Environmental Performance Review Yugoslavia
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ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR EUROPE Committee on Environmental Policy ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW YUGOSLAVIA UNITED NATIONS New York and Geneva, 2003 Environmental Performance Reviews Series No. 15 NOTE Symbols of United Nations documents are composed of capital letters combined with figures. Mention of such a symbol indicates a reference to a United Nations document. The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. UNITED NATIONS PUBLICATION Sales No. E.03-II-E.24 ISBN 92-1-116839-2 ISSN 1020-4563 iii Foreword The Environmental Performance Reviews are intended to assist countries in transition to improve their management of the environment by establishing baseline conditions and making concrete recommendations for better policy implementation and performance and to integrate environmental policies into sectoral policies at the national level. Through the Peer Review process, they also promote dialogue among UNECE member countries and harmonization of environmental conditions and policies throughout the region. This work was initiated by ministers at the second Ministerial Conference “Environment for Europe,” in Lucerne, in 1993. Acting on the request of the ministers, the UNECE Committee on Environmental Policy, meeting in special session in January 1994, decided to make the Environmental Performance Reviews a part of its regular programme. As a voluntary exercise, the Environmental Performance Review is undertaken only at the request of the country itself at the ministerial level. The studies are carried out by international teams of experts from the region, working closely with national experts from the reviewed country. Through a process of broad consultations, the experts carry out a comprehensive assessment of a wide range of issues related to the environment, covering three broad themes: the framework for environmental policy and management, management of pollution and natural resources and economic and sectoral integration. The team’s final report contains recommendations for further improvement, taking into consideration the country’s progress in the current transition period. The teams also benefit from close cooperation with other organizations in the United Nations system, including the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Environment Programme, the World Bank and the World Health Organization. This Environmental Performance Review is the fifteenth in the series published by the United Nations Economic Commission. I hope that this Review will be useful to all countries in the region, to intergovernmental and non-governmental organization and, especially, to Yugoslavia, to its Government, all national stakeholders, to its people. Brigita Schmögnerova Executive Secretary iv Preface The Environmental Performance Review (EPR) of Yugoslavia began with a preparatory mission in January 2002, when agreement was reached on both the structure and the organizational details of the project, taking into account, in particular, the considerable changes that the country had undergone during its ten-year isolation. The review mission took place in April 2002. The review team included experts from Canada, Croatia, Denmark, France, Italy and Sweden, together with experts from the secretariat of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank. The draft was submitted for consideration to the EPR Expert Group of the UNECE Committee on Environmental Policy in October 2002. During this meeting, the Expert Group discussed the report in detail with representatives of Yugoslavia, focusing in particular on the conclusions and recommendations. The EPR report, as amended by the Expert Group, was then submitted for peer review to the UNECE Committee on Environmental Policy at its annual session in Geneva on 4-6 November 2002. A delegation consisting of high-level representatives of the Federal Government of Yugoslavia, and its constituent republics Serbia and Montenegro participated in the peer review. The Committee adopted the recommendations as set out in this report. The Environmental Performance Review of Yugoslavia took place at a particularly interesting time in Yugoslavia. The Government was preparing new constitutions for the federation and the republics that would, inter alia, change their respective responsibilities. It was not within the competence of the EPR experts to anticipate decisions. Consequently, the review attempts to look at all relevant issues within the context of the Federal Government, Serbia and Montenegro, with recommendations addressed to each, as considered appropriate. Kosovo and Metohija was also included in the review but has been presented in a separate section in deference to the special status accorded it by United Nations Security Council resolution 1244 of 10 June 1999, which authorizes the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) to, inter alia, “provide an interim administration for Kosovo under which the people of Kosovo can enjoy substantial autonomy within the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and which will provide transitional administration while establishing and overseeing the development of provisional democratic self-governing institutions to ensure conditions for a peaceful and normal life for all inhabitants of Kosovo.” The review of Yugoslavia’s environmental performance is evidence of the efforts that the Government, at all levels, is making to improve environmental management, including by developing and implementing new legislation adapted to European standards. The EPR team, with the assistance of national experts, prepared an analysis and offered recommendations for future action in a number of areas, including the decision-making framework, economic instruments and financing, environmental information and public participation, management of waste, air quality, water, and mineral resources, agriculture and biodiversity, industry, energy, transport, sustainable tourism and human health. The UNECE Committee on Environmental Policy and the UNECE review team would like to thank both the Government of Yugoslavia for its invitation to carry out this review and the many excellent local experts who worked with the international experts and contributed with their knowledge and assistance. UNECE wishes Yugoslavia and its constituent republics Serbia and Montenegro success in carrying out the tasks before them to meet their environmental objectives and policy, including implementation of the recommendations aiming to support and promote overall environmental protection and improve health and living standards. v UNECE would also like to express its appreciation to the Governments of Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Sweden for their support to the Environmental Performance Review Programme, to the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) offices in Belgrade and Podgorica, to the UNEP Regional Office in Europe (ROE), and to the WHO European Centre for Environment and Health (ECEH) for their participation in the Yugoslav review mission and the preparation of this report. Special thanks also go to the World Bank, which was carrying out an Environment Sector Review in Yugoslavia, under the leadership of Mr. Arcadie Capcelea in parallel to the EPR mission. The World Bank team and the EPR team cooperated fully, and the World Bank provided its water expert to draft chapter 5 of this EPR. vi LIST OF TEAM MEMBERS Ms. Mary Pat SILVEIRA (ECE secretariat) Team Leader Ms. Catherine MASSON (ECE secretariat) Project Coordinator Mr. Antoine NUNES Mr. Jyrki HIRVONEN (ECE secretariat) Introduction Mr. René NIJENHUIS (ECE secretariat) Chapter 1 Ms. Mijke HERTOGHS (ECE secretariat) Chapter 2 Mr. Antoine NUNES (ECE secretariat) Chapter 3 Ms. Mijke HERTOGHS Mr. Harald EGERER (UNEP) Chapter 4 Ms. Rita KLEES (World Bank) Chapter 5 Mr. Andrzej JAGUSIEWICZ (POLAND) Chapter 6 Mr. Ivan NARKEVITCH (ECE secretariat) Chapter 7 Ms. Helle HUSUM Ms. Karin REQUIA (FRANCE) Chapter 8 Ms. Stella SATALIC (CROATIA) Chapter 9 Mr. Peter Lind JANS (DENMARK) Chapter 10 Ms. Annika ERIKSSON (SWEDEN) Chapter 11 Mr. Bo LIBERT (ECE secretariat) Chapter 12 Ms. M.H. Louise GRENIER (CANADA) Chapter 13 Ms. Laura SUSANI (ITALY) Chapter 14 Mr. Stephan BÖSE-O’REILLY (WHO/ECEH) Chapter 15 Kosovo Mr. Ivan NARKEVITCH Mr. René NIJENHUIS (ECE secretariat) Ms. Mijke HERTOGHS The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. In particular, the boundaries shown on the maps do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations. The preparatory mission for the project took place from 19 to 25 January 2002. The review mission was organized from 15 to 26 April 2002. vii List of National Contributors The Federal Republic Mr. Miroslav Nikčević Federal Secretariat of Labour, Health and Social Care (Assistant Federal Secretary) Environment Department