ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION IN GREECE 10th annual review -Summary CONTENTS INTRODUCTION _______________________________________________________________ 3 KEY FINDINGS PER SECTOR __________________________________________________ 4 1. Public participation – access to information _____________________________________ 4 2. Environmental impact assessment ___________________________________________ 4 3. Green Fund _____________________________________________________________ 4 4. Spatial planning __________________________________________________________ 5 5. Environmental inspections __________________________________________________ 6 6. Air ____________________________________________________________________ 7 7. Climate change & Energy __________________________________________________ 7 8. Water __________________________________________________________________ 9 9. Waste ________________________________________________________________ 11 10. Nature & biodiversity ____________________________________________________ 12 ENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRATION ____________________________________________ 17 11. Economic adjustment programme __________________________________________ 17 12. Finance Ministry _______________________________________________________ 19 13. Tourism Ministry________________________________________________________ 20 14. Investments law ________________________________________________________ 21 CONCLUSION _________________________________________________________________ 23 © 2014 WWF Greece 2 INTRODUCTION Much has changed in Greece since 2005, when WWF Greece’s first environmental law review was published. These times were marked by the post-Olympic era of false euphoria, the grandiose images and promises of a rapidly developing Greece, as well as sinking of expectations and potential during the economic crisis. The ten consecutive annual law reviews published by WWF Greece over the last decade, reflect these changes and the respective environmental developments. The period covered by this year's report on the implementation of environmental legislation (July 2013 -June 2014), saw the culmination of a systematic process of dismantling Greece’s already poor environmental acquis. To a large extent, the environmental rollback analysed in the review is the result of Greece’s commitments in the context of the austerity and structural adjustment programme supervised by the European Commission, the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank. To an equally large extent though, this loss of important environmental acquis is due to Government initiatives proposed by the heads of various ministries. It is indicative that certain policies introduced by the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change upon its establishment in 2009, were cancelled, betraying hopes for good environmental policy- making. According to information presented in the review, the economic crisis is used as an excuse for the weakening of environmental legislation and policy. Armed with the policies and legal changes stipulated in the structural adjustment programme (hereinafter referred to as the “Programme”), many ministries have launched efforts to penetrate and alter the environmental legislation relating to their policy domains. One of the most notable developments of this period was undoubtedly the destructive coastal bill that was announced by the Ministry of Finance in April. The mass mobilization and public reaction caused by this bill showed that the environment remains a priority for many citizens and that the crisis cannot be used as an excuse for the loss of natural capital. The collapse of the development model that ignores the environment has now become more evident than ever. The dialogue that never really happened regarding the development model that will sustainably lead the country out of the crisis is a sad reminder that Greece is wasting a “good crisis”… The report “A living economy for Greece”, which was presented in October 2013, is WWF Greece’s own contribution to this national dialogue on development. The vision and proposal expressed therein addresses the problems identified by our annual environmental law reviews, showing that loss of our natural wealth will inevitably lead to a development impasse and a future deeper crisis: economic, social and ecological. The proposals pave the way to a development model based on Greece’s natural capital, building a strong and sustainable economy for all. This tenth annual review coincides with the tenth anniversary of our Legal Team, which is comprised of an enthusiastic and dedicated group of volunteer experts in law, environmental sciences and other relevant disciplines. Their genuine commitment to WWF’s mission of stopping the degradation of our natural environment, and building a future in which humans live in harmony with nature has produced important results in strengthening civil society and on many occasions successfully addressing environmental threats. 3 KEY FINDINGS PER SECTOR 1. Public participation – access to information In the fields of environmental information, participation and access to justice, there were limited, but troubling developments. With respect to environmental information, and despite the positive impact of the “Diavgeia” (Transparency) website, which offers access to administrative acts and opinions, many authorities with relevant responsibilities (such as the “National Cadastre & Mapping Agency”) publish very little environmental information. Also, provisions for confidentiality continue to appear in Greek law, potentially undermining access to environmental information. Greece also sided with a group of EC countries against the European Parliament in a misguided, and eventually failed judicial attempt to prevent the disclosure of countries taking positions on reform of the EU’s access to documents rules. However, a legislative attempt to limit the extent of administrative acts published in “Diavgeia” caused a public outcry and was thwarted. With respect to access to justice, the Greek Council of State’s efforts to defend the right in the case of “legislative permits” are worth noting. Finally, despite the widespread appeal of some recent public consultations (such as the one concerning the recent draft law on the coastline access), many irregular practices continue to cripple public participation – such as the lack of adequate time- limits and clear rules, limited recognition of dissenting views, or the introduction of new legal provisions after public consultation. 2. Environmental impact assessment According to the latest IMF country report for Greece, “simplifying” (environmental) “licensing” is a structural benchmark, to be achieved by end-2014. It is, therefore, hardly surprising that, during the reporting period, many ministerial decrees on this subject were issued. Among them, the ministerial decrees prescribing the “standards” of environmental assessment are particularly worth mentioning. They introduce strict limitations on the content, methods and the geographical area of environmental assessment. As a result, when fully implemented, they will lead to perfunctory environmental assessments which are not science-based, ignore the underlying principles of the procedure (such as the principle of precaution) and undermine the right to environmental information and participation. Unfortunately, the standards for “appropriate assessment” of plans and projects affecting Natura 2000 sites have also been similarly undermined. For the time being, environmental assessment in Greece is dominated by two other practices. The first is an across-the-board, temporal extension of all environmental permits in force, after a simplified request by the industry and a slipshod assessment. This provision further weakens the authorities’ remit to supervise and enforce environmental permits, and delays technical adaptations (or closure) of many polluting activities. The second is potentially even more damaging: it consists of new, extraordinary legislation exempting certain activities from preliminary licensing requirements, and ensuring their continuous operation even without the necessary permits in force. Ignoring activities located in protected areas or subject to specific requirement (e.g., IPPC activities under the “Industrial emissions” directive), is a practice that became widespread in 2013-4. 3. Green Fund The legal establishment and launch of operation of the Green Fund – a national environment fund - in 2010 was a long-awaited and indeed very positive environmental policy landmark. Following decades of scandalous lack of transparency in the management of revenues, taxes and penalties levied for environmental purposes, the Green Fund promised to open a new era of clear budgeting, allocation and reporting. At present, the Fund sits on approx. EUR 2.5 billion, collected and legally earmarked for improvement of urban environment conditions, nature conservation, forest management and energy efficiency. Given that the State Budget does not provide any other environmental funding (excluding wages and operation expenses for the environmental administration authorities), the Green Fund is the only national source of environmental funding. 4 Since 2013, when the Parliament voted a rather cryptic amendment to a law on pensions, the Green Fund can only approve spending that does not exceed 2.5% of its funds. The significance of this development is considerable since in effect it reduces Greece’s already limited ability to finance environmental protection.