CENN Weekly Digest – September 8, 2005

Caucasus Environmental NGO Network
(CENN)
Weekly Digest
Septembet 8, 2005
News from Georgia
Illegally Cut Forest Was Found At Woodworking Workshop in Adigeni Region
Source: Primenewsoline.com, August 27, 2005
Employees of Akhaltsikhe tax inspection have found 3 thousands of
illegally
cut forest on 85 thousands GEL at woodworking workshop in Adigeni
region.
The chief of tax inspection of Akhaltsikhe region Gela Londaridze :
<; more This Summer Majority of Tourists Came from Armenia Source: Business News, August 29, 2005 According to the Armenian-Georgian Association of Business Cooperation, at least 10,000 Armenian tourists have traveled to Georgia's Black Sea region of Ajara this year and yet more are likely to do so next year. They were attracted by not only the relatively low cost of the Ajarian seaside resorts but also by the virtual eradication of police corruption on Georgia's roads. Georgian President Michael Saakashvili welcomes Armenian tourists and breaking the border obstacles. Spending a `day off' in Batumi on August 15 Saakashvili met Armenian journalists. The president stated that next year <; more Structural Reforms to be Carried out in the Ministry of Agriculture and Foodstuffs of Georgia Source: Business News, August 29, 2005 The ministry of Agriculture and Foodstuffs will undergo structural reforms. Mikheil Svinomishvili, Minister for Agriculture and Foodstuffs of Georgia told the media. According to him, at present a great number of economic functions are placed on the ministry, whereas the ministry is to define the policy of the branch alone. Svimonishvili said the full structural reform of the Ministry would be carried out in two stages <; more EU Grants EUR 20 Million to Georgia Source: Civil ge, August 30, 2005 The European Commission has allotted a grant of EURO 20 million to Georgia, within the Food Security Programme, the Georgian Finance Ministry reported. On August 30, 2005 Georgian Finance Minister Lekso Aleksishvili and the Head of the European Commission : <; more Missing Factor in Agriculture Equation: Farmable Land Plots Source: The Messenger, August 31, 2005 In the early 1990s when urban industries practically ground to a halt, leaving the population in conditions of dire poverty, many rushed to leave the country, though others headed to the villages to pursue agriculture. To this day most Georgians labeled "self-employed" are engaged in cultivating the land. But in recent years, the opposite trend : <; more Tourist Boom for Ajara Source: The Messenger, September 2, 2005 0ne of the Saakashvili administration's key economic priorities is the development of tourism in Ajara. The summer season is of special importance for this coastal region, as it provides much of the population with the income they need to subsist on for the entire year. Many believe that Ajarans were so quick to oppose their local despotic leader Asian Abashidze in May of last year because they feared that the conflict between the latter and the central government might have, along with other negative consequences, ruined the 2004 tourist season. <; more A Bleak Future for Georgia's Village Forests - Forest Destruction and Environmental Degradation Around Georgia's Rural Communities Source: Mike Garforth, September 5, 2005 Anyone who spends most of their time in Tbilisi is accustomed to the stark, treeless landscapes around the city, so much so that they may think that such an environment is normal, even healthy. You have to travel some distance from the city before forest becomes a significant feature. Take the road main road north out of the city towards Kazbegi and only when you get beyond the monastery of Dzhvari do you begin to see forest stretching out in the distance on either side of the valley of the Aragvi River. Look up to Dzhvari and to the hills to the side and behind it and you will see a once forested landscape that has been destroyed by unsustainable logging <; more News from Azerbaijan Purification Project Under Realization Source: State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Azertag, August 25, 2005 Ministry of Ecology & Natural Resources implements a project related to purification of environment from persistent organic pollutants / POPs/. Activities of implementation of 358 thousand dollars project : <; more Supsa Pipeline Utilized to Fill Ceyhan Reservoirs Source: The Messenger. August 25, 2005 After several years and billions of dollars, construction on the "the project of the century" - the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline - has entered its home stretch. In early August the 443-kilometerAzerbaijan section of the pipeline was filled and the stream of petroleum : <; more Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources Keeps on Implementing Pilot Project on Bioplants Source: State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Azertag, August 29, 2005 Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources continues implementing pilot project on introducing bioplants in some rural regions of Azerbaijan in order to produce methane through fermentation : <; more Another Contract to be Discussed in Milli Majis Source: State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Azertag, August 29, 2005 Milli Majlis of the Azerbaijan Republic (Azerbaijan Parliament) is recently to discuss the contract on restoration, development and PSA of Surakhani oil deposit signed between the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) and Rafi Oil Company : <; more News from Armenia Armenia RMENIAN PRESIDENT VISITS TSAKHKADZOR TOURIST CENTER TO GET FIRST HAND VIEW OF CONSTRUCTIONS WORKS Source: ARMINFO, August 25, 2005 Armenian President Robert Kocharyan visited Tsakhkadzor tourist center yesterday to get first hand information on the construction works. In particular, the president visited the third section of the ropeway in Tsakhkadzor tourist center, which is some 3,000 meters height over the sea level. The construction meets the latest European standards : <; more NORWAY TO INVEST $10 MILLION IN SOUTH CAUCASUS Source: ARMENPRESS, August 30, 2005 Foreign minister Vartan Oskanian received today Norway's State Secretary Kim Trovick and discussed with him Armenian-Norwegian relations, highlighting his government's readiness : <; more OSCE OFFICE PRESENTS PUBLICATION ON ARMENIAN ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION Source: ARMENPRESS, August 31, 2005 The OSCE Office in Yerevan and the NGO Environmental Public Advocacy Center (EPAC) presented a publication on the existing Armenian environmental legislation. "This publication will contribute to a greater awareness of legislation amongst the population, which is key for its effective : <; more International News International Civil Council to be founded to discuss radioactive waste dump at Ignalina nuclear power station Source: éá Regnum, August 27, 2005 International forum "Lithuania - European Union: nuclear security problem" adopted a resolution Monday that calls leaders of the Baltic countries and European Union member-countries to consider alternative decisions of Ignalina nuclear plant withdrawal. As a Regnum correspondent reports from the scene, the forum adopted a decision : <; more DEVELOPMENT: Are Water Wars a Fantasy, or a Future Reality? Source: Inter Press Service News Agency (IPS), August 29, 2005 The Middle East, one of the world's perennial war zones, has traditionally been blessed with a surfeit of oil and cursed by a scarcity of water. The irony, says one Arab diplomat half-jokingly, is that whenever energy-rich: <; more Coastal territory of Lake Baikal to be inspected Source: éá Regnum, August 30, 2005 Officials from the Russian Natural Resources Ministry and Federal Service for Supervision of Natural Resource Usage (FSSNRU) arrived in Irkutsk Monday to carry a complex examination of environmental law observance on the territory inscribed on the World Heritage List. As Regnum was told : <; more SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO: Work on National Sustainable Development Strategy Started Source: SEEUROPE.NEt, August 30. 2005 The most NGO invited its partners, colleagues and the general public to take active participation in the preparation of the National Sustainable Development Strategy of Montenegro (NSDS) and to contribute with their ideas, visions, suggestions and criticism, to the improved : <; more Ozone Layer has Stopped Shrinking, US Study Finds Source: Planet Ark, August 31, 2005 WASHINGTON - The ozone layer has stopped shrinking but it will take decades to start recovering, US scientists reported on Tuesday. They said an international agreement to limit production of ozone-depleting chemicals has apparently worked, but the damage to ozone : <; more US States Fight EPA on Greenhouse Gases Source: Planet Ark, August 31, 2005 Boston - A group of US states Tuesday challenged a July court ruling upholding the Environmental Protection Agency's refusal to regulate greenhouse gas emission, a factor in global warming. Led by Massachusetts Attorney General Tom Reilly, the five states and the District of Columbia filed a petition asking the full US Court : <; more Tough regulations for new landfill site Source: Environmental Agency, August 31, 2005 Strict conditions designed to protect the environment will be imposed when a new landfill site gets up and running near Gates head. A permit to allow waste disposal at Path Head Quarry, at Ryton, was today (Wednesday) issued by the Environment Agency. But the permit comes with a series of stringent : <; more 25 tones of fish confiscated from Maritime poachers Source: Itar-Tass News Agency, September 1, 2005 Russia's Maritime authorities confiscated more than 25 tonnes of seafood from poachers, police said Thursday in a summary of the results of the Putina-2005 operation against : <; more US Eases Air Pollution Rule to Boost Fuel Supply Source: Planet ark, September 1, 2005 Washington - To make more fuel available in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the Bush administration said on Wednesday it will waive certain air pollution regulations for gasoline and diesel in all 50 states. The temporary easing of regulations will end on Sept. 15, said Stephen Johnson : <; more EU Authorises GMO Rapeseed by Legal Rubberstamp Source: Planet ark, September 1, 2005 Brussels - The European Union has approved a genetically modified (GMO) rapeseed made by US biotech giant Monsanto, the fourth new authorization after the EU's biotech ban ended last year, the EU executive said on Wednesday. The rapeseed, known as GT73, is designed to resist the herbicide glyphosate and allow farmers to manage weeds better. It will be used : <; more NGO News Meeting between the Journalist of Weekly Newspaper "Kviris Palitra"and Local Population of Bolnisi On August 29, 2005 in Public Informational Center of Bolnisi the meeting was held between the journalist of the weekly newspaper "Kviris Palitra", Zviad Chakvetadze and citizens of Bolnisi. The meeting also attended representatives of local NGOs, of various services, departments and correspondent of the newspaper "Akhali Verisa" ("New Version"). In the republican and local newspapers articles, also in the TV programs - on "Rustavi -2" and "Imedi" ("Hope") was mentioned that Madneuli pollutes the river Mashavera and results are already detrimental. There is no life in the river. Basing on the investigation that Mr. Z. Chakvetadeze had conducted and on the results of the laboratory survey of river Mashavera done by hydrochemical laboratory of Hydrometeorological Department, Mr. Z. Chakvetadeze confirms that water in the river is not polluted: <; more Launched 9th August 2005 at IUFRO World Forestry Congress in Brisbane Source: WWF, August 9, 2005 The importance of restoration continues to grow, and this book integrates the restoration of forest functions into landscape conservation plans. WWF has made forest landscape restoration a key topic and priority for its environmental work, given its dual aims of conserving biodiversity : <; more Georgian NGOs to Sue Canargo? Source: The Georgian Times, August 29, 2005 As Gary Bukhnikashvili,Gamgebeli (administrative head) of the Sagarejo region, told MediaNews at the time, `As for deteriorating health conditions among Tskarostavi and Ninotsminda residents, the only thing l can say is that those with Aldagi [health insurance] policies can undergo a free medical examination in the Sagarejo regional polyclinics; however, I am certain : <; more Jobs, internships and Study Opportunities Job Announcement Source: The Messenger, August 31g, 2005 For the purposes of BP pipeline projects, and under the BP management supervision, IRA Ltd is seeking to recruit a suitable qualified individual for the position of Field Safety Officer and Cost Accountant ... <; more Seminars, conference and meetings Georgia To Host International Veterinary Conference for the First Time Source: Sarke Informational Agency, August 29, 2005 The international veterinary conference will be held in Georgia for the first time : <; more Pentagon to Hold Caspian Sea Energy Security Conference in Germany Source: SEEUROPE.NEt, August 30. 2005 The U.S. Department of Defense plans to hold an international conference on Energy Security in the Caspian Basin from September 26-28 in the south German city of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the German-based George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies announced in a press release. <; more Conference - Promoting a Sustainable Energy Culture in Europe Energy Services Ltd in conjunction with Cork City Council are organising the Energy Conference on 22-23 September in Cork, Ireland. To bring people together to discuss the energy issues facing Europe both now and in the future. The conference, titled 'Promoting a Sustainable Energy Culture in Europe' will provide a forum to discuss the issues, identify solutions and meet providers. <; more Announcements Tender Announcement Source: The Georgian Times, august 29, 2005 The Veterinary Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of Georgia invites all interested persons to participate in the open tender for purchasing hotel services for the participants of the international conference : <; more Explore Georgia with Caucasus Travel-Borjomi-kharagauli national park Source: The Messenger, August 19, 2004 The Borjomi-Kharagauli Protected Areas are situated in the central part of the Caucasus. This is a region where the humid climate of the Kolkheti Plain meets the dry mountain climate of Anatolia-North Iran. The soil is mainly composed : <; more Explore Georgia with Caucasus Travel-highlands Source: The Messenger, August 26, 2004 We will experience the Mtiuleti and Khevi Provinces, situated on the slopes of the Caucasus mountain range: <; more **************************************** ************************************ ************* ********************** Subscribing Information CENN lists are created to maintain e-mail discussions of Caucasus Environmental NGO Network members. CENN has been distributing information since 1998. All the published digests and bulletins issued in both English and Russian languages present incredibly rich environmental information base that give the reader the whole picture of the environmental process taking place during the recent 5 years in the South Caucasus region as well as abroad. To subscribe or unsubscribe from CENN mailing list service, please send an email to [email protected] and place the “subscribe”
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