Caucasus Environmental NGO Network
(CENN)
Weekly Digest
October 12, 2005
News from Georgia
Italian Businessmen Interested in Agriculture, Food Industry and Tourism
Source: News Agency Sakre (`Mirror’), October 4, 2005
Italy Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade and Productive Activities, Adolfo
Urso has said at an opening ceremony of the second business forum of
Italy and Georgia today, Italian businessmen are interested in
Georgia’s
<; more
Oil spill on Baku-Supsa western pipeline
Source: AssA-Irada News Agency, October 5, 2005
An oil spill took place on the Baku-Supsa western pipeline in the
Gardabani district of Georgia on Wednesday.
<; more
Georgia and Kazakhstan Decided to Continue Cooperation Within
BТС Framwork
Source: Black Sea Press-Turan, October 5, 2005
On October 4 Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev and Georgian
President Mikhail Saakashvili signed the joint communiqué on
results of top-level bilateral negotiations in Tbilisi.
<; more
Georgia to Get $20 Million from Wild Bank to Eradicate Poverty
Source: The Georgian Times, October 10, 2005
Georgian state budget will receive USD 20 million from Wild Bank (WB)
this year for primary activities which will lead to eradication of
poverty.
<; more
Georgian Section of BTC to be Commissioned October 12
Source: The Messenger, October 10, 2005
The Georgian section of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) main export
pipeline will be commissioned on October 12, Georgian President Mikhail
Saakashvili told journalists.
<; more
Dogfights
Source: Nika Tsiklauri, October 10, 2005
On Sunday, 9th of October, near Tbilisi Reservoir, dogfights were held
with participation of about 50 Caucasian Sheepdogs.
<; more
Transportation through Batumi Oil Terminal will be Reduced
Source’ `24 Saati’ (`24 Hours’),
October 10, 2005
>From the end of October the amount of petroleum transported through
Batumi oil terminal will be significantly reduced. As Prime News was
informed by the representative of oil terminal George Kharazishvili, the
member of BTC consortium
<; more
BTC pipeline’s poverty reduction credentials rubbished by new report
Source: Press Release of Bankwatch Network, October 11, 2005
Tbilisi, Georgia A new report out today reveals the real impacts of
BP’s Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline and catalogues the
Georgian people’s unfulfilled hopes of increased welfare and development
arising from BP’s billion dollar project, hopes which have been
fuelled by project backers the World Bank and the European Bank for
Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
<; more
News From Azerbaijan
Birdwatch Day Held in Azerbaijan
Source: State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, October 4,
2005
A Birdwatch Day was held in Gizilgol (Golden Lake) wetland and the
Heydar Aliyev Deepwater Jackets Fabrication territory, Caspian Sea, by
<; more
New Platform to be on Gunashli Filed
Source: State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, October 4,
2005
Construction of the new platform in Gunashli structure, one of the
largest oil and gas field of the Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian, will
start in 2006, State Oil Company of Azerbaijan / SOCAR/ has announced.
<; more
ILham Aliyev Has Stated About Reliable Providing of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan
Source: Turan Informational Agency, October 5, 2005
<; On October 5 the president Ilham Aliyev visited administrative building
of State Guard Service (SGS) and meets with personal staff of the
department. He familiarized with samples of arms, devices that can be
used while acts of terrorism, as well as cars and equipment bought for
protection of export pipelines.
<; more
9-Month Oil and Gas Production Targets Beaten
Source: State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, October 6,
2005
According to the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic /SOCAR/, oil
production exceeded the targets by 178,1 thousand tons and made up
6.723.1 thousand tons in January-September, thus, beating 9-month target
by 102,7 percent.
<; more
News From Armenia
Armenia signs deal to upgrade nuclear waste facility
Source: RIA Novosti, Gamlet Matevosyan, October 3, 2005
An agreement to upgrade the radioactive waste management facility at the
Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) was signed Monday, a senior official
said.
<; more
Armenian Agriculture Minister Calls on U.S. Counterpart
Source: Press Release of Armenian Republic Embassy, October 4, 2005
On September 26, 2005, Armenia’s Agriculture Minister Davit Lokian met
with U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns to discuss U.S.-Armenian
cooperation in the area of agriculture. Ambassador Tatoul Markarian also
took part in the meeting. Minister Lokian expressed his appreciation for
the past USDA programs in Armenia, which he said strengthened
<; more
Gold Plant Near Lake Sevan
Source: ARMENPRESS, October 5, 2005
Armenian nature protection minister Vartan Ayvazian has endorsed today
the arguments of local ecological non-governmental organizations who
claim that construction of a gold ore processing plant in Vardenis near
Sotk mines would prove catastrophic for environment and especially
Armenia’s biggest lake of Sevan, located some miles off.
<; more
Two Ministers: Who Will Win in Fight for Shikahogh Reserve
Source: ARMINFO, October 6, 2005
Minister for Transport and Communication of Armenia Andranik Manukyan
has submitted a project of Armenia-Iran highway to the Ministry of
Nature Protection. The project provides for construction of the highway
via Mtnadzor, 3.5 km area of Shikahogh reserve.
<; more
Aarhus Centers to open in Armenian regions with OSCE support
Source: Latest press release from the Organization for Security and
Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), 6 October, 2005
Local public environmental information Centers (Aarhus Centers) will
soon open in the capitals of the Syunik, Tavush and Lori regions of
Armenia with the help of the OSCE Office in Yerevan, which today signed
an agreement with the Ministry of Nature Protection and local
administrations.
<; more
Armenian-Georgian Working Group Will be Formed to Prepare Feasibility
Study for Fourth Power Line Armenia-Georgia
Source: ARMINFO, October 7, 2005
An Armenian-Georgian working group will be formed shortly to prepare a
feasibility study for construction of a fourth power line
Armenia-Georgia. Armenian Energy Minister Armen Movsisyan told ARMINFO.
<;
more
International News
Preservation of Caspian Sea natural resources is important task for
Government: Kazakhstan Environmental Minister
Source: Kazinform: By Serik Koshkenov, October 3, 2005
During the live broadcast with the Kazakhstan President he was asked
about the situation in the Caspian region, where hydrocarbon production
is performed. The Head of the State noted, the country would always take
care of ecological clearness and enormous fish resources of the Caspian
Sea. First of all every investor should undertake environmental
commitments. Alongside with earth interior exploration we are to
preserve natural resources.
<; more
US Government Unveils Energy Hog to Promote Conservation
Source: Planet Ark, October 4, 2005
Washington – With US heating bills expected to hit record highs this
winter, the Bush administration on Monday launched a conservation
campaign featuring a cartoon mascot “Energy Hog,” which critics said
does little to discourage energy use.
<; more
IUCN helps set up transboundary cooperation on water resources
management in White Volta Basin
Source: The World Conservation Union (IUCN), October 4, 2005
`Water is life but it can also be a source of conflict if the two
partners sharing the resource are not collaborating’. As a response
to these opening words of Mr. Gilbert Nuriteg, District Coordinating
Director of Ghana’s Garu Tempane Municipality at the first White
Volta Basin Community Consultative Forum, the Forum delegates agreed to
set up a joint transboundary committee of water management associations.
<;
more
Breaking waste laws costs Worcestershire company more than £42,000
Source: Environment Agency: By Oliver Blackburn, October 4, 2005
On Friday (30 September 2005) a Worcester company which ran two illegal
waste dumps was fined £39,000 by Worcester Magistrates.
<; more
Demolition company fined for illegal waste burning
Source: Environment Agency: By Mike Dunning, October 4, 2005
A Dorset demolition company has been ordered to pay £4,079 in fines
and costs after neighbors were plagued by thick black smoke from burning
rubbish. The case was brought by the Environment Agency.
<; more
UK Government to Decide Within Year on New Nuclear Build
Source: Planet Ark, October 4, 2005
London – Britain must decide within a year whether it will invest in a
new wave of nuclear power generation, but no conclusions have yet been
reached, the government said on Sunday.
In a speech to his ruling Labor party’s conference last week, Prime
Minister Tony Blair pledged an assessment next year of all Britain’s
energy options, including civil nuclear power.
<; more
The CMS Secretariat hosts the 4th meeting of the Biodiversity Liaison
Group
Source: Conservation on Migratory Species (CSM), October 4, 2005
<; The
biodiversity liaison group was established in response to a request from
the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity
( <; CBD), in order to increase the
collaboration and synergies among biodiversity-related Conventions. The
Convention on Migratory Species was asked to join with CBD, the
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora
and Fauna ( <; CITES), the Ramsar Convention on
Wetlands ( <; Ramsar) and the World Heritage
Convention ( <; WHC) and regularly meet to discuss
priorities and options for collaboration.
<; more
Kyoto Agreement Implementation in Russia will Cost 2 Million Euros
Source: Bellona News, October 5, 2005
Russia will present 2 million euros project for Kyoto agreement
implementation to the European Commission on October 6th.
<; more
Denmark clean but not spotless
European Environmental Agency, October 5, 2005
Denmark is among the European leaders in environmental performance in
areas such as renewable energies, water protection and organic farming,
but there are other areas which could still be improved, says EEA
Executive Director Jacqueline McGlade in an interview in the latest
issue of “MiljøDanmark” in connection with the launch of the Danish
state of the environment report 22 September.
<; more
Bush Pushes For US Oil Refinery Construction
Source: Planet Ark, October 5, 2005
Washington – President Bush Tuesday repeated his call for more oil
refineries to be built in the United States, a need he said was
highlighted by “tight” petroleum supplies and high energy prices caused
by hurricanes Rita and Katrina.
<; more
Climate change and pollution are killing millions, says study
Source: John Vidal, Environment Editor, October 6, 2005
· Poor sanitation to blame, says World Bank report
· Economic growth stalled by environmental factors
Almost a fifth of all ill health in poor countries and millions of
deaths can be attributed to environmental factors, including climate
change and pollution, according to a report from the World Bank.
<; more
NGO News
WWF launches forest and trade network in Vietnam
Source: WWF News, October 3, 2005
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – WWF, in partnership with Vietnam’s
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, will launch the Vietnam
Forest & Trade Network (VFTN), the first ever network to promote
business links between producers of responsible forest products in
Vietnam and concerned buyers around the world.
<; more
Many Dangerous Chemicals in European Blood – WWF
Source: Planet Ark, October 7, 2005
Geneva – European children are absorbing dangerous chemicals into their
blood from computers, textiles, cosmetics and electrical appliances,
according to a new study released on Thursday.
The conservation body WWF said results of its first European Union-wide
family testing survey found a total of 73 man-made hazardous compounds
in the blood of grandmothers, mothers and children from 13 families in
12 countries.
<; more
Legal News
Amendment of Georgian Law on Entrepreneurship
On October 11, 2005 the Ministry of Justice held the Round Table in the
hotel `Tbilisi Marriott’. On the meeting the
representatives of the Corporate Management Group of International
Finance Corporation (IFC) and German Association for Technical
Cooperation (GTZ) represented
<; more
Job, Internship and Study Opportunities
Translator/ Interpreter
Source: The Messenger, October 10, 2005
For the purpose of BP pipeline projects, and under the BP management
supervision, IRA Ltd is seeking to recruit a suitable qualified
individual for the short-term position of Translator/ Interpreter.
Translator/ Interpreter will be a third-party contractor for BP pipeline
construction project in Georgia working under BP management supervision.
<;
more
EASY ECO Training – open online application
Dear Colleagues,
I am happy to announce the next EASY-ECO event, the EASY-ECO Szentendre
Training which will be held from 25th January-3rd February, 2006 here at
the REC. The course explores key elements in sustainability evaluations
and is specifically focused towards bringing together young researchers
with evaluation practitioners as well as local and international experts
in the field. Participants will gain knowledge applicable in practice
and will be able to conduct actual sustainability evaluation projects
after attending the training.
<; more
Seminars, conference and meetings
Health & Wellness Convention 2005 in Costa Rica COSTA RICA
Source: World-Wire, October 5, 2005
There are few environmentalists today who are not aware of how the
increasing proliferation of pollutants, poisons, and toxic compounds in
our earth, air, and water are drastically affecting our physical health.
The medical and pharmaceutical industries have side-stepped the issue,
preferring to market symptom-masking drugs rather than confront the
corporate takeover of our health and well-being.
<; more
Announcement
BP Publishes Sustainability Report 2004
Source: The Messenger, October 10, 2005
According to a report released by BP on October 7, the oil giant has
spent nearly USD 2 million on social projects through out the country,
funding everything from repair to heritage projects in an effort to
encourage `sustainability’ in the country.
<; more
Courageous Baku-Ceyhan pipeline film wins festival prizes
Source: Media Advisory, October 10, 2005
Prague, Czech Republic — A documentary film about the social and
environmental implications of BPs Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline in
Azerbaijan was awarded prizes at two prestigious film festivals this
weekend. The Source, a joint Bionaut-CEE Bankwatch Network production
shot by Czech director Martin Marecek, received the international jury
prize and an award from the Czech Ministry of Environment at the Ekofilm
festival in Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic and was also awarded the prize
<;
more
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