On 9 September 2013,in Stockholm (Sweden) there started International training program on environmental governance with EU focus for officials from Balkan countries (Albania, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Kosovo) and Ukraine. The program is realized by Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) supported by Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA).
The goal of the training program is to expand knowledge of officials in the sphere of environmental governance, strengthen their potential for realization of reforms in environmental sphere and adaptation of European standards of environmental safety. The training course consists of two sessions (three-week session in September 2013 and one-week session in spring 2014), during which the participants will get theoretical and practical knowledge on the EU institutions and environmental policy, environmental problems, principles of environmental governance, environmental legislation of the EU, instruments of environmental policy, principles of project management. Moreover, supervised by experts from Swedish Environmental Protection Agency the participants will realize projects aimed at practical application of the knowledge gained during the program and bring specific changes in the sphere of environmental governance. The training sessions are combined with study visits to objects interesting from the point of view of environmental management: systems of collecting solid waste, solid waste sorting station, waste water treatment plant.
It is nice to know that Ukraine and Sweden have not only the same colors of national flags but also historically our countries were often allies, and in Sweden there is special attitude to Ukraine. The fact that among 20 participants 8 were from Ukraine proves that Ukraine is an important partner for Sweden that strives to provide all possible assistance for development of environmental policy in Ukraine. Another indicative fact is that Ukraine lacks enough environmental public officials who are willing and have relevant qualifications to participate in such a program, and thus certain quota was given to representatives of NGOs. Sadly, environmental protection is not a state priority even for those who deal with it within his/her professional activities.
This is even sadder because there is much to learn in Sweden in the sphere of environmental protection. There are many ready progressive solutions to problems that are very hot for Ukraine now, in particular utilization of domestic solid waste and hazardous waste, purification of waters, formation of environmentally responsible attitude of people to environment. The problems widely discussed in Ukraine by local, regional authorities and Ukrainian experts, to great extent have been already solved in Europe, and sometimes it is worth just borrowing such experience, especially because Swedes are eager to share their experience. Some decisions that Ukrainian authorities are trying to realize considering them very progressive, in fact are outdated in Europe. That is why our European colleagues are trying to help us in overcoming these huge gaps in environmental policy and avoid waste of time and efforts for “inventing a bicycle”. Sometimes not only technical solutions are important, but philosophy of existence aimed at reducing consumption, understanding eternal values, reaching harmony between people and nature, as well as changing world perception, desire to think in terms of future and see a few steps ahead.
Within the training program there was a presentation of the project “Integrated permitting in Ukraine” realized by Swedish lawyers in cooperation with Swedish Environmental protection Agency and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources of Ukraine. As a result of the project a special model of environmental permitting system in Ukraine was developed. This model substantially simplifies all processes of getting permits, ensures proper control over activities that may have adverse impact on the environment, and corresponds to European standards of environmental safety. It is important that results of the project get their practical realization in Ukraine.
Two representative of Environment-People-Law are participants of the program and one of the results of the program will be realization of an information campaign aimed at dissemination of results of the project “Integrated permitting in Ukraine” in order to bring results of the project to those authorized to implement them and to the public that can create an additional stimulus for such realization.
