http://ecoinfo.bas-net.by/ecology-belarus/ecology_news_in_Belarus.html

№ 10 (25), October 2015

MINSK, BELARUS

THIS ISSUE:

EU named Belarus' key partner in envi-

ronmental protection ............................. 1

Belarus presents third environmental

performance review to UNECE ............. 1

Belarus to set up international center

to study long-run consequences

of radiological accidents Society ....... 2

Belarus' efforts to overcome

Chernobyl consequences praised ..... 2

EU to earmark €5m for Belarus-UNDP

project on local initiatives ...................... 2

70 years since Belarus became

one of the UN’s founding members ..... 3

Belarus' new Forest Code close to readi-

ness.. ........................................................... 3

IEC Vice President: Belarus' national

systems incorporate many IEC standards

..................................................................... 3

Сolours for reserve forest ........................ 4

Belarus calls for mutually beneficial co-

operation to protect forests in

Europe ........................................................ 4

Declaration of commitment to achieve

UN SDGs signed in Mogilev .................... 5

Roscosmos, NASB to develop new satel-

lite ............................................................... 5

Belenergo, Renewables Academy

to cooperate ............................................ 5

Portuguese company invited to

partake in development of Belarus' aste

management concept .......................... 5

Belarus first over-winter expedition

to Antarctica scheduled for 2019-2020

..................................................................... 5

Nuclear power plant to ensure

Belarus’ energy security ......................... 6

Land of warmth and positivity .............. 6

Post-Fukushima safeguards in Belarusian

nuclear power plant design .................. 6

EU NAMED BELARUS' KEY

PARTNER IN ENVIRONMENTAL

PROTECTION The European Union is one of the key

partners of Belarus in environmental protection, including in terms of advanced technologies, best methods and experience of their implemen-tation, Belarus' First Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Protection Iya Malkina said at the 7th round of Belarus-the EU environmental consultations, BelTA learned from the press service of the Ministry of Natural Re-sources and Environmental Protection.

The joint efforts are aimed at addressing the environmental challenges in the country and, as a result, creating a favorable environment in the region as a whole. Over the years of cooperation, sophisticat-ed equipment has been purchased and installed in various sectors. A system for waste collection, sorting and disposal and retrieval of secondary material re-sources has been developed for two districts (Kobrin and Mosty) and is being applied in other districts.

Iya Malkina said that these projects do not get frozen once the EU financing is over. They continue to evolve with replication throughout the country. This proves that the two parties have chosen the right

priorities of cooperation, that the European Union funds are used efficiently and that Belarus has the potential to continue the initiatives.

The environmental protection has been named priority of the EU's cooperation with Belarus in 2014-2017.

When discussing prospects of cooperation Iya Malkina noted that Belarus has its focus on the rela-tionship of the environment and human health and attaches particular importance to environment moni-toring.

She expressed interest in cooperation in such areas as the use of systems for the assessment of natural capital and ecosystem services; development of economic arguments and tools for stimulating in-vestment in environmental technologies; promotion of environmentally sustainable urban planning using the EU experience; the development of financial mecha-nisms for attracting business in the green economy, in particular, the development of eco-tourism.

BELTA, 9.10.2015

SUPPLEMENT

TO THE DIGEST“GREEN BELARUS”

ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION CENTER

"ECO-INFO"

CENTRAL SCIENTIFIC LIBRARY NAS BELARUS

BELARUS PRESENTS THIRD

ENVIRONMENTAL

PERFORMANCE REVIEW

TO UNECE Belarus has presented its third environmen-

tal performance review (EPR) to the United Na-tions Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), BelTA learnt from the press service of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environ-ment of Belarus.

“Today at the 21st Session of the UNECE Commit-tee on Environmental Policy in Geneva First Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of Belarus Iya Malkina has presented Belarus' third envi-ronmental performance review that was held by the UNECE experts in 2015,” the press service explained.

The country's environmental performance index went up from the 73rd place in 2005 to the 32nd in 2014 (out of 178 countries). Its ecological footprint almost halved. “Environmental performance reviews became an important springboard in the matter. Almost every recommendation in the first and second reviews was fulfilled,” specialists stressed.

Since Belarus' second EPR (2005), the country has joined the Bern Convention, the Nagoya Protocol, the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA), signed the new Water Code. “Besides, Belarus signed the Mina-mata Convention on Mercury and we count on the assistance from the donor community in the ratifica-tion and further implementation of the convention in the country. Belarus also developed a network of

Green Schools (there are 150 such schools across the country). The country opened its Aarhus nationwide center and the first regional Aarhus center in Grodno. Over 10% of all bog areas have been restored. The percentage of specially protected natural sites has gone from 7.7% up to 8.7% of the country's total territory,” the ministry said.

“Belarus' third environmental performance review in 2015 is not only an important step for all of us but also big responsibility. We are interested in recom-mendations of international experts to guide further activity of the ministry and other government bodies with a view to consolidating the country's course for sustainable development (introduction of the green economy principles), improvement of the horizontal interaction inside the country, enhancement of the prestige of the environmental services at the national level and the development of international coopera-tion,” the ministry said.

The EPR recommendations approved by the UNECE Committee on Environmental Policy will be further used as part of the mechanism to monitor the implementation of the post-2015 Sustainable Devel-opment Goals and make a basis for new projects of international technical assistance.

BELTA, 29.10.2015

Green Belarus Green Belarus

News & EventsNews & Events in Belarusin Belarus

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An international center to study long-run consequences of radiological accidents will be set up in Belarus at the Polesie State Radiation and Ecological Reserve, Belarus' Deputy Emergencies Ministry Gennady Lasu-ta said at the roundtable on sustainable social and economic development of the Chernobyl-hit regions held in Gomel on 27 October as part of the UN70 Express cam-paign, BelTA informs.

The UN activity in developing a strategy of international cooperation for 2016-2026 is deeply symbolic as it completes the decade of rehabilita-tion and sustainable development of the Cherno-byl-hit areas. Moreover, very soon the human-kind will mark the 30th anniversary of the Cher-nobyl accident. Over the period the situation on the Chernobyl-hit territories has dramatically changed: from mass resettlement of people from the most dangerous zones and large-scale pro-tective measures to rehabilitation of the contami-nated areas. “For the development of the interna-tional Chernobyl cooperation strategy for 2016-2026, Belarus introduced a number of proposals at the Vienna forum in Austria on 9 October. The Belarusian proposals were supported by repre-

sentatives of international organizations that take part in the development of international Cherno-byl cooperation strategies. They expressed their intention to continue cooperation in this matter,” said Gennady Lasuta.

According to the deputy minister, Belarus suggested holding the fourth decade after the accident (2016-2026) under the sign of invest-ment in the Chernobyl regions. For these purpos-es Belarus is ready to organize and host an inter-national investment forum. Apart from that, among the suggestions was the creation of an international scientific center at the Polesie State Radiation and Ecological Reserve to study long-run consequences of radiological accidents. With the UN assistance it is planned to develop region-al security centers in order to create a basis for a comprehensive study of life safety on the con-taminated territories, including all aspects of information activity and the use of new technolo-gies. Efforts will be also continued to strengthen the mechanism of coordinating and intensifying international cooperation on Chernobyl. “We hope that the Russian and Ukrainian parties will join our initiatives, and they will be successfully im-plemented within the next ten years in coopera-

tion with the international community and with active participation of local population,” Gennady Lasuta added.

According to Gennady Lasuta, today's roundtable on Chernobyl is an important even ahead of the forthcoming international conference Chernobyl: 30 Years On scheduled to take place in Minsk in April 2016. The conference will dis-cuss further approaches in the organization of international cooperation for the forthcoming decade.

The roundtable was attended by representa-tives of the United Nations, the Emergencies Ministry of Belarus, the Healthcare Ministry, the Economy Ministry, the National Academy of Sci-ences of Belarus, and local authorities. The event featured reports on several topics, including the modern stage in mitigating the consequences of the Chernobyl accident, the efficient implementa-tion of international projects in the contaminated areas, the involvement of the local population in the process of their rehabilitation and sustainable development.

BELTA, 27.10.2015

BELARUS TO SET UP INTERNATIONAL CENTER TO STUDY LONG-RUN CONSEQUENCES

OF RADIOLOGICAL ACCIDENTS SOCIETY

BELARUS' EFFORTS TO OVERCOME CHERNOBYL CONSEQUENCES PRAISED

A huge amount of work has been done in Belarus to overcome consequences of the Chernobyl catastrophe. The statement was made by Alexander Popkov, Chairman of the Ecology, Nature Management, and Emergen-cies Cleanup Commission of the Parliamen-tary Assembly of the Union of Belarus and Russia, on 29 October, BelTA has learned. Alex-ander Popkov spoke as he opened the science and practice conference held in the Russian city of Gorki to discuss the role of the Belarus-Russia Union in over-coming consequences of the Chernobyl catastro-phe.

Members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union of Belarus and Russia, the Belarusian parliament, representatives of the Permanent Committee of the Union State of Belarus and Russia, Russian and Belarusian ministries and government agencies, scientists and reporters took part in the conference and the Union State

evolution seminar permanently opened under the aegis of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union of Belarus and Russia to discuss 30 years after the Chernobyl catastrophe and the role of the Union State in overcoming the catastrophe's conse-quences.

According to Alexander Popkov, Belarus has already spent $20 billion on over-coming consequences of the Chernobyl catastrophe. The figure represents nearly 2.5 budgets of the country. The money has been spent on social securi-ty for people, rehabilitation of the af-fected territories, efforts to enable safe living stand

ards of the population and so on. All the relevant government programs and goals outlined by the head of state and

the government are carried out in full in Belarus.

Apart from that, over RUB3.5 billion has been spent on various projects as part of three joint programs since 1998 when Belarus and the Rus-sian Federation joined efforts to deal with conse-quences of the Chernobyl catastrophe. The Union State budget has been tapped into to create a common legal space and a common system to

render specialized medical aid to citizens of Bela-rus and Russia. A research and practice center for radiation medicine and human ecology in the Belarusian city of Gomel has been built and equipped. The radiological research and healthcare center of the Russian Healthcare Minis-try in Obninsk has been reconstructed. Other projects have been implemented as well.

Work proceeds in Belarus and Russia on a continuous basis to rehabilitate the territories, offer recreation opportunities to kids all the year round, and provide the necessary medical services to the population. Alexander Popkov pointed out that conditions have been enabled for people to live normal lives in the affected territories. The official said that the meeting held on 29 October was supposed to sum up results of all these ef-forts, review the existing situation, and work out strategic directions for the sustainable develop-ment of these territories in the future.

BELTA, 29.10.2015

SEMINAR IN GORKI TO DISCUSS UNION STATE ROLE IN MITI-

GATING CHERNOBYL CONSEQUENCES

EU TO EARMARK €5M FOR BELARUS-UNDP PROJECT

ON LOCAL INITIATIVES Before the end of 2017 the European Un-

ion is expected to allocate €5 million for the implementation of the Belarus-UNDP project on the development of local initiatives, UNDP Deputy Permanent Representative in Belarus Yekaterina Paniklova told media ahead of the roundtable on sustainable social and econom-ic development of the Chernobyl-hit regions scheduled for 27 October as part of the UN70 Express campaign in Gomel.

Belarus is currently implementing the UNDP/EU joint project “Support to Local Development” through 2017. The project financing is estimated at €5 million from the EU budget. “The main idea of the project is to develop a strategy for regional development and involve the public in the process. Not long ago we held a contest of local initiatives. Applications were received from more than 700 organizations, executive committees, and resi-dents. The biggest part of applications came from Gomel Oblast. They pertained, first of all, to the projects enhancing the image of the regions and the creation of new jobs. We will give preference to ambitious and innovative initiatives that later can be adopted throughout the country,” said Yekateri-na Paniklova.

In her words, in 2016 the UNDP will launch a new country program in Belarus, prepared in coop-eration with the Belarusian government. The budg-et of the new program stands at $82 million. A part

of the money will be invested in the development of the Chernobyl-hit regions. “We would like to see an active stance from local authorities and the public in the process of sus-tainable development. They should initiate different pro-jects, including environmental ones, that envisage, first of all, the creation of new jobs and enhance the image of the regions. We also count on the development of a closer dia-logue between the state and its people. We will discuss these issues during today's roundtable. In the future the UN Development Programme will support not one-day pilot projects but projects that can benefit people within the next 5-10 years,” UNDP Deputy Permanent Representative in Belarus Yekaterina Paniklova explained.

From the late 1990s to 2011 the UNDP imple-mented about seven large-scale projects and initia-tives aimed at the development of the Chernobyl-hit regions. The budget of the projects totaled $20 million.

The roundtable with the participation of repre-sentatives of the United Nations, the Emergencies Ministry of Belarus, the Healthcare Ministry, the Economy Ministry, the National Academy of Scienc-

es of Belarus, and local authorities will feature reports on several topics, including those on the modern stage in mitigating the consequences of

the Chernobyl accident, the efficient implementation of international projects in the contaminated areas, the involvement of the local population in the process of their rehabilitation and sus-tainable development. Apart from that, the participants of the UN70 Express initiative will hold a number of themed discussions, semi-nars, roundtables, exhibi-

tions and concerts in Gomel. The focus will be on reducing inequality inside countries and between them.

Read full text at: http://eng.belta.by/society/view/eu-to-earmark-5m-for-belarus-undp-project-on-local-initiatives-86539-2015/

If you use BelTA‟s materials, you must credit us with a hyperlink to eng.belta.by.

BELTA, 27.10.2015

BELARUS SEEKS CLOSER COOPERATION WITH UNDP

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70 YEARS SINCE BELARUS BECAME ONE OF THE UN’S FOUNDING MEMBERS

The United Nations was established by the Charter of the United Nations and Statute of the International Court of Justice.

The Charter was signed on 26th June 1945 by the representa-tives of 50 countries, including Belarus (Byelorussian Soviet Social-ist Republic at that time). There were 51 founding members in 1945.

In accordance with Article 110, the Charter entered into force on 24th October 1945, after ratification by the five permanent members of the Security Council and a majority of the other coun-tries.

UN 70 Express for SDGs to spotlight the UN Anniversary in Belarus If you come to Belarus in October you cannot help but get caught up in all the excitement around the UN 70th Anniversary celebrations and the launch of the Sustainable Development Goals. Never before have the UN and the Government of Belarus, UN member states, private companies and NGOs together undertaken an initiative of this scale. You do not even have to be in the capital Minsk to be involved because the whole country is part of it!

You may ask how? Easy! We have arranged for a UN Train to depart on 23rd October from Minsk to all the six Oblast capitals. This special trip will last 8 days and will engage thousands of people on board and in the cities.

We call it the „UN 70 Belarus Express for the Sustainable Development Goals‟ because it will bring the UN and the SDGs to the regions. Dozens of movies, workshops, semi-nars, round tables, a model UN, city fairs, concerts, street theatre, and master classes on board and in the cities will involve represent-atives of the UN, ambassa-dors of UN member states, senior government officials and parliamentarians, CEOs of companies and NGOs, celebrities and UN good will ambassadors, students, academics and journalists. Al-most 200 UN staff from 20 agen-cies will be part of the train, including the Secretary General‟s Youth Envoy. We hope to have a real-time conversation about how people all around the coun-

try will work together to achieve the SDGs. All the Governors of the regions will sign a declaration in support of the SDGs and on 6th November the initiative will culminate with a conference convened by the UN and the Government to „hear the voices from the regions‟ and charter a course on how the public service can respond effectively so that Belarus achieves the SDGs by 2030.

To honour the UN‟s 70th Anniversary, the Belarusian Post Office will issue a special stamp to commemorate this important event. On the eve of UN Day, a number of important events will take place in the capital. They include the planting of a Peace and Sustainable Development Tree by the President; the signing and launching of the UN Development Assistance Framework for the next 5 years; the opening of an exhibition that captures the 70 year relationship between the UN and Belarus; and the launching of the train with an exhibition and music festival at the central station in Minsk.

On 24th October, you will not want to miss the most exciting event — the UN 70th Anniversary Concert in Hrodna Concert Hall, with music and dance performances from numerous countries. We will hear real stories

from people the UN serves like refugees, people with disabilities, people living with HIV, people fighting domestic violence and human trafficking and survivors of Chernobyl.

At the same time, in major cities you will notice that important public buildings are illuminated in blue as part of the „Turn the World UN Blue‟ campaign.

Major media outlets in Belarus will carry special coverage of the UN 70 Express‟ journey across Belarus in real-time. The most popular local TV channel will make a movie about the trip and a book will be published about the whole initiative. You may follow the train using the #UN70Express hashtag on the „UN in Belarus‟ social media pages, in addi-tion to seeing all the fascinating things happening during the journey.

The United Nations has worked in Belarus since 1992. Currently there are 8 resident agencies on the ground and a number of non-resident agen-cies working with Belarus to achieve its development agenda. The areas of work are very broad: climate change, environment protection and energy efficiency; migration and asylum; economic and local development; human trafficking and domestic violence; health, in particular HIV/AIDS, TB and since recently non-communicable diseases; child protection and responsible parenthood; democratic governance and human rights; Chernobyl conse-quences, gender equality and many more. The UN in Belarus builds strate-

gic partnerships with the Govern-ment, civil society and other na-tional and international partners to implement joint activities with a common goal of advancing the development of the country.

In 2000, the global community agreed on common 8 time-bound and quantified Millennium Devel-opment Goals (MDGs). 15 years later, Belarus has done exception-ally well reaching almost all its targets — eradicating poverty and reducing maternal and child mor-tality, achieving universal primary education and decreasing CO2 emissions, promoting gender

equality and building strong partnerships for development. Further efforts are needed to enhance progress in combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, ensuring environmental sustainability and developing a global partnership for development. With most MDGs achieved, more attention will now be given to further enhance the quality and sustainability of the country progress, and the equal coverage and availability to the rural and urban population, both men and women.

At the end of September 2015, the leaders of the UN member states adopted the new development agenda for the next 15 years — a landmark agreement that will propel the world towards a more sustainable world, a world without poverty. The new universal agenda includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets that cover economic growth, social development and environmental protection. The United Nations in Belarus stands ready in assisting Belarus in the achievement of the SDGs through the new strategic United Nations Development Assistance Frame-work for the Republic of Belarus (UNDAF) for 2016-2020 and the National Strategy of Sustainable Socio-Economic Development for the Republic of Belarus until 2030.

The Minsk Times,

21.10.2015

UN70 BELARUS EXPRESS SETS OFF ON JOURNEY AROUND BELARUS

UN70 BELARUS EXPRESS RETURNS TO MINSK AFTER JOURNEY AROUND BELARUS

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IEC VICE PRESIDENT:

BELARUS' NATIONAL SYSTEMS INCORPORATE MANY

IEC STANDARDS Belarus has integrated many IEC standards into its national

systems, Vice President of the International Electrotechnical Com-mission (IEC) Ulrich Spindler said at the opening ceremony of the 20th Belarusian Energy and Ecology Forum on 13 October, BelTA has learned.

“Belarus became a member of the International Electrotechnical Com-mission many years ago and has already incorporated many IEC standards into its national systems. Besides, it actively participates in the IEC con-formity assessment system. Our BELLIS partners have built an excellent reputation worldwide,” he noted.

Ulrich Spindler emphasized that it was a great honor for him to attend the opening of the Belarusian Energy and Ecology Forum in Minsk as “the event is playing a very important role, and electricity is central to our lives.”

Xiu Xiaoping, Deputy Director of the Torch High Technology Industry Development Center at the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, also emphasized the importance of the forum and noted that the coopera-tion between Belarus and China has been significantly intensified. “Belarus is an important hub on our Great Silk Road. Besides, we are jointly building the Belarus-China Industrial Park. Today's IEC forum is attended by repre-sentatives of some 40 Chinese companies. I am confident that this time our cooperation will also be fruitful,” Xiu Xiaoping said.

Minsk is hosting the 20th Belarusian Energy and Ecology Forum from 13 to 16 October. This year's edition of the forum includes the international expo Energy. Ecology. Energy Saving. Electro (Energy Expo) and the Ener-

gy and Ecology Congress. The events of the 79th IEC General Meeting are held as part of the forum.

Partaking in Energy Expo are some 300 organizations from 15 countries such as Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, Czechia, Ger-many, Austria, France, Switzerland, Italy, the Netherlands, Finland, and China. For the first time, the list of participants includes representatives of 32 Chinese innovative companies. Foreign exhibitors make up one-fifth of the total number of participants. The expo showcases the latest develop-ments in power engineering, ecology, and energy conservation by such foreign companies as Siemens, ABB, Caterpillar, Tavrida Electric, Wilo, Filter, and Bertsch.

The expo features stands of the Belarusian Energy Ministry, the Indus-try Ministry, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protec-tion, the State Science and Technology Committee, and the energy efficien-cy department at the State Committee for Standardization. For example, the Ministry of Natural Resources demonstrates its new concept of sustain-able development of urban and rural areas.

The Belarusian Energy and Ecology Forum is aimed at showcasing the latest science and technology achievements in power engineering, energy conservation, automation, electronics, environmental protection, and use of renewable sources of energy.

BELTA, 13.10.2015

MINSK TO HOST BELARUSIAN ENERGY AND ECOLOGY FORUM ON 13-16 OCTOBER

BELARUS CALLS FOR MUTUALLY

BENEFICIAL COOPERATION

TO PROTECT FORESTS IN EUROPE

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In the second half of the 1990s, a new type of nature reserve was introduced in Belarus: national parks. Four have so far been established: the Belovezhskaya Pushcha, Braslav Lakes, the Pripyatsky and the Naro-chansky. These territories are to be treas-ured, aiming to preserve our unique natural environment. Among their key tasks are sci-entific study, tourism and ecological educa-tion. The most titled park — the Belovezh-skaya Pushcha — is no exception: it’s already on the UNESCO World Heritage List, holding a diploma from the Council of Europe and boasting the status of a ‘biosphere reserve’.

The Pushcha is the largest primeval meadow forest in the world, dating from pre-historic times. The first law on its preservation came into force in the 16th century, following an order by King Zygmunt I. The forest has always been known for its hunting, forestry and preservation and, in 1991, the official agreement on the dissolution of the USSR was signed within its territory. The Department of Presidential Affairs oversees all the nation-al parks of Belarus, offering them special protection, to ensure that they continue to grow and develop.

The General Director of the Belovezhskaya Pushcha, Alexander Bury, proudly admits that foreign col-leagues often express envy. He tells us, “The state is focused on preserving and developing unique natural sites, creating a bright example to follow. The CIS colleagues who visit tend to be envious, as we have such serious state support, and are under strict control. We gain significant financial assis-tance, so have no need to sell any territory. Every-thing is being preserved and enlarged, to benefit not only Belarus but wider Europe.”

In the recent decade, the Pushcha has changed its borders: in 2004, its territory was increased to 152,000 hectares; in 2012, another 57,000 hectares were added (in the early 1990s, there were just 15,000). As a result, last year, the repeated nomination of the trans-border Belovezh-skaya Pushcha site was adopted. Its territory on the Belarusian and Polish sides rose to 140,000 hectares and, in 2015, the territory of the UNESCO biosphere reserve was also enlarged.

The forest is the Pushcha‟s treasure, with some trees aged 250-350 years, and others as old as 500-600 years: oaks and pines. Interestingly, the Belovezhskaya Pushcha lacks natural lakes, except for artificially created water reservoirs (reconstructed in 2003). In 1995, part of the Dikoe marsh complex joined the national park and, this year, the marsh has been thoroughly studied, with an eye to making the first geo-botanical map of the area. Scientific activity within national park territories is co-ordinated by the National Academy of Sciences. The deputy director of the NAS‟ Insti-tute of Experimental Botany, Dmitry Grummo, asserts, “This is an important hydrological site: a watershed area of the Black and Baltic seas. The rivers Narev and Yaselda start here and the marsh plays a key role in preserving such endangered bird populations as the aquatic warbler and spotted eagle.”

Mr. Bury adds that no species are being lost in the Pushcha: on the contrary, their number is growing. The population of aurochs is rising, with around 460 registered at the moment. Over the past two decades, their number has risen 3.3 times in the Pushcha: many more than the forest

can actually feed. With this in mind, forage is pre-pared for animals‟ overwintering, at great cost.

At present, the Nikor Scientific-Selection Cen-tre is being established in the Pushcha, under the control of the National Academy of Sciences‟ Scien-tific-Practical Centre for Bio-Resources. It aims to study, preserve and ensure sustainable use of the auroch population. Long-term preservation (through breeding with genetic diversity) is the focus, with Polish colleagues providing assistance.

The Pushcha is also keen to ensure that its economic activities do not harm the environment. Mr. Bury explains, “Production facilities have been set up to reflect national parks‟ features: some focus on water and others on protection of marsh-es and agricultural fields. In 1996, the Shereshevskoe forest-hunting company joined the

Pushcha and, in 2010, Vygonovskoe came on board. We‟ve updated our material and technical basis, allowing up to 70-80,000 tonnes of fish to be bred at Vygonovskoe annually. The joined forestries are introducing wood processing and generate income by offering hunting to foreigners, who come eagerly seeking trophies.” According to Mr. Bury, aurochs are not offered for hunting, as they are listed in the Red Book. Up to ten aurochs are culled annually, with the permission of the Nature Ministry, but only where they are lacking in good health. He tells us, “A commission

considers each case, deciding on the animal‟s prospects. If it‟s acknowledged to be of no value, permission can be granted to kill it.”

Few people have no love of visiting national parks, since they offer an escape from urban liv-ing. In summer, there is the aroma of plant life and the cool forest air, while autumn brings a wonderful range of colours. Of course, in winter, Father Frost welcomes most of his guests to his village home in the Pushcha: 212,000 visitors come across the whole of the year.

Since June 12th, the Białowieża-Pererov sim-plified checkpoint has allowed foreigners to enter from the Polish Pushcha into the Belarusian side, without the need for a visa, staying for up to three days. It‟s enough time to relax and enjoy the environment, as well as trying Belarusian dishes of pickled chante-relles, pancakes with Pushcha bilber-ries and strawberries, and venison shashlik.

Mr. Bury adds, “Almost 2,000 people have visited us in just two months. Tourists come from Poland, Europe and America. Previously, only organised groups visited us from abroad but, now, individuals are coming, as the new checkpoint requires no visas. They arrive alone, sometimes travelling by bicycle.” In 1999, the national park welcomed 46,000 guests and, last year, 428,000 were registered. Mr. Bury notes that the infrastruc-ture has developed a lot since 1999, with new hotels, a restaurant and a café built. Meanwhile, Tyshkevich mansion has been revamped. In 2003, Father Frost‟s Residence opened and, since then, has been visited by around 1.3m tourists. He as-serts, “It‟s a unique site playing a vital role in children‟s ecological enlightenment.”

In addition, last year, the Museum of Folk Life and Ancient Technologies opened in the Pushcha, enabling visitors to learn about the craft of carpet marking: Kamenets District rootstock weaving is

included on Belarus‟ List of Intangible Treasures. Coopers and blacksmiths organise master classes and the local mini café treats guests to „Pushchanka‟: an alcoholic drink brewed to a unique recipe at the museum.

In coming years, tourists will be able to enjoy an open-air museum: unique in Belarus. On the eve of the 600th anniversary of the Pushcha‟s reserve status, a major archaeological dig took place, unearthing over 50 items dating from the Stone, Bronze and Iron ages. It being impossible to place all the findings in the museum located in the national park‟s Ecological-Educational Centre, it‟s been decided to create a new site. Aiming to „recreate‟ an ancient village, it will be sited be-tween Kamenyuki and the park‟s administrative centre. Mesolithic and Old Neolithic wooden homes will be assembled, alongside Bronze Age construc-tions and an Iron Age settlement, with entry gates, walls, embankments, ditches full of water, a leaf bridge, stable, a blacksmith‟s and pottery work-shop. This summer, digging was also conducted in the forest.

Truly, it‟s sad to leave this wonderful forest, which is so majestic, boasting great energy. All should enjoy our Pushcha and we have a duty to preserve and develop its beauty. Moreover, since 2011, a by-pass road has been in operation, giving easy access to the reserve.

Reference

• The Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park was established in 1991 and is now among the largest forests in Europe. It occupies 57,000 hec-tares (38 percent of the park).

• Braslav Lakes National Park was established in 1995, uniting 74 lakes, with a total area of 12,590 hectares — around 17 percent of its territo-ry.

• Pripyatsky National Park was established in 1996, comprising mainly forests. It is Europe‟s largest territory of transition and upper marshes: Mezhch, Kandzel, Yelovets, and Olkhovo (occupying over 30,000 hectares). Narochansky National Park was established in 1999, offering a spa and recuperative complex on Lake Naroch: the

largest of its kind in Belarus.

Expert opinion

Natalia Minchenko, the Head of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection‟s Depart-ment of Biological and Landscape Diversity:

National parks, reserves and natural monuments occupy over 8 percent of Belarusian territory. They are not simply protected by law but receive financial support. In line with the 2015-2019 state programme to develop specially preserved natural territories, 75 events are planned to help develop our national parks and

our system of nature reserves. This year, over Br24bln have been put aside for the purpose, including for the development of tourist infrastruc-ture. Ecological and information centres are planned for several Republican landscape reserves, in addition to recuperative zones at some lakes and at Braslav Lakes National Park. An open-air archaeological museum is planned for the Be-lovezhskaya Pushcha. The programme also aims to restore damaged marshes and bottomland oak forests and to prevent natural ecological systems from becoming overgrown.

BELTA, 29.09.2015

СOLOURS FOR RESERVE FOREST

Belarus speaks in favor of mutually beneficial cooperation for protecting the forests of Europe, a delegation of Belarus said at the Seventh Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe and the FOREST EUROPE Extraordi-nary Ministerial Conference in Ma-drid on 20-21 October, BelTA learnt from the Belarusian embassy in France.

The Belarusian delegation led by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipo-tentiary of Belarus to France and Spain (on concurrent accreditation) Pavel La-tushko stressed the need to implement a set of measures aimed at protection and

rational use of forest resources. The Belarusian representatives also underlined the interest in mutually beneficial coopera-tion in this area. “While discussing the final documents, the Belarusian delegation backed essential require-ments in respect to the principles of rational use of forest resources,” the embassy said. The Madrid Ministerial Declaration and a number of international documents on protection of forests in Europe were adopted on 21 October. On Belarus' behalf the document was signed by Pavel Latushko.

Attending the events in Madrid were representatives of 38 countries and 18 international organizations.

BELTA, 22.10.2015

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DECLARATION OF COMMITMENT

TO ACHIEVE UN SDGS SIGNED IN MOGILEV

The signing ceremony in the City Hall was attended by Chair-man of the Mogilev Oblast Execu-tive Committee Vladimir Do-manevsky, UN Resident Coordi-nator/UNDP Resident Repre-sentative in Belarus Sanaka Sa-marasinha, UNDP Deputy Resi-dent Representative in Belarus Yekaterina Paniklova.

"Mogilev Oblast and Belarus as a whole work closely with the United Nations. There are a number of joint projects, and one of the latest which was started in Mogilev on 28 October was the opening of a commemorative sign to herald the beginning of construction of the re-gion's first energy-efficient house,” said Vladimir Domanevsky. The UN Sustainable Development Goals are important and relevant to the man-kind. I want to say that the Belarus-ian people, Mogilev Oblast residents accept and support them and will make every effort to achieve them,” he noted.

On behalf of the United Nations Sanaka Samarasinha expressed grat-itude to the local authorities for sup-porting the project UN70 Belarus Express for Sustainable Development Goals, a UN special train. "Seventeen UN goals towards sustainable devel-opment were defined in the result of long-term discussions and debates around the world, including in Bela-rus. In view of the fact that they were offered by people themselves,

and that's exactly what they want and what they believe in, their imple-mentation is feasible. I have no doubt that Belarus is up to this task,” he noted.

Sanaka Samarasinha commend-ed the contribution of the Belarusian government to the development of the provisions on the UN Sustainable

Development Goals, includ-ing those relat-ing to econom-ic develop-ment. I am impressed by the fact that Belarus, being in a difficult economic situ-a t i o n d ue mainly to ex-

ternal factors, is actively looking for the ways towards the economic growth and sustainable development. We need to do everything to make sure that no one is left out of our attention and “having rolled up our sleeves” work jointly to build the home in which we want to live, Sanaka Samarasinha said.

The events in Mogilev as part of the UN70 Belarus Express are themed around the economic growth and sustainable development of Bela-rus and Mogilev Oblast in particular. These include roundtables, presenta-tions, exhibitions, thematic pro-grams.

BELTA,

28.10.2015

http://novostienergetiki.ru/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/solnechnaya-elektrostanciya-v-Yakutii.jpg

A declaration of commitment to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals was signed in Vitebsk which hosts UN70 Belarus Express traveling through the cities of Belarus today, BelTA has learned.

The signing ceremony in the city children and youth art center was attended by Chair-man of the Vitebsk Oblast Exec-utive Committee Nikolai Sherst-nev, UN Resident Coordinator/UNDP Resident Representative in Belarus Sanaka Samarasin-ha, UNODC regional adviser on HIV/AIDS in Belarus Vladimir Gordeiko, UNAIDS coordinator in Belarus Vera Ilyenkova.

"Organizations of Vitebsk Oblast are well represented in the UN inter-national projects in the field of ener-gy efficiency, health, education, nature and ecology. We are imple-menting a large-scale and long-time project Green City taking into ac-count the UN initiative. It is aimed at promoting the environmental im-provements: household waste will be used to make methane which will replace diesel fuel, and also will be used by utilities companies, the food and processing industry, in passen-ger transportation. I would like to see our relations grow stronger and contacts become closer. Vitebsk Oblast is ready for closer coopera-tion and effective work,” Nikolai Sherstnev said.

On behalf of the United Nations, Sanaka Samarasinha expressed gratitude to the local authorities for the support of the project "UN70 Belarus Express for Sustainable Development.” The declaration in-

cludes 17 major targets, but they all are about two aspects - people and the planet. We must work together

t o p r e -s e r v e b o t h . V i -t e b s k Oblast i s unique for its natural beauty

and can inspire all of us to work harder to protect this wealth. Here live people of different ethnicities. The many-year host of the Slavonic Bazaar festival which brings together different people, Vitebsk has been chosen venue of the grand finale of our initiative,” the UN representative said.

The UN70 Belarus Express in Vitebsk is themed around the envi-ronment issues: energy efficiency, environment and participation of local communities in sustainable development. The Vitebsk railway station is the last stop before the train returns to Minsk. Vitebsk is hosting the UN employees, repre-sentatives of a wide range of part-ners, public associations, youth who are set to discuss the sustainable development goals such as renewa-ble energy, responsible consump-tion, combating the climate change and its impact, protection, restora-tion and sustainable use of ecosys-tems and others.

BELTA, 29.10.2015

VITEBSK SIGNS

DECLARATION OF

COMMITMENT TO ACHIEVE

UNITED NATIONS SDGS

BELENERGO, RENEWABLES

ACADEMY TO COOPERATE Belenergo Concern and the Renewables

Academy AG (RENAC) will establish cooper-ation. The memorandum of understanding

was signed as part of the Day of the Bela-

rusian Economy in Berlin, BelTA learned

from the press service of the Energy Minis-

try of Belarus.

The document was signed by Belarus' Deputy Energy Minister Leonid Shenets and RENAC CEO Berthold Breid.

Belenergo and RENAC agreed to cooperate in promoting the efficient use of energy in industry, retail, construction, energy production and distri-bution, and connecting renewable energy to the grid. The parties intend to organize training courses for employees of Belenergo organiza-tions, adjust the RENAC training programs to the needs of Belarus, exchange experts and delega-tions.

On request of Belenergo, RENAC will adjust some training courses and submit technical and financial proposals to the Energy Ministry. Be-lenergo, depending on its needs, will prepare proposals for the provision of advisory services.

The Renewables Academy AG (RENAC), based in Berlin, Germany, is one of the leading international providers of renewable energy training and energy efficiency education. RENAC maintains ties with leading technology providers in the world, scientific communities and govern-ment agencies.

BELTA,

22.10.2015

BELARUS FIRST OVER-WINTER EXPEDITION

TO ANTARCTICA SCHEDULED FOR 2019-2020 The Belarusian Antarctic expedition

plans its first over-wintering in the Antarctic region in 2019-2020, head of the Belarusian Antarctic expe-dition, deputy head of the Polar Research Center of the National Acade-my of Sciences o f B e l a r u s Alexei Gaidash-ov told media on 20 October, BelTA informs.

“They will spend a year or more in Antarcti-ca,” said Alexei Gaidashov. Belarusian polar-explorers will live at their own Antarctic station.

In a few days the first module of the Belarus-ian station will go to Antarctica onboard the Russian research vessel Akademik Fyodorov. Five members of the eighth Belarusian Antarctic expedition will conduct a set of assembling works from December 2015 through February 2016.

BELTA, 2.10.2015

WARM HOUSE IN ANTARCTICA

PORTUGUESE COMPANY INVITED

TO PARTAKE IN DEVELOPMENT OF BELARUS'

WASTE MANAGEMENT CONCEPT Belarusian Vice Premier Anatoly Kalinin

has invited the Portuguese company Мota-Еngil to take part in the development of the

country's concept for waste collection, recy-

cling and disposal, BelTA learned from the

press service of the Belarusian government.

“As soon as Anatoly Kalinin got familiar with the capacities of Мota-Еngil, he invited the company to participate in fi-nancing and developing Bela-rus' concept for waste collec-tion, recycling, and disposal,” the press service noted. In general, the Belarusian Vice Premier showed interest in cooperation with the company and spoke about the intentions of the Belarusian side to attract European investment for the implemen-

tation of hi-tech projects.

Taking into account that the Мota-Еngil group of companies operates on the markets of 20 countries, Anatoly Kalinin also invited its execu-tives to consider purchasing products of the Bela-

rusian companies OAO Amkodor, OAO MAZ, and OAO BelAZ.

A delegation of chief executives of the largest Portuguese companies visited Belarus from 29 September to 2 October to study the opportunities for coopera-tion. The delegation took part in meet-ings at the Belarusian Ministry of Archi-tecture and Construction, Ministry of

Transport and Communications, Ministry of Hous-ing and Utilities Services, and Industry Ministry.

BELTA,

22.10.2015

NEWS & EVENTS IN BELARUS

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NUCLEAR POWER PLANT TO ENSURE BELARUS’ ENERGY SECURITY

The construction of the

Belarusian nuclear power plant will take care of the

country’s energy security. The statement was made by

Alexei Kubrin, Deputy State

Secretary, member of the

Permanent Committee of the

Union State of Belarus and Russia, as he visited the nu-

clear energy information cen-

ter in Nizhny Novgorod on 29

October, BelTA has learned.

Alexei Kubrin remarked that the construction of a nuclear power plant of its own in Belarus is primarily meant to take care of the country‟s energy security. “Today not everyone understands the importance of developing nuclear energy, however, this industry has great prospects. For Belarus the project is important from the point of view of energy industry, national security and politics,” said the official. He also underlined the importance of building the Belarusian nuclear power plant within the framework of the Union State of Belarus and

Russia.

According to Alexei Kubrin, now the construction of the Bela-rusian nuclear power plant pro-ceeds strictly on schedule. No critical violations have been de-tected during the construction process. All the issues are rou-tinely handled by the Belarusian and Russian sides. “The construction of the Bela-rusian nucle-ar power plant is ap-p r o a c h i n g one of the key stages — a gradual transition from pure civil engineering operations to the installation of the power plant‟s core equipment. The reactor vessel for the first power-generating unit is being trans-ported from Volgodonsk to Os-trovets now,” said Alexei Kubrin.

The Belarusian nuclear power plant is a project to build an AES-2006 type nuclear power plant

18km away from Ostrovets, Grodno Oblast. The Belarusian nuclear power plant will have two power-generating units with the total output capacity of up to 2,400MW (2x1,200MW). In line with the general contract for building the nuclear power plant the first power-generating unit is

scheduled for com-missioning in 2018, with the second one to go online in 2020.

The Belarusian nuclear power plant is being built using the Russian three-plus generation

design AES-2006. The design meets strict norms and recom-mendations of the International Atomic Energy Agency and boasts improved safety parame-ters. Belarus and Russia have signed all the necessary intergov-ernmental agreements for the sake of implementing the project.

BELTA,

29.10.2015

LAND OF WARMTH AND POSITIVITY Russians holiday in the Belarusian coun-

tryside, as families or couples, with and without children, arriving by car, train and plane.

Holidaying in Belarus is affordable, regardless of your tastes or finances. Belarus boasts won-derful natural beauty, as well as friendly people and great service. What more is need-ed for a summer break?

According to the Russian trav-el.ru online tourist service, in 2015, Belarus became the most popular desti-nation within the CIS for independent holiday-making Russians. Belarus topped the five most popular destinations, accounting for 37 percent of all travels: 22 percent headed to Ukraine, 16 percent to Kazakhstan, 9 percent to Azerbaijan, and 7 percent to Armenia. The re-maining CIS states account for just 9 percent of all tourist destinations for Russians.

Online bookings have risen by 60 percent (in comparison to 2014) and the „average spend‟ for each Russian guest is around $70 a day on ac-commodation alone. They stay for 4.5 days, on average.

Russians have also voted for the best „value for money‟ CIS city destination, with Minsk

standing in the top ten alongside Kiev, Almaty, Baku, Yerevan, Astana, Vitebsk, Bishkek, Tash-kent and Chisinau. Other Belarusian cities — such as Brest, Grodno and Gomel — are among the top 20 most popular travel destinations for Russians.

The most popular places to which tourists head are Kyrgyzstan‟s Lake Issyk-Kul, fol-lowed by Belarusian Naroch, Lake Borovoe in Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan‟s Nabran and Armeni-an Sevan.

Another online tourist booking site — оktogo.ru — tells us that most independent Russian travellers (those not with groups) choose Minsk above other CIS cities, followed by Bishkek, Almaty, Tbilisi, Yerevan, Baku, Astana, Chisinau and Tashkent. Independent holidaymakers are growing in number, since it‟s much cheaper to do so, although there

are „risks‟ involved. However, in choosing Minsk and Belarus, Russians know that they‟ll be head-ing to a warm welcome, since we share the same mentality. Moreover, no visas or foreign pass-ports are needed.

Anyone choosing to visit Belarus will enjoy diverse and rich opportunities for relaxation, paying around 1,200 Russian Roubles per night to stay at a spa hotel. According to TsentrKurort RUE, Russians pay just 10-15 percent more than native Belarusians.

The Minsk Times,

21.10.2015

POST-FUKUSHIMA SAFEGUARDS

IN BELARUSIAN NUCLEAR POWER PLANT DESIGN The Belarusian nuclear power plant is

being built taking into account post-Fukushima requirements, BelTA learned from Yuri Ivanov, Senior Vice President for Design of the united compa-ny NIAEP – ASE – Atomener-goproekt, on 29 October.

The executive explained that the design of the Belarusian nuclear power plant is a three-plus generation one. It complies with international standards concerning the safety of nuclear installations. “If one of the safe-guards is subjected to scheduled repairs or tests, another safe-guard will definitely act as a substitute,” said Yuri Ivanov.

Yuri Ivanov stressed: “The design of the Bela-rusian nuclear power plant takes into account and allows preventing all the consequences of the

Fukushima accident. None of the consequences seen after the Fukushima accident can happen to three-plus generation nuclear power plants.”

The Belarusian nuclear power plant is a pro-ject to build an AES-2006 type nuclear power plant 18km away from Ostrovets, Grodno Oblast. The Belarusian nuclear power plant will have two pow-er-generating units with the total output capacity of up to 2,400MW (2x1,200MW). In line with the general contract for building the nuclear power plant the f irst power-generating unit is scheduled for

commissioning in 2018, with the second one to go online in 2020.

BELTA, 29.10.2015