Eco-Management and Audit Scheme for CEE Municipalities

The “Eco-Management and Audit Scheme for Municipalities …” project has been the first ambitious attempt to introduce environmental management systems into CEE municipalities.

It has been a complex, cooperative project providing a framework for the work of 6 coordinating organizations from 6 CEE countries, local governments of 6 pilot cities, 16 environmental NGOs, local and regional environmental authorities, academic institutions, businesses, schools, youth clubs, scientific organizations and individual experts. The six cooperating non-governmental organizations included CES (Budapest) as the lead partner; ETP Foundation - Sustainable Projects (Bulgaria); Institute for Environmental Policy (The Czech Republic); ETP-Poland (Poland); ETP Romania Foundation - Resource Center for a Changen (Romania) and ETP Slovakia / Zdruzenie ETP Slovensko (Slovakia). They worked with 6 pilot cities, namely Campulung Muscel (Romania), Gabrovo (Bulgaria), Kladno (Czech Republic), Miskolc (Hungary), Puchov and Spisska Nova Ves (Slovakia).

The six cooperating NGOs played a catalytic role. By building partnerships with parallel projects and similar institutions and using matching funds, these organizations could achieve significant impacts despite their relatively small project funds.

The project has achieved its goals. It introduced environmental management systems into 6 CEE municipalities, and as a result, it provided these municipalities with a tool for their Local Agenda 21 projects and the improvement for their environmental performance. It gave additional momentum to ongoing Local Agenda 21 projects. The six pilot cities have made significant progress in developing their environmental management system. Because of this progress, they could improve the effectiveness and efficiency of their environmental management, meet their legal obligations related to the development of local environmental policies and action plans and provide information on the quality of the natural environment to the public. The project has promoted the success of 2 pilot communities (i.e. Miskolc and Spisska Nova Ves) in the competition for “The City towards EU Compliance Award” in which they are among 15 candidates for the award. It has also resulted in concrete environmental investment projects, and effected new city ordinances related to environmental protection.

The project contributed to the strengthening of local self-governments and public participation in local public affairs, and as a result it facilitated local democracy.

FACTS ABOUT THE PROJECT

1. Results / products

TYPE OF RESULTS / PRODUCTS Facts / figures

Events, meetings, etc. organized as a part of the project

Awareness-raising events

Bulgaria - Earth Day celebration dedicated to waste collection, youth clubs and schoolchildren involved in an educational project called ‘A STEP FORWARD’, mass media programs, articles;
Czech Rep. – citizens’ working group for LA 21 meetings, many articles and presentations in both local and national press and radios, set-up of a public information system;
Hungary – publishing and disseminating the results of the initial environmental review and the public opinion survey, local press educating citizens on specific environmental issues;
Romania - Month of City Cleanness campaign, Muscel Sundays – contests, fares, cultural evenings;
Slovakia – special meetings for project participants, local TV and local press at Spisska Nova Ves, training

Meetings of the City Council, Council Committee, or the Working Committee Bulgaria (2);
Czech Rep. - monthly regular meetings;
Hungary (9);
Romania (11);
Slovakia (16)

Sets of sustainability indicators for local communities Total: 3
Czech Rep. (1), Slovakia: (2)

Number of public opinion surveys conducted (on environmental preferences)
Number of respondents Czech Rep. (1), Hungary (1*)
Czech Rep. (836), Hungary (48 enterprises)

The number of training courses organized in the framework of the project Total: 16
Czech Republic (6), Hungary (1), Poland (1), Romania (2), Slovakia (6)

The number of participants of EMAS trainings Total: 278
Czech Rep. (46), Hungary (19), Poland (56), Romania (85), Slovakia (72)

Training materials produced by the project Total: 6
Hungary (1), Poland (3), Romania (1), Slovakia (1)

Dissemination of ideas, methodology and project results Exhibition at the European Eco-Forum at Aarhus, 1998, presenting the Call of the mayors of pilot cities to CEE Local Communities to Introduce EMAS as well as the cooperative project

Czech Rep. – Publications: Public Opinion Research - Final Report (Results + Interpretation), project brochure, information booklet (detailed version), two expert studies (communal waste management, organic compounds and heavy metals in particulate matter). Presentations: ANPED General Meeting Sofia - short presentation, ANPED Skill-share Bushteny (poster), seminar at the Ministry of the Environment, Prague - „Local Agenda 21 in the Czech Republic“ - 1 hour presentation, meeting at the Charles University Environmental Centre - short presentation, national seminar „Towards Sustainable Development of the Czech Republic“ - short presentation, paper presented at the international conference „Local Agenda 21“ in Kaunas;

Hungary – 2 presentations at the Central European University, project brochure, publishing the results of the initial survey and the draft environmental action program

Poland – manual for post diploma studies for local governments;

Romania – presentation for regional EPA directors on EMAS/EMS, distribution of the Romanian translations of the ISO 14001, 14004, 14010, 14011, 14012 standards, as well as the Agenda 21 material;

Slovakia – 5 presentations: at the Conference of Sustainable Cities Development in Sofia in November 1998, a conference in Zilina in September 1998, a workshop at the ministry of environment in April 1999, in the first conference on sustainable development in Banska Bystrica, and at the Conference on Sustainable Cities Development in Saint Petersburg.

*The Hungarian sub-project could also rely on the results of another survey conducted by the Miskolci Öko-kör independent from the recent project and the interviewing of 2000 citizens.

1. Impacts

TYPE OF IMPACTS FACTS / FIGURES

The number of local communities introducing EMAS, i.e. systematic work on Local Agenda 21. Total: 6

From these:

the number of local communities with a strong commitment to Local Agenda 21 and environmental improvement Total: 6
Bulgaria (1), Czech Rep.(1), Hungary (1), Romania (1), Slovakia (2);

the number of local communities having made an environmental review Total: 5
Bulgaria (1), Czech Rep.(1), Hungary (1), Romania (1); Slovakia (1);

the number of local communities having drafted/accepted an environmental policy Total: 4
Bulgaria (1), Hungary (1), Romania (1); Slovakia (1);

the number of local communities that have selected a set of environmental indicators Total: 6
Bulgaria (1), Czech Rep. (1), Hungary (1), Romania (1), Slovakia (2);

the number of local communities having prepared/accepted an environmental action program Total: 4
Bulgaria (1), Hungary (1), Romania (1); Slovakia (1);

the number of local communities having an environmental management system Total: 2
Bulgaria (1), Slovakia (1);

the number of local communities having made an environmental audit Total: 1
Bulgaria

Encouraging public involvement, forums for local democracy Czech Rep. - citizens working group, establishing a public information system at the local authority, regular discussions of city representatives with the public on important development, community and environmental issues;
Hungary – public opinion surveys, inviting comments on environmental priorities and the first draft of the policy and the action program through mail and 2 public hearings / personal meetings with city environmental experts;
Romania – media channels as well as the City Hall special department’s service;
Slovakia - special meetings

Number of cooperating NGOs Total: 16
Bulgaria (3), Czech Rep. (1), Hungary (3), Poland (1), Romania (5), Slovakia (3)

Other cooperating organizations 6 related municipalities - plus:
Bulgaria - Peace Corps, youth clubs, schools;
Czech Rep. - regional authorities, district authorities, Regional Hygienic Station, Charles University Environmental Centre, Institute for Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science, regional development agency, local schools;
Hungary – the regional Environmental Inspectorate, Miskolc University, Miskolc Committee of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the regional chapter of the Chamber of Commerce;
Poland – University of Silesia, Silesian Technical University;Romania (7 local companies in Campulung Muscel, county Arges council and prefecture, local EPA);
Slovakia – Slovakian Academy of Sciences, Technical University of Kosice.

Tangible results produced by the project Bulgaria – mapping of illegal landfills in the region of Gabrovo and eliminating 3 of them, Gabrovo authorities adopted 2 municipal environ-mental regulations related to household and construction wastes, tenders were conducted and contracts signed for municipal waste management;
Romania - investment decision to modernize asphalt production in Campulung Muscel, establishing environmental compliance schedules for local enterprises.

Public appreciation 2 cities out of the 6 cities hosting EMS/EMAS pilot projects, Miskolc and Spisska Nova Ves are candidates for the Year 1999 “The City Towards EU Compliance Award”, an award of the European Union for CEE cities recognizing city achievements in EU accession. For the total 15 awards to be granted in 1999, there were 215 CEE applicants.

New EMS /EMAS and other projects inspired by the recent project Bulgaria – 5 municipalities applied for an EcoLinks Challenge grant to implement EMS projects; one of them was Gabrovo municipality, which wants to extend its recent project;
Czech Rep. – 2 municipalities (Decin and Prague 15) are planning to start their own LA 21 projects;
Poland – 9 LA 21 projects, 4 new EMAS projects (Czechowice-Dziedzice, Siemianowice, Gliwice, Chorzow);
Romania – 3 new EMS/EMAS projects, ‘EMS for Municipality’ project strengthening of environmental management in 7 local enterprises in Campulung Muscel.

Master theses inspired by the project Total: 2

Bernadetta Klimek: Introducing Agenda 21 Principles - Environmental Review of the Community Czechowice-Dziedzice (in Polish), Uniwersytet Slaski, Post-Diploma Studies, Chorzów 1998;

Inga Ringailaite: Implementation of the Environmental Management Systems in Municipalities of Central and Eastern Europe, Department of Environmental Sciences and Policy of the Central European University, August, 1999 Budapest.

Media coverage Bulgaria - local newspaper, radio and cable TV;
Czech Rep. – local and national newspapers, national environmental journals, local radio;
Hungary – local newspaper;
Poland –Local TV, local radio and newspapers
Romania - several, mostly radio and TV;
Slovakia - local TV, local press.

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TYPE OF RESULTS / PRODUCTS	Facts / figures
Events, meetings, etc. organized as a part of the project
Awareness-raising events	Bulgaria - Earth Day celebration dedicated to waste collection, youth clubs and schoolchildren involved in an educational project called ‘A STEP FORWARD’, mass media programs, articles; Czech Rep. – citizens’ working group for LA 21 meetings, many articles and presentations in both local and national press and radios, set-up of a public information system; Hungary – publishing and disseminating the results of the initial environmental review and the public opinion survey, local press educating citizens on specific environmental issues; Romania - Month of City Cleanness campaign, Muscel Sundays – contests, fares, cultural evenings; Slovakia – special meetings for project participants, local TV and local press at Spisska Nova Ves, training
Meetings of the City Council, Council Committee, or the Working Committee	Bulgaria (2); Czech Rep. - monthly regular meetings; Hungary (9); Romania (11); Slovakia (16)
Sets of sustainability indicators for local communities	Total: 3 Czech Rep. (1), Slovakia: (2)
Number of public opinion surveys conducted (on environmental preferences) Number of respondents	Czech Rep. (1), Hungary (1) Czech Rep.* (836), Hungary (48 enterprises)
The number of training courses organized in the framework of the project	Total: 16 Czech Republic (6), Hungary (1), Poland (1), Romania (2), Slovakia (6)
The number of participants of EMAS trainings	Total: 278 Czech Rep. (46), Hungary (19), Poland (56), Romania (85), Slovakia (72)
Training materials produced by the project	Total: 6 Hungary (1), Poland (3), Romania (1), Slovakia (1)
Dissemination of ideas, methodology and project results	Exhibition at the European Eco-Forum at Aarhus, 1998, presenting the Call of the mayors of pilot cities to CEE Local Communities to Introduce EMAS as well as the cooperative project Czech Rep. – Publications: Public Opinion Research - Final Report (Results + Interpretation), project brochure, information booklet (detailed version), two expert studies (communal waste management, organic compounds and heavy metals in particulate matter). Presentations: ANPED General Meeting Sofia - short presentation, ANPED Skill-share Bushteny (poster), seminar at the Ministry of the Environment, Prague - „Local Agenda 21 in the Czech Republic“ - 1 hour presentation, meeting at the Charles University Environmental Centre - short presentation, national seminar „Towards Sustainable Development of the Czech Republic“ - short presentation, paper presented at the international conference „Local Agenda 21“ in Kaunas; Hungary – 2 presentations at the Central European University, project brochure, publishing the results of the initial survey and the draft environmental action program Poland – manual for post diploma studies for local governments; Romania – presentation for regional EPA directors on EMAS/EMS, distribution of the Romanian translations of the ISO 14001, 14004, 14010, 14011, 14012 standards, as well as the Agenda 21 material; Slovakia – 5 presentations: at the Conference of Sustainable Cities Development in Sofia in November 1998, a conference in Zilina in September 1998, a workshop at the ministry of environment in April 1999, in the first conference on sustainable development in Banska Bystrica, and at the Conference on Sustainable Cities Development in Saint Petersburg.

TYPE OF IMPACTS	FACTS / FIGURES
The number of local communities introducing EMAS, i.e. systematic work on Local Agenda 21.	Total: 6
From these:
the number of local communities with a strong commitment to Local Agenda 21 and environmental improvement	Total: 6 Bulgaria (1), Czech Rep.(1), Hungary (1), Romania (1), Slovakia (2);
the number of local communities having made an environmental review	Total: 5 Bulgaria (1), Czech Rep.(1), Hungary (1), Romania (1); Slovakia (1);
the number of local communities having drafted/accepted an environmental policy	Total: 4 Bulgaria (1), Hungary (1), Romania (1); Slovakia (1);
the number of local communities that have selected a set of environmental indicators	Total: 6 Bulgaria (1), Czech Rep. (1), Hungary (1), Romania (1), Slovakia (2);
the number of local communities having prepared/accepted an environmental action program	Total: 4 Bulgaria (1), Hungary (1), Romania (1); Slovakia (1);
the number of local communities having an environmental management system	Total: 2 Bulgaria (1), Slovakia (1);
the number of local communities having made an environmental audit	Total: 1 Bulgaria
Encouraging public involvement, forums for local democracy	Czech Rep. - citizens working group, establishing a public information system at the local authority, regular discussions of city representatives with the public on important development, community and environmental issues; Hungary – public opinion surveys, inviting comments on environmental priorities and the first draft of the policy and the action program through mail and 2 public hearings / personal meetings with city environmental experts; Romania – media channels as well as the City Hall special department’s service; Slovakia - special meetings
Number of cooperating NGOs	Total: 16 Bulgaria (3), Czech Rep. (1), Hungary (3), Poland (1), Romania (5), Slovakia (3)
Other cooperating organizations	6 related municipalities - plus: Bulgaria - Peace Corps, youth clubs, schools; Czech Rep. - regional authorities, district authorities, Regional Hygienic Station, Charles University Environmental Centre, Institute for Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science, regional development agency, local schools; Hungary – the regional Environmental Inspectorate, Miskolc University, Miskolc Committee of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the regional chapter of the Chamber of Commerce; Poland – University of Silesia, Silesian Technical University;Romania (7 local companies in Campulung Muscel, county Arges council and prefecture, local EPA); Slovakia – Slovakian Academy of Sciences, Technical University of Kosice.
Tangible results produced by the project	Bulgaria – mapping of illegal landfills in the region of Gabrovo and eliminating 3 of them, Gabrovo authorities adopted 2 municipal environ-mental regulations related to household and construction wastes, tenders were conducted and contracts signed for municipal waste management; Romania - investment decision to modernize asphalt production in Campulung Muscel, establishing environmental compliance schedules for local enterprises.
Public appreciation	2 cities out of the 6 cities hosting EMS/EMAS pilot projects, Miskolc and Spisska Nova Ves are candidates for the Year 1999 “The City Towards EU Compliance Award”, an award of the European Union for CEE cities recognizing city achievements in EU accession. For the total 15 awards to be granted in 1999, there were 215 CEE applicants.
New EMS /EMAS and other projects inspired by the recent project	Bulgaria – 5 municipalities applied for an EcoLinks Challenge grant to implement EMS projects; one of them was Gabrovo municipality, which wants to extend its recent project; Czech Rep. – 2 municipalities (Decin and Prague 15) are planning to start their own LA 21 projects; Poland – 9 LA 21 projects, 4 new EMAS projects (Czechowice-Dziedzice, Siemianowice, Gliwice, Chorzow); Romania – 3 new EMS/EMAS projects, ‘EMS for Municipality’ project strengthening of environmental management in 7 local enterprises in Campulung Muscel.
Master theses inspired by the project	Total: 2 Bernadetta Klimek: Introducing Agenda 21 Principles - Environmental Review of the Community Czechowice-Dziedzice (in Polish), Uniwersytet Slaski, Post-Diploma Studies, Chorzów 1998; Inga Ringailaite: Implementation of the Environmental Management Systems in Municipalities of Central and Eastern Europe, Department of Environmental Sciences and Policy of the Central European University, August, 1999 Budapest.
Media coverage	Bulgaria - local newspaper, radio and cable TV; Czech Rep. – local and national newspapers, national environmental journals, local radio; Hungary – local newspaper; Poland –Local TV, local radio and newspapers Romania - several, mostly radio and TV; Slovakia - local TV, local press.