NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FOR THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC 2001 The National Strategy for Sustainable Development for the Slovak Republic has been prepared in the framework of the Project “Capacity Building for Sustainable Development”.. Project was implemented by the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe - REC Slovakia, financed by the United Nations Development Program and guaranted by the Minsitry of the Environment of the Slovak Republic. 2 CONTENT 1. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, ITS PRINCIPLES, CRITERIA AND INDICATORS..9 2. ENFORCEMENT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE WORLD – A CHALLENGE FOR SLOVAKIA.......................................................................................................13 2.1 ENFORCEMENT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE UNITED NATIONS ..........................................................................................................................................13 2.1.1 The UN Conference on Environment and Development (Rio de Janiero, 1992)..............13 2.1.2 The UN Commission on Sustainable Development...........................................................13 2.1.3 World Summit on Sustainable Development (Johannesburg, 2002).................................13 2.1.4 UN programmes and UN agencies ...................................................................................14 2.2 ENFORCEMENT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT ........................14 2.3 ENFORCEMENT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE EUROPEAN UNION 15 2.4 STRATEGIES OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN SELECTED COUNTRIES – CHALLENGES AND SOURCES OF EXPERIENCE......................................................................16 2.4.1 USA: Sustainable America – A New Consensus (1999) ...................................................16 2.4.2 United Kingdom: Strategy of Sustainable Development (1999).......................................16 2.4.3 Finland: Towards Sustainable Development (1997) ........................................................16 2.4.4 Sweden: Strategy of Sustainable Development (1994) .....................................................17 2.4.5 Support of sustainable development in selected states .....................................................17 2.4.6 Sustainable development in the states of Visegrad group.................................................17 3. STARTING SITUATION FOR ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC..........................................................................................................................19 3.1 INITIAL STAGES IN APPLICATION OF AGENDA 21 IN SLOVAKIA ........................19 3.1.1 Slovakia after UNCED (Rio de Janeiro, 1992).................................................................19 3.1.2 Documents supporting the National Strategy of Sustainable Development......................20 3.1.3 Classification and assessment of the starting situation ....................................................21 3.2 CULTURAL CONDITIONS AND PERSPECTIVES .........................................................22 3.2.1 Classification of cultural conditions and perspectives .....................................................22 3.2.2 Settlements........................................................................................................................22 3.2.3 Cultural heritage, historic structures of the landscape and monuments ..........................30 3.2.4 Culture and its development .............................................................................................38 3.2.5 Public awareness, education and edification ...................................................................40 3.2.6 Political and social system ...............................................................................................42 3.3 SOCIAL CONDITIONS AND PERSPECTIVES ................................................................46 3.3.1 Classification of social conditions and perspectives ........................................................46 3.3.2 Quality and length of life, population development and educational level of population 47 3.3.3 Human health and health care..........................................................................................53 3.3.4 Social problems, social aid and socio-pathological phenomena......................................55 3.3.5 Position of selected groups in the society.........................................................................60 3.3.6 National minorities and ethnic groups .............................................................................63 3.3.7 Value orientation and consumption patterns....................................................................65 3.3.8 Human Development Index...............................................................................................66 3.4 ECONOMIC CONDITIONS AND PERSPECTIVES .........................................................67 3.4.1 Classification of economic conditions and perspectives...................................................67 3.4.2 Slovak economy and gross domestic product ...................................................................68 3.4.3 Inflation ............................................................................................................................73 3.4.4 Foreign indebtedness........................................................................................................74 3.4.5 Foreign trade and balance of payment.............................................................................76 3.4.6 Foreign investments..........................................................................................................78 3.4.7 Structure of economy, export and import .........................................................................79 3.4.8 Main sectors of economy ..................................................................................................81 3.4.9 Economic instruments.....................................................................................................107 3 3.4.10 Business Charter for sustainable development ..........................................................118 3.4.11 Economy of the Slovak Republic in relation to sustainable development ..................118 3.4.12 Sustainable model of economy as a substitute for industrial model...........................120 3.5 ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS AND PERSPECTIVES ..........................................122 3.5.1 Classification of environmental conditions and perspectives.........................................122 3.5.2 Lithosphere – geological and geo-morphological conditions ........................................123 3.5.3 Atmosphere – climatic and meteorological conditions...................................................129 3.5.4 Hydrosphere – hydrological conditions..........................................................................133 3.5.5 Soil – soil conditions.......................................................................................................143 3.5.6 Biosphere – biological conditions ..................................................................................149 3.5.7 Environmental risk factors .............................................................................................160 3.5.8 Nature and landscape, their protection and management..............................................167 3.6 INSTITUTIONAL CONDITIONS AND PERSPECTIVES ..............................................173 3.6.1 Classification of institutional conditions and perspectives.............................................173 3.6.2 Preparation of conceptions and planning.......................................................................176 3.6.3 Legislation and law ........................................................................................................177 3.6.4 Education, advisory services and publicity ....................................................................182 3.6.5 Science and research ......................................................................................................184 3.6.6 Information and public participation .............................................................................186 3.6.7 Legislative, executive and judicial authorities................................................................189 3.6.8 Scientific, research and expert organisations.................................................................201 3.6.9 Educational institutions..................................................................................................202 3.6.10 Business subjects........................................................................................................205 3.6.11 Non-governmental non-profit organisations and interest associations......................206 3.7 REGIONAL CONDITIONS AND ASPECTS ...................................................................212 3.7.1 Division of regional conditions and aspects...................................................................212 3.7.2 Cultural conditions and aspects of regional development..............................................213 3.7.3 Social conditions and aspects of development of regions...............................................215 3.7.4 Economic conditions and aspects of development of regions.........................................218 3.7.5 Environmental conditions