon-based fuels become increasingly limited, there has been a revitalization of nuclear energy throughout much of the world.
    [Show full text]
  • Elaboration of Priority Components of the Transboundary Neman/Nemunas River Basin Management Plan (Key Findings)
    Elaboration of Priority Components of the Transboundary Neman/Nemunas River Basin Management Plan (Key Findings) June 2018 Disclaimer: This report was prepared with the financial assistance of the European Union. The views expressed herein can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Union. TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................... 3 1 OVERVIEW OF THE NEMAN RIVER BASIN ON THE TERRITORY OF BELARUS ............................... 5 1.1 General description of the Neman River basin on the territory of Belarus .......................... 5 1.2 Description of the hydrographic network ............................................................................. 9 1.3 General description of land runoff changes and projections with account of climate change........................................................................................................................................ 11 2 IDENTIFICATION (DELINEATION) AND TYPOLOGY OF SURFACE WATER BODIES IN THE NEMAN RIVER BASIN ON THE TERRITORY OF BELARUS ............................................................................. 12 3 IDENTIFICATION (DELINEATION) AND MAPPING OF GROUNDWATER BODIES IN THE NEMAN RIVER BASIN ................................................................................................................................... 16 4 IDENTIFICATION OF SOURCES OF HEAVY IMPACT AND EFFECTS OF HUMAN ACTIVITY ON SURFACE WATER BODIES
    [Show full text]
  • 2019 Annual Report European Flood Awareness System Analisys on the CEMS Hydrological Data Collection CEMS HYDROLOGICAL DATA COLLECTION CENTRE
    Europeś eyes on Earth 2019 Annual Report European Flood Awareness System Analisys on the CEMS hydrological data collection CEMS HYDROLOGICAL DATA COLLECTION CENTRE Junta de Andalucía Regional ministry of agriculture, livestock, fisheries and sustainable development ENVIRONMENTAL AND WATER AGENCY OF ANDALUSIA Autor: congerdesign (pixnio.com) Index Introduction 3 Update the HDCC database in 2019 3 Analysis of the data in the HDCC database 4 1 Hydrological conditions of EFAS gauging stations 5 Introduction 5 Assessing stations and data for analysis 5 Hydrological conditions in 2019 6 Comparative analysis 6 Variation of hydrological conditions 7 Minimum and maximum value analysis 7 2 Gaps Analysis on the CEMS hydrological data base 9 Initial considerations 9 Gap analysis 9 Gap classifi cation by duration 9 Gap classifi cation by status 10 Other aspects to be considered 10 Gap typology and proposal for future data collection strategy 10 Outliers analysis 12 3 Analysis of Exceedance Events 13 General description 14 Duration of exceedances 14 High threshold level exceedances 16 4 Hydrological analysis 17 Introduction 17 Methodology 17 Exceedance of station-specifi c thresholds 18 Results 19 5 Conclusions 25 Annex 1: Data provider list 26 Acknowledgement The EFAS team, and particularly the HDCC, would like to thank the EFAS Partners and Data Providers that contributed to the CEMS hydrological data collection. We would like to acknowledge their dedication to the EFAS project, their commitment and the sharing of their hydrological data. We thank them for their cooperation with the HDCC, both in the provision of data and for their proactive role in responding to the questions and solving issues.
    [Show full text]
  • Chornobyl Center for Nuclear Safety, Radioactive Waste and Radioecology the Report Prepared in a Framework of GEF UNEP Project &
    Chornobyl Center for Nuclear Safety, Radioactive Waste and Radioecology The report prepared in a framework of GEF UNEP Project "Project entitled "Conserving, Enhancing and Managing Carbon Stocks and Biodiversity in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone" (Project ID: 4634; IMIS: GFL/5060-2711-4C40) Revision and optimization of the systems of routine and scientific radiological monitoring of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems in the ChEZ Slavutich - 2016 1 Analysis by Prof. V. Kashparov Director of UIAR of NUBiP of Ukraine Dr S. Levchuk Head of the Laboratory of UIAR of NUBiP of Ukraine Dr. V. Protsak Senior Researcher of UIAR of NUBiP of Ukraine Dr D. Golyaka Researcher of UIAR of NUBiP of Ukraine Dr V. Morozova Researcher of UIAR of NUBiP of Ukraine M. Zhurba Researcher of UIAR of NUBiP of Ukraine This report, publications discussed, and conclusions made are solely the responsibility of the au- thors 2 Table of Contents 1. INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................................................... 8 1.1 System of the radioecological monitoring in the territory of Ukraine alienated after the Chernobyl accident 8 2. Exclusion Zone....................................................................................................................................... 11 2.1 Natural facilities11 2.2 Industrial (technical) facilities 12 2.2.1 Facilities at the ChNPP industrial site.....................................................................................12 2.2.2 Facilities
    [Show full text]
  • Duleby Islands-Zaozerye Ramsar Information Sheet December 2012
    Ramsar Site: 2138 – Duleby Islands-Zaozerye Ramsar Information Sheet December 2012 Additional information Boundary description The boundaries coincide with those of Republican hydrological reserves "Duleby Islands" and "Zaozerie". The boundaries of the national hydrological reserve " Duleby Islands" are: In the North - from the northern corner of the quarter # 44 of the Kirov forest along the boundaries of quarters # 44, 45, 46, 47, 58, 71 of this forest, along the boundaries of quarters # 11, 1, 2, 3, 15, 16, 4, 5, 6 , 20, 21, 7, 8, 9, of the State Forestry Enterprise "Drut Military Forestry"; In the East and South - along the boundaries of quarters # 9, 24, 42, 60, 74, 87, 99, 98, 97, 111, 110, 109, 108, 120, 121, 133, 145, 157, 168, 177, 176 , 180, 179, 178, 172, 171, 170, 169 of the State Forestry Enterprise "Drut Military Forestry"; The West - on the borders of quarters # 169, 158, 146, 134, 122, 112 of the State Forestry Enterprise "Drut Military Forestry", quarters, # 37, 26, 18, 12 Kolbchany forest, quarters # 83, 79, 72, 73, 66, 54,44 of the Kirov forest to the northern corner quarter # 44 of this forestry. The boundaries of the national hydrological reserve "Zaozerye" are: In the North - from the intersection of the southern boundary of the M4 highway Minsk-Mogilev on the northern boundary of the quarter # 40 of Osovets forestry of the State Forestry Enterprise "Belynichi Forestry", then in an easterly direction along the northern boundary of quarters # 40, 41 along said road to the intersection of the north border of quarter
    [Show full text]
  • Chernobyl: Chronology of a Disaster
    MARCH 11, 2011 | No. 724 CHERNOBYL: CHRONOLOGY OF A DISASTER CHERNOBYL; CHRONOLOGY OF A DISASTER 1 INHOUD: 1- An accident waiting to happen 2 2- The accident and immediate consequences ( 1986 – 1989) 4 3- Trying to minimize the consequences (1990 – 2000) 8 4- Aftermath: no lessons learned (2001 - 2011) 5- Postscript 18 Chernobyl - 200,000 sq km contaminated; 600,000 liquidators; $200 billion in damage; 350,000 people evacuated; 50 mln Ci of radiation. Are you ready to pay this price for the development of nuclear power? (Poster by Ecodefence, 2011) 1 At 1.23 hr on April 26, 1986, the fourth reactor of the Cherno- power plants are designed to withstand natural disasters (hur- byl nuclear power plant exploded. ricanes, fl oods, earthquakes, etc.) and to withstand aircraft The disaster was a unique industrial accident due to the crash and blasts from outside. The safety is increased by scale of its social, economic and environmental impacts and the possibility in Russia to select a site far away from bigger longevity. It is estimated that, in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia towns." (page 647: "Zur Betriebssicherheit sind die Kraftwerke alone, around 9 million people were directly affected resulting (VVER and RBMK) mit drei parallel arbeitenden Sicherheit- from the fact that the long lived radioactivity released was systeme ausgeruested. Die Kraftwerke sing gegen Naturka- more than 200 times that of the atomic bombs dropped on tastrophen (Orkane, Ueberschwemmungen, Erdbeben, etc) Hiroshima and Nagasaki. und gegen Flugzeugabsturz und Druckwellen von aussen ausgelegt. Die Sicherheit wird noch durch die in Russland Across the former Soviet Union the contamination resulted in moegliche Standortauswahl, KKW in gewisser Entfernung van evacuation of some 400,000 people.
    [Show full text]
  • Irrigation and Drainage in the States of Central Asia, Caucasus and Eastern Europe
    Scientific-Information Center Interstate Commission for Water Coordination in Central Asia V.A.Dukhovniy, Sh.Sh.Mukhamedjanov, R.R.Saidov IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE IN THE STATES OF CENTRAL ASIA, CAUCASUS AND EASTERN EUROPE Tashkent 2017 2 This publication was presented at the 2nd World Irrigation Forum (November 6-12, 2016, Chiang Mai, Thailand) organized by the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage. 3 Table of Contents Land resources in the EECCA countries ........................................................................ 4 Water resources in the EECCA countries ....................................................................... 5 Irrigation potential .......................................................................................................... 9 Irrigated area ................................................................................................................... 9 Full control irrigation scheme sizes .............................................................................. 16 Irrigated crops in full control irrigation schemes.......................................................... 16 Irrigation and drainage in the Caucasus ........................................................................ 24 Armenia ..................................................................................................................... 27 Azerbaijan ................................................................................................................. 29 Georgia .....................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • A Wide Hybrid Zone of Chromosome Races of the Common Shrew, Sorex Araneus Linnaeus, 1758 (Mamma- Lia), Between the Dnieper and Berezina Rivers (Belarus)
    © Comparative Cytogenetics, 2010 . Vol. 4, No. 2, P. 195-201. ISSN 1993-0771 (Print), ISSN 1993-078X (Online) A wide hybrid zone of chromosome races of the common shrew, Sorex araneus Linnaeus, 1758 (Mamma- lia), between the Dnieper and Berezina Rivers (Belarus) Yu.M. Borisov, E.V. Cherepanova, V.N. Orlov Severtsov Institute of Problems of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sci- ences, Leninskii pr., 33, Moscow 119071, Russia E-mails: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] Abstract. Karyological study of 75 specimens of the common shrew, Sorex araneus Linnaeus, 1758, from 8 localities in the Berezina River basin (eastern Belarus) was carried out. A wide hybrid zone (not less than 100 km) between the northern West Dvina chromosome race (XX / XYY, af, bc, gm, hk, ip, jl, no, qr, tu) and the southern Turov race (XX / XYY, af, bc, g, h/k, i, jl, m, n, o, p, q, r, tu) was revealed in this region. Frequencies of fused-unfused arms comprising four diagnostic metacentrics of the West Dvina race (g/m, h/k, n/o, q/r) were calculated in all capture sites. Tak- ing into consideration the absence of metacentric ip in specimens from six northern localities, the Borisov (Bs) race (XX / XYY, af, bc, g/m, h/k, i, jl, n/o, p, q/r, tu) (Orlov, Borisov, 2009) was distinguished in these sites. Common shrews from two southern localities on the right and left banks of the Berezina River (Berezino vicin- ity) were referred to the Turov race. The presence of four metacentrics descended from the West Dvina race in the Bs race testifi es to the hypothesis expressed earlier that the polymorphic populations of the S.
    [Show full text]
  • Polish Battles and Campaigns in 13Th–19Th Centuries
    POLISH BATTLES AND CAMPAIGNS IN 13TH–19TH CENTURIES WOJSKOWE CENTRUM EDUKACJI OBYWATELSKIEJ IM. PŁK. DYPL. MARIANA PORWITA 2016 POLISH BATTLES AND CAMPAIGNS IN 13TH–19TH CENTURIES WOJSKOWE CENTRUM EDUKACJI OBYWATELSKIEJ IM. PŁK. DYPL. MARIANA PORWITA 2016 Scientific editors: Ph. D. Grzegorz Jasiński, Prof. Wojciech Włodarkiewicz Reviewers: Ph. D. hab. Marek Dutkiewicz, Ph. D. hab. Halina Łach Scientific Council: Prof. Piotr Matusak – chairman Prof. Tadeusz Panecki – vice-chairman Prof. Adam Dobroński Ph. D. Janusz Gmitruk Prof. Danuta Kisielewicz Prof. Antoni Komorowski Col. Prof. Dariusz S. Kozerawski Prof. Mirosław Nagielski Prof. Zbigniew Pilarczyk Ph. D. hab. Dariusz Radziwiłłowicz Prof. Waldemar Rezmer Ph. D. hab. Aleksandra Skrabacz Prof. Wojciech Włodarkiewicz Prof. Lech Wyszczelski Sketch maps: Jan Rutkowski Design and layout: Janusz Świnarski Front cover: Battle against Theutonic Knights, XVI century drawing from Marcin Bielski’s Kronika Polski Translation: Summalinguæ © Copyright by Wojskowe Centrum Edukacji Obywatelskiej im. płk. dypl. Mariana Porwita, 2016 © Copyright by Stowarzyszenie Historyków Wojskowości, 2016 ISBN 978-83-65409-12-6 Publisher: Wojskowe Centrum Edukacji Obywatelskiej im. płk. dypl. Mariana Porwita Stowarzyszenie Historyków Wojskowości Contents 7 Introduction Karol Olejnik 9 The Mongol Invasion of Poland in 1241 and the battle of Legnica Karol Olejnik 17 ‘The Great War’ of 1409–1410 and the Battle of Grunwald Zbigniew Grabowski 29 The Battle of Ukmergė, the 1st of September 1435 Marek Plewczyński 41 The
    [Show full text]
  • Backgrounder: Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Accident
    Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Accident Background On April 26, 1986, a sudden surge of power during a reactor systems test destroyed Unit 4 of the nuclear power station at Chernobyl, Ukraine, in the former Soviet Union. The accident and the fire that followed released massive amounts of radioactive material into the environment. Emergency crews responding to the accident used helicopters to pour sand and boron on the reactor debris. The sand was to stop the fire and additional releases of radioactive material; the boron was to prevent additional nuclear reactions. A few weeks after the accident, the crews completely covered the damaged unit in a temporary concrete structure, called the “sarcophagus,” to limit further release of radioactive material. The Soviet government also cut down and buried about a square mile of pine forest near the plant to reduce radioactive contamination at and near the site. Chernobyl’s three other reactors were subsequently restarted but all eventually shut down for good, with the last reactor closing in 1999. The Soviet nuclear power authorities presented their initial accident report to an International Atomic Energy Agency meeting in Vienna, Austria, in August 1986. After the accident, officials closed off the area within 30 kilometers (18 miles) of the plant, except for persons with official business at the plant and those people evaluating and dealing with the consequences of the accident and operating the undamaged reactors. The Soviet (and later on, Russian) government evacuated about 115,000 people from the most heavily contaminated areas in 1986, and another 220,000 people in subsequent years (Source: UNSCEAR 2008, pg.
    [Show full text]
  • Belarus OP7 CPS Approved
    SGP COUNTRY PROGRAMME STRATEGY FOR OP7 REPUBLIC OF BELARUS 1 Table of Content 1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................ 3 2. BACKGROUND .......................................................................................................................................... 3 2.1 SUMMARY: Key Results/Accomplishments ............................................................................................ 3 3. COUNTRY PRIORITIES AND STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT ................................................................................... 5 3.1 Alignment with National Priorities ......................................................................................................... 5 3.2 Gaps and Opportunities ......................................................................................................................... 6 3.3 OP7 Strategic Priorities of the SGP Country Programme ....................................................................... 8 4. OP7 PRIORITY LANDSCAPES/SEASCAPES & STRATEGIC INITIATIVES ......................................................... 15 4.1 Grantmaking Within the Priority Landscape/Seascapes ...................................................................... 15 a) Process for selecting priority landscapes and seascapes. Selected Landscapes/Seascapes for OP7 15 b) OP7 Strategic Initiatives in the landscapes/seascapes .....................................................................
    [Show full text]