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State of the Environment, Providing an Overview of the State of Air, Water and Soil Across the Region

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State of the Environment, Providing an Overview of the State of Air, Water and Soil Across the Region A Study of Environmental Conflicts and Issues in South-Eastern Europe: Possible Collaboration between CSOs and Ecological Economists A report for the CEECEC project Authors: Biljana Macura, Dragana Bojovic, Miroslav Tadić, Nada Ćosić, Ivana Petrić, Ivan Jarić Jelena Kneževi, Hali Healy, Leah Temper, and Joan Martinez-Alier June 2009 Executive Summary This report, funded by the European Commission under the Seventh Framework (FP7) Science in Society programme, creates a unique environmental snapshot of South Eastern Europe (SEE), based on an overview of recent international and national research and structured around current concerns of civil society organisations (CSOs) working on environmental conflicts in the region. This ‘snapshot‘ goes on to provide the foundation for a discussion of possible opportunities for collaboration between ecological economists and CSOs in SEE. As the objective of the CEECEC project (www.ceecec.net) is learning and teaching Ecological Economics with and for CSOs, this report aims to provide a resource for ecological economists in the South Eastern European (SEE) region and to examine ecological economics applications that might benefit research and campaign work of environmental CSOs in the region. Following the introduction, Part 2 prepares the ground by depicting the regional and individual national contexts within which CSOs are carrying out their work on environmental conflicts. This includes a brief profiling of the geographies, demographies and economies of the 6 countries that are the focus of the report: Albania, Bosnia and Herzogovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of (FYR) Macedonia and Serbia. This profiling is followed by a summary of international and national research on the state of the environment, providing an overview of the state of air, water and soil across the region. The regional political and economic context is then discussed in terms of the influences and pressures of EU integration processes, economic drivers and trends, and economic externalities on the environment. The section finishes with a look at the regional institutional and legislative context, outlining existing environmental policy, strategy, and related instruments and international agreements. With the various contexts laid out, Part 3 then explores possible areas of collaboration between CSOs working on environmental conflicts and ecological economists. Here the framework of topics is defined by actual cases of conflict submitted by over 65 CSOs active in the region through surveys distributed exclusively for the purposes of this report. The topics of waste and recycling, energy, mining and mineral processing, management of protected areas and agriculture are first examined at the regional level. They are then explored in greater depth at the national level for each country. It is within these national level discussions that over 30 CSO case studies are embedded. The report culminates in Part 4, a discussion of how specific concepts, tools and methods of ecological economics might be applied to CSO work on environmental conflicts in SEE. Focusing on specific issues and CSO case studies from Part 3, this section outlines opportunities for collaborative research. Examples include the impacts of depopulation on agriculture, whereby in contrast to Malthusian doctrine and related predictions of lower Human Appropriation of Net Primary Product (HANPP), depopulation and migration processes are actually increasing environmental pressures on agricultural production through increased soil erosion and invasions by pests and weeds. Another example, is an exploration of how the Polluter Pays principle might be operationalised, particularly in the context of the 2 mining and industrial sectors. While abandonment of mines and industrial closures in recent decades could be viewed positively as a source of economic dematerialisation, environmental pressures may actually be increasing due to poor maintenance, and as the region is still rich in mineral resources, mitigation measures against future exploitation will be required to prevent further environmental damage. One final example of an area for future collaborative research is the potential for implementation of Payment for Environmental Services (PES) schemes in the region. Such schemes could used for example to address pollution of watercourses so that downstream users such as fishermen pay those upstream to implement protective measures, or at the very least raise local awareness of the value of natural resources. PES schemes could also be conceptualized in the growing organic farming sector, through certification systems for organic products and for preservation of landscapes through entry fees to national parks. Following Part 4 is a list of sources cited, as well as annexes containing the methodology used in conducting the surveys for the gathering of CSO case studies, a summary of environmental legislation in each country transposing the EU acquis, and contact details of all of the CSOs that participated in the making of this report. 3 Contributing Civil Society Organisations Albania Albaforest Albanian Centre of Excellence (ACE) / Qendra Shqiptare e Ekselences (QSHE) Albanian Ecological Club Kruja (AEC) / Klubi Ekologjik Shqiptar Kruja (KESH) Association for Development of Environmental Policies — G & G Group / Shoqata për Zhvillim të Politikave Mjedisore– G & G group Association for Sustainable Rural Development / Per Nje Zhvillim Rural Te Gendrueshem Awareness for Progress / Shoqata Ndërgjegjësim për Progres Environmental and Social Protection and Development (ILIRIA) / Shoqata Mbrojtja dhe Zhvillimi Mjedisor e Social (ILIRIA) Environmental Centre for Development, Education and Networking (EDEN) / Qendra EDEN Environmental Women‘s Association (AEWA) / Gruaja Ambjentaliste Shqiptare (GASH) For Progress and Civilization (FPC) / Për Progres dhe Civilizim (PPC) Bosnia Herzogovina Association for Development, Improvement and Promotion of Ecological Agriculture,Tourism and Environment Protection (UG EKOPOT) / Udruzenje za Razvoj, Unapredjenje i Promociju Eko- poljoprivrede, Turizma i Zastitu Okoline (UG EKOPOT) Association for Tolerance Against Differences / Udruzenje Tolerancijom Proitv Razlicitosti (ToPeeR) Centre for Civil Cooperation (CCC) / Centar za Gradjansku Suradnju (CGS) Centre for Environmentally Sustainable Development (CESD) / Centar za Okolisno Odrţivi Razvoj, (COOR) Eko Put Ecological Association / Ekolosko Udruzenje Eko Put Fondeko - Association for Stimulation of Sustainable Development and Quality of Life / Fondeko Udruzenje za Podsticanje Uravnotezenog Razvoja i Kvaliteta Zivota Local Development Initative (LDI) / Lokalna Inicijativa Razvoja (LIR) Women‘s Nature Association / Udruzenje Zena Priroda Bulgaria Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation Ecocentre for Chamber of Commerce and Industry Green Varna Association Greener Bourgas Foundation Kalimok Moderna Vratsa Partnership for New Europe Association / Partnyorstvo za Nova Evropa Terra Ecological Club Zlatishka Kotlovina Ecological Society Croatia Argonauta Ecological Society / Ekoloska Udruga Argonauta Association for Nature, Environment and Sustainable Development (SUNCE) / Udruga za Prirodu, Okolis i Odrzivi Razvoj Sunce (SUNCE) Divina Natura Ecological Society / Ekoloska Udruga Divina Natura Eko-Eko Komin Ecological Organisaton / Ekoloska Udruga Eko-Eko Komin Eko Zadar Association for Organic Farming and Environment Protection / Eko Zadar - Udruga za Promicanje Ekoloske Proizvodnje Hrane i Zastitu Okolisa (EKO ZADAR) Green Action Ecological Association / Ekoloska Udruga Zelena Akcija Green Istria Association / Udruga Zelena Istra Green Osijek Ecological Society / Ekolosko Drustvo Zeleni Osijek 4 Nobilis Ecological Organisation / Zastitarsko Ekoloska Organizacija Nobilis FYR Macedonia Biosfera -Centre for Education and Protection of the Environment and Nature / Biosfera - Centar za Edukacija Zastita na Zivotna Sredina i Priroda Centre for Local Development / Centar za Lokalen Razvoj (CELOR) Centre for Regional Research and Cooperation- Studiorum (CRPRC) / Centar za Regionalni Istrazuvanja i Sorabotka-Studiorum (CRIS) Citizens‘ Committee for Development Probistip (CCD Probistip) / Građanski Komitet za Razvoj Probistip (GKR-PROBISTIP) EcoAction Ecological Society / Ekolosko Drustvo EcoAction Ednakvi za Site Union of Citizens / Zdruzenie na Gragani Ednakvi za Site Green Power Ecological Group / Ekoloska Grupacija Green Power Ekumena Union of Citizens / Zdruzenie na Gragani Ekumena FLORA Ecological Society / Ekolosko Drustvo FLORA Florozon Association for Protection of Natural Environment and Sustainable Economic Development / Florozon Zdruzenie za Zastita na Prirodnata Sredina I Odrzliv Ekonomski Razvoj (Florozon Skopje) Grasnica Ecological Society / Ekolosko Drustvo Grasnica IZVOR Union for Protection of Environment, Cultural and Historical Landmarks and Human Health / Zdruzenie za Zastita na Zivotnata Sredina Kulturno - Istoriskite Znamenitosti I Covekovot Zdravje IZVOR Kalinka Ecological Society / Ekolosko Drustvo Kalinka Macedonian Green Centre - Union of Citizens Lobbying for Promotion and Research of Environmental Issues / Makedonski Zelen Centar- Zdruzenie na Gragani za Lobiranje, Zastapuvanje i Istrazuvanje na Orashanjata od Oblasta na Zivotnata Sredina Municipal Centre for Rock Art (MCRA) / Opstinski Centar za Karpesta Umetnost (OCKU) National Council of Women of the Republic of Macedonia Skopje / Nacionalen Sovet
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