Regional Workshop on Capacity-Building in Governance and Public Administration for Sustainable Development

Transcription

1 ECOSAN International Fund of Ecology and Health Regional Workshop on Capacity-Building in Governance and Public Administration for Sustainable Development Report of the President of the International Fund of Ecology and Health ECOSAN Yu. Shadimetov on the subject Strengthening NGO s potentials in ensuring a sustainable development Thesalonniki, Greece, July 29-31, 2002

2 Regional Workshop on Capacity-Building in Governance and Public Administration for Sustainable Development (Thesalonniki, Greece, July 29-31, 2002) Report of the President of the International Fund of Ecology and Health ECOSAN Yu. Shadimetov on the subject Strengthening NGO s potentials in ensuring a sustainable development I. Present-day situation New ecological challenges of the 21-st century require a greater unification of all world community s efforts for ensuring a sustainable development. In this connection at present time NGOs are becoming the most active participants of the decision-making process on the environmental protection and development of human resources potentials as major factors of socionatural and co-evolutionary development. It is equally true to the NGOs of both Uzbekistan and Central Asian region which is under impact of the most severe ecological pressure. One of the most dangerous zones of ecological disaster in Central Asia is in the Aral Sea area. It is connected with the desiccation of the Aral Sea that has taken in recent decades the most threatening scale. The Aral Sea crisis is the biggest ecological humanitarian catastrophe in humankind s modern history. The water resources shortage problem and nagative consequences of the ever-growing intake of water from rivers feeding the Aral Sea have become the main reason for the so-called Aral Sea crisis, a symbol of the desiccating sea. The drinking water problem has become extremely severe. Intensive water intake from main waterways of Central Asia Amu-Darya and Syr-Darya by all countries of the region leads to a hard water shortage, 90 per cent of which is used for irrigation. Of greate concern is the air pollution. Over 2,5 million tons of pollutants are emited into the atmosphere from different sources in Uzbekistan only. Of no less threat is the transboundary air pollution by Tajikistan. Alluminium plant, located in that area, emits into the atmosphere great quantities of fluoric hydrogen, carbon oxide, sulphureous gas and nitrogen oxide which are moved by mountainous valley winds to neighbouring territories of Uzbekistan, in particular, Surkhan-Darya area. Radioactive wastes are also of great threat. Along the Mailuu-Suu river banks are buried the wastes of processed uranium ore, and at present day there are 23 waste sites which need the reinforcement of mud flows protection dams and mud flows resistance slopes in mud flows areas. The most severe problem in the region is an ever-growing economic and demographic pressure on land. The area of arable land per capita is continuously decreasing. In Uzbekistan it is only 0,17 hectares. Due to the water resources shortage Central Asia significantly lags behind world norms on the area of irrigated lands. As a result, the land fertility is decreasing which results in the increase of the pollution of arable lands. The main reason was the cultivation of cotton monoculture in the past, non-observance of crop rotations that led to the exhaustion of humus, as well as an over-use of mineral fertilizers and chemicals. The pollution of land by industrial and domestic wastes is also increasing, while their utilization has not been developed. All this requires the use of all opportunities to ensure sustainable development, meet of the essential requirements of man in food stuffs, high-quality drinking water and other resources both for present and coming generations. 2

3 II. Activities aimed at the fulfilment of conceptual provisions of Agenda 21 and problems solution The important factor for achieving sustainable development, implementation of major provisions of Global Agenda 21 and other fundamental UNSED documents is in an integral approach to the solution of the problem of sustainable development with the participation of all sectors of administration, including NGOs. The declaration of Uzbekistan an independent state created possibilities for forming new economic relations, carrying out independent foreign and home policy, development of own ways of integrating in world community and for deep democratic changes. The upbringing of healthy generation and protection of human rights became major and priority directions of the policy of new sovereign state and President Islam Karimov. These beneficial changes roused public awareness, as well as the growth of the activity of broad sections of population and their responsibility for the solution of problems related to the construction of new society. It, in its turn, served as a basis for emerging in Uzbekistan of new public organizations and movements, one of which is the non-governmental International Fund of Ecology and Health ECOSAN. It unites 3,5 million members. Its branches in all regions and districts of Uzbekistan, as well as in 30 countries make a great contribution to ensuring sustainable development. The Fund s activities are supported by the Government of Uzbekistan, ministries, departments, local authorities, public and political movements and public at large. It is symbolic because the beginning of the Fund s activities (June 5, 1992) coincides with the beginning of the work of Global conference in Rio de Janeiro on environment and development. During these years ECOSAN has implemented dozens of programs and projects in the field of environmental protection and sustainable development, creating conditions for normal, natural development of man and his guidance in the interests of the implementation of sustainable development model, improving positive qualities, as well as creating conditions for maintaining and improving the quality of life. At the initiative of ECOSAN and UNICEF in January, 1995 a Project of ecological and regional assistance to women and children of the Aral Sea area ASPERA was developed. It was preceded by a travel of a big group of UNICEF and ECOSAN s experts to the Aral Sea area which enabled them to make quantitative assessment of combined impact of unfavourable factors of environment and socio-domestic conditions on the state of health and level of life of women and children. The Project was targeted at the decrease of potential influence of deteriorating environmental conditions of the life and wellbeing of children and women as well as implementation of social, economic and infrastructural changes contributing to raising the level of their life. On July 31, 1995, the Cabinet of Ministers adopted the resolution On measures for the implementation of the project UNICEF-ECOSAN ASPERA. The project was implemented in , the total value of 3,12 million USD. During its implementation a full immunization of the Aral Sea area children up to the age two was carried out. A big party of medicines, sanitary and hygienic items and school equipment had been supplied. For a more detailed study of local environmental situation and development of ways of solution for improving ecological situation the Fund ECOSAN forms and sends to the regions joint missions of scientists, ecologists, experts, representatives of embassies and international organizations. The first ECOSAN mission was formed in April, Its objective was to study the reasons for the deterioration of ecological situation in the oasis of Fergana valley, close to transboundary sites where non-conditioned ores and wastes in the territory of Kirghyz Republic are buried. Experts in the field of radiation, bacteriological and chemical protection, ecology, geology 3

4 and medicine, as well as UN representatives in Uzbekistan, heads of the Kirghyz branch of ECOSAN Fund, workers of the Ministry of the environmental protection of Kirghyzstan and journalists took part in the work of the mission. The results of work were presented to the UN resident mission in Uzbekistan, governments of the Republic of Uzbekistan and Kirghyz Republic. Later similar missions visited the Republic of Tajikistan, where they discussed the problems related to the harmful emissions in the atmosphere by the Tajik Aluminium plant. ECOSAN s missions had repeatedly visited the Aral Sea area the Republic of Karakalpakstan and Khorezm region, as well as other regions. In the course of the work of the mission the meetings with the leadership of these regions, scientific and practical conferences on ecological problems, business meetings with the enterpreneurs, who presented their socio-ecological projects, and ecological festivals took place. A significant factors is a constant participation in the work of the mission of members of diplomatic corps and representatives of international organizations accredited in Uzbekistan and Central Asia. The results of missions promoted the development of humanitarian cooperation and informing of world community of topical ecological problems of the region. As to the practical activities of the Fund it specializes in a number of directions that enables it to attract to its activities a broad circle of organizations, scientists and specialists. One of them is holding international meetings, conferences, workshops and gatherings on topical socio-ecological problems of both Uzbekistan and the region of Central Asia as a whole. After the adoption of the Rio Declaration and Agenda 21 ECOSAN regularly organizes meetings and workshops based on the Rio de Janeiro conference materials. Within the framework of the preparation to the World Summit Rio+10 the Fund organized about 20 public hearings, workshops, ecoforums, ecofestivals with the participation of some 100 thousand people representatives of different sections of population. At these meetings heads of governmental structures, NGOs, representatives of international organizations and embassies made presentations on the results of the UNSED activities. In 2001 only and during the first half of 2002 the following international conferences, workshops and ecoforums on the subjects related to Rio were held: Uzbekistan: ecological security on the threshold of the 21 st century, supported by the OSCE bureau for Central Asia; Ecotourism a major factor for environmental protection and sustainable development ; International terrorism a threat to environmental security ; Uzbek-Japanes cooperation: 10 years in the field of environment and development ; Energy and global warming ; Population, development and environment, supported by the UNFPA; Mountains a major part of ecosystem ; Wastes and problems of sustainable development ; Problems of the Aral Sea and Aral Sea area an imperative to international cooperation (Cities Tashkent and Berlin); Balkh meeting (Afghanistan) on the problems of sustainable development in the Amu-Darya river basin ; Nukus (Republic of Karakalpakstan) consultative meeting prior to the Global summit on sustainable development Rio+10 in Johannesburg; Public hearings and the presentation of National review Estimation of the progress achieved by the Republic of Uzbekistan on the implementation of Agenda 21 ; Role of public in rational use of natural resources ; Women s health in socio-ecological dimension (in cooperation with the WHO resident mission in Uzbekistan); ECOSAN s report at the International meeting in Philadelphia (USA) on problems of water, climate and development in Amu-Darya river basin. 4

5 During its practical work ECOSAN organized more than 260 such forums at which representatives of all international organizations and embassies of foreign countries, accredited in Uzbekistan, ministries and departments, scientific organizations and higher educational institutions, as well as regional authorities took part. Representatives of the Office of President, Cabinet of Ministers, Oliy Majlis and its committees attended most of those meetings. Experts from such international organizations as UN, OSCE, UNICEF, WHO, ESCATO, UNFPA, TACIS and others took part in preparing and holding processes. Conferences, workshops and meetings organized under the aegis of the Fund gave the opportunity to unite the efforts of workers of state structures, scientific circles, representatives of business and non-governmental organizations in developing and implementing of projects and programmes covering major directions of the environmental protection and people s health. From the very start of its activity ECOSAN took urgent measures to mitigate the severity of the situation in environmentally unsafe region. With that purpose in view ECOSAN health trains were formed. They served as an important mechanism in providing highly-qualified medical care to the population, as well as an effective component in delivering humanitarian cargos. Taking into account a social significance of such form of work the Cabinet of Ministers supported the initiative of the ECOSAN Fund and adopted the resolution On ECOSAN s health trains in Health trains provided medical service to thousands of people living in environmentally unsafe region. Humanitarian assistance was rendered to medical, children s pre-school and other social institutions. In recent years the role of both ECOSAN and other NGOs in attracting broad sections of the population to activities related to environmental protection and development is increasing. The Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan by its special resolution approved the ECOSAN initiative on celebrating Days of Ecology and Health. Within the framework of this action carried out 3 times a year activities on the improvement of environmental protection, urban and rural development, reduction of emissions into air are fulfilled, more than 15 million Uzbekistan residents taking part in them. During the Days of Ecology and Health scientific and practical conferences and workshops on the problem of ecologization of business, improvement of soil quality and other environmental objects followed by the development and adoption of relevant recommendations are carried out. Taking into consideration the participation of youth in sustainable development The youth eco-parliament is functioning under the aegis of the ECOSAN Fund s youth association, and the programme Youth and environment is being implemented. In compliance with principle 25 of the Rio Declaration and article 120 (b) of the Habitat Agenda the youth are playing an active and creative role in creating of sustainable communities. The members of The youth eco-parliament are spreading ecolegal knowledge among the youth of the country contributing to deepening their environmental knowledge by studying ecological legislation of the Republic of Uzbekistan, as well as UN fundamental documents on environment and development which promote the strengthening of opportunities to control sustainable development. The members of the youth eco-parliament developed and adopted Personal Agenda for the 21 st century for the ECOSAN youth association. It is directed to changing conditions and objectives of life each member of our Association and is a personal concept of sustainable development. III. Development of initiatives and recommendations The movement towards sustainable development is a complicated, long and multi-aspect process, in the centre of which human society plans to arrive at the balance with environment. These relations must be harmonized in compliance with laws of the biosphere evolution. On this part we 5

6 can face changes in the consumption structure and attitude towards protection, rational use and restoration of most natural resources, ensuring economic and ecological security and many other aspects of economy and policy, first and foremost, in such spheres as investment, development of science and technologies, social progress. The key component of all these changes must become an adequate regional and local policy, as well as foreign policy. According to our opinion, we need to develop a common approach when preparing to the summit. Firstly, it must be balanced and should take into account economic, social and ecological aspects of sustainable development. Secondly, considering pecular features of the region, we should come to agreement on both activities at the regional level and on priorities of international cooperation, including assistance to countries in transition and support of developing countries (in particular, most vulnerable) and participation in solving global problems. Thirdly, when preparing recommendation on national arrangements it is necessary to consider the diversity of interests, priorities and potentials of the country. And finally, a complex approach to the priorities of sustainable development should be supplemented by initiatives in individual sectors and problematic regions. Each of such initiative should contain scientifically grounded problems, proof of the availability of critical situations requiring immediate response, or emerging risks and threats which can be of global character. The existing water resources situation in Central Asia excludes optimistic forecasts related to the water supply of this region. In connection with it ECOSAN advanced an initiative to revive the project on the diversion of part of Siberian rivers flow to Central Asia considering new requirements of socio-ecological situation basing on new geopolitical situation and mutual benefical interests of states participating in this project. In es of the last century some 150 design and research institutes of the former USSR participated in the development of a special project. It was subject to a thorough experts examination by competant state institutions, leading scientists and specialists, and it was admitted that the project had taken into account both ecological and economic and technical aspects, and that its implementation will be highly effective and mutually beneficial both to Russia and Central Asian countries. The implementation of this project will require the donors support and investments from international organizations, financial institutions and economically developed countries. At present Central Asian countries are actively seeking for ways of effective and rational use of water and power resources and development of mineral and raw materials resources, while focusing on the importance of preserving and reviving regional ecological system. However, the solution of these complicated issues require the support and assistance of the world community. Keeping it in mind and considering a complicated socio-ecological situation, it is necessary to develop under the UN aegis the Programme of sustainable development of Central Asian region and include it as a special section into the report of the Chairman of the Summit Rio+10. Taking into consideration an ever-growing role of NGOs in ensuring and reaching the objectives of sustainable development, it is necessary to develop and implement efficient measures for the participation of NGOs in implementing conceptual provisions of Agenda 21 at all levels and contribute to the increase of their share in the implementation of main ideas of UNSED. 6