The Tacis Environmental Awareness Raising Programme
Activities
in the Caucasus Region
As a start, a research survey was carried out to assess the perception
of environmental issues in our partner countries and improve the strategy
of the programme. During the first phase, activities focussed on the capitals
in the three countries, during the second phase we will take an effort
to reach actors in other parts.
Supporting
legislators
Open Parliament Meetings (OPM) bring together legislators, experts, representatives
of NGOs, administration and the business community to exchange information
on a certain issue and to jointly discuss solutions. In the course of
TEAP1, they have proven to be a useful tool for improving environmental
legislation and developing new partnerships. We have focussed on the issue
of alternative energy sources as energy is of acute social and environmental
importance to all three republics.
* OPMs were held in the Parliaments of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia
to discuss the potential of renewable energy in the Transcaucasus.
* an OPM on renewable energy issues in co-operation with the CIS Inter
Parliamentary Assembly with MPs from all over the CIS opened the Georgian
Environment Week on 1st June 1998.
* OPMs are planned in all three republics in February and April 1999 on
the Aarhus Convention (access to environmental information) and renewable
energy aspects, respectively.
Serving the Third
Sector
A survey revealed that environmental NGOs in this region need training
in organisational development (e.g. fundraising, public relations, strategic
planning) and in methods of public participation. We therefor concentrated
on these aspects and opened up small project facilities for NGO action.
* Two information tool kits for NGOs, one with practical information on
how to manage and develop an NGO, the other on public participation in
environmental decision making processes was produced in Russian language
and is presently being distributed to users in the region.
* Kazbegi (Georgia) hosted a seminar for NGOs from the three Caucaus republics
in June 1998. Regional NGO representatives are to participate in two NIS-wide
seminars to discuss aspects and use of the tool kits during the second
phase of the programme. These seminars aim to improve the publications
and adapt them to the needs in the various countries.
Reaching out
to the public
Raising awareness among the general population can only be achieved with
the help of the media. In particular, high quality environmental films
are an important tool for environmental education and information campaigns.
However, media representatives lack training and experience in covering
environmental issues in an effective way. We therefor established a Media
Fund to support environmental film and radio production, are training
journalists, and are established video libraries. TEAP also coordinates
awareness raising campaigns in cooperation with local actors.
* Two experts from Georgia participated in a screening session to select
60 environmental video films for video libraries established across the
region. In the limit of our budget, film rights were negotiated and the
films were dubbed in Georgian and Russian.
* Twelve non-commercial environmental video libraries were opened in the
region, eight more will be added during the second project phase. * Environmental
video library managers and users from the Caucasus will be linked to a
CIS-wide network by receiving and contributing to an electronically mailed
Video Libraries Newsletter.
* A three day regional seminar for journalists of Armenia, Azerbaijan
and Georgia was carried out to discuss aspects of environmental journalism,
some legal aspects of environmental protection and interactions between
media and non-governmental organizations.
* A training package on environmental journalism was produced in Russian
language and distributed to lecturers and trainers of environmental journalism.
In order to tailor the packages more to local needs and conditions, we
have commissioned experts in each of the three countries to add specific
information and examples.
* With TEAP support, independent TV stations in all three countries are
planning to broadcast licensed films from the Tacis environmental video
library.
* The Media Fund so far has financed the production of seven environmental
programmes by the Georgian TV station Roustavi 2, environmental film showings
in three Azeri cities organised by the Children’s Union of Azerbaijan,
and a journalist competition in Armenia. More projects are in the planning
stage.
* The Georgian Environment Week, 1–7 June 1998 and environmental action
days in Baku and Yerevan on the 5th of June were initiated and coordinated
by TEAP. All three events involved numerous partners from all sectors
of society.
* We believe that discussing common environmental issues can contribute
to overcoming ethnic conflicts that have been dominating the region for
many years. Therefor, a trans-caucasian awareness raising event is planned
for September 1999 focusing on water-shed protection of the transnational
rivers Kura and Araks (see next column) Kura - Araks River Action
The Kura River flowing through Georgia and Azerbaijan is the largest watercourse
in the Trans-Caucasus. The biggest tributary is River Araks which originates
on the territory of Armenia. This water system is polluted by municipal
sewage water discharge, industrial waste water discharge, agricultural
run-off, and dump site run-offs mainly on the territory of Georgia and
Armenia. Azerbaijan receives heavily polluted river waters from its neighbours,
which results both in serious health hazards as the Kura serves as a source
of drinking water, and environmental problems because the Kura flows into
the Caspian Sea and contributes to its pollution. The watershed is furthermore
negatively effected by eroding shorelines.
It is proposed to initiate and coordinate actions that shall take place
in parallel in all three countries on a grass roots level along the river
valley to emphasise the fact that the Kura-Araks watershed is a shared
environment and that public participation is needed for developing sustainable
solutions.
The project relies on local initiatives, NGOs and educational institutions.
Support from local governments and other decision-makers is anticipated
as well as contribution from the various relevant research institutes.
Other environmental programmes will be invited to cooperate. The media
are needed for disseminating information and influencing public attitude
towards a more responsible, active behaviour.
The TEAP Caucasian Regional Office in Tbilisi and its affiliated National
Coordinators in Armenia and Azerbaijan will coordinate action and manage
the information component. In all three countries, NGOs will be invited
to submit project proposals for small grants that support local action.
The TEAP office will also link action across border and implement a media
campaign. The aim is to initiate as much media coverage on the topic and
the events of the River Action as possible and to create the image of
a trans-boundary event, of joint action across boarders.
Project data
The project is financed by the EU Tacis programme.
The first phase lasted from January 1997 to July 1998), the second phase
will end in November 1999.
The project is implemented by a consortium led by Ogilvy Public Relations
Worldwide/Brussels which unites the expertise of Helsinki University Knowledge
Services, the BBC’s Marshall Plan of the Mind, and Oekomedia.
Five Regional Offices co-ordinate project activities in Almaty, Kiev,
Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Tbilisi with an overall co-ordination from
Brussels and Helsinki.
For more information please contact in Georgia:
Irene Lucius or Keti Chachibaia
Visiting address:
Mtskheta St 1, 5th floor, Tbilisi, Georgia
Postal address: PO Box 115. 380076 Tbilisi, Georgia
Tel/Fax: (+995-32) 22-69-06, tel: 25-02-74 Mob: 8-9950-2391
e-mail: wgehrig@caucasus.net , ketich@caucasus.net
in Armenia:
Nazeli Vardanian,
NGO Training and Resource Centre,
23 Srvastopolian St 23, 375028 Yerevan
tel.: 3742-278732, fax: 151795
e-mail: ngoc@arminco.com
in Azerbaijan:
Ayten Huseynova
Tel.: 256354,
e-mail: huseynov@hotmail.com , or: guseynovaaa@aznet.og
The
Tacis Environmental Awareness Raising Programme,
E-mail: tacisenv@mailbox.alkor.ru, phone/fax
+7-812-273 21 13
Last update 98.12.08 by Jonas.Pertoft@info.slu.se