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

№ 5 (56), May, 2018

MINSK, BELARUS

THIS ISSUE:

Minsk, EBRD launch Green City

project .............................................. 1

Opinion: International cooperation

promotes sustainable develop-

ment principles ............................... 1

Opinion: Monitoring helps improve

water quality in Belarus-Russia

transboundary water objects ...... 2

Sudan explores Belarus' system of

specially protected natural areas

........................................................... 2

Belovezhskaya Pushcha expects

more than 500,000 tourists in 2018

........................................................... 2

Belarusian-Armenian friendship

forest planted on Lake Sevan

shore ................................................. 2

Belarus plans to recycle 20.3% of

municipal solid waste in 2018 ...... 3

Belarus' report on fulfilling spent

fuel convention discussed in IAEA

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

MINSK, EBRD LAUNCH GREEN CITY PROJECT

Minsk and the European Bank for Reconstruc-tion and Development (EBRD) have officially launched the Green City project in a ceremony in the Minsk Town Hall on 4 May, BELTA has learned.

Minsk is interested in minimizing the negative effects of urbanization and is taking steps to make city life more comfortable, Minsk Vice Mayor Viktor Laptev said. The Minsk authorities hope that the cooperation with the Euro-pean Bank for Reconstruction and Development will help reduce the impact on the environment. The priority areas of interaction are housing and utilities services, outdoor light-ing, city transport, the development of water-green diame-ter of the city.

Head of the EBRD Office in Belarus Alexander Pivovarsky stressed that the project applies a systemic approach to city greening. The proposed mechanisms are applicable in all countries, with which the EBRD cooperates. “We are very pleased that Minsk was one of the first to have joined the international initiative to address the envi-ronmental issues and to achieve the Sustainable Develop-ment Goals. The Green City status will give a signal to the international community that Minsk is open to cooperation towards improving energy efficiency, promoting a favorable environment for living,” Alexander Pivovarsky said.

Minsk is an environmentally conscious city, Chair-man of the Minsk City Council of Deputies Vasily Panasyuk said. Minsk has approved the plans on environmental pro-tection and rational use of natural resources which prioritize clean air, fight with municipal waste, implementation of resource-saving technologies.

The more the city develops, the more natural resources it consumes. The local authorities attach great attention to a systemic approach to the issues of environ-

ment and green urban development and do their best to make the city cleaner, greener and more comfortable for its residents. A special roadmap will be developed to acceler-ate the settlement of the above-mentioned issues and further reduce the impact of the capital on the environ-ment. The document will include events to improve the quality of air, cleanness and accessibility of land and water resources, green zones.

The plan will be developed according to the origi-nal methodology of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, prepared by the Organization for Eco-nomic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and ICLEI (Local Governments for Sustainability). Minsk will join a global network of green cities, including such capitals as Yerevan, Tbilisi and Tirana. It is expected that the docu-ment will be ready in May-June 2019 and approved before the end of 2019.

Attending the meeting were representatives of the Minsk authorities, the Minsk Council of Deputies, the Euro-pean Bank for Reconstruction and Development, govern-ment bodies, consular institutions, and international finan-cial organizations.

The green city status and the approved roadmap will attract attention of international financial organizations and donors to Minsk. This will help generate more funds for the implementation of investment projects such as the reconstruction of the Minsk sewage treatment plant, insula-tion of housing, reconstruction of urban lighting, develop-ment of electric transport, energy and resource saving and other major initiatives.

BELTA, 4.05.2018

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OPINION: INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION PROMOTES SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

PRINCIPLES International cooperation

promotes the introduction of sus-tainable development principles, Belarus' Deputy Minister of Natu-ral Resources and Environment Andrei Khmel said at the 18th international scientific conference Sakharov Readings 2018: Environ-mental Problems of the 21st Cen-tury, BELTA informs.

“We understand that the introduc-tion of sustainable development prin-ciples, promotion of environmental innovations, and e n v i r o n m e n t a l safety are impossi-ble without close international coop-eration, foreign investors. We have been actively using international coop-eration to address e n v i r o n m e n t -oriented issues, enhance availability of environmental technologies. Only environmentally-prepared society can secure sustaina-ble development of the state. There-fore, the development of a system of continuous environmental education, its legislative improvement, personnel training in the field of ecology is one of the major activities for the Ministry of Natural Resources in cooperation with other governmental bodies and

public associations.” said Andrei Khmel.

Representatives of different coun-tries gathered to discuss the most important issues in the field of envi-ronmental protection and rational use of natural resources. “The ongoing social and economic processes and related new risks and challenges, including environmental ones, make us look for the most effective ways to implement the state's environmental policy. A vivid example of such a new

approach to address the envi r onmenta l impact was the introduction of the green econo-my principles that ensure sus-tainable develop-ment based on maintaining the balance of eco-

nomic growth, improving the quality of life and preserving natural environ-ment. We have gained vast experi-ence in the sector. We have been actively implementing state and sec-toral environmental programs,” the deputy minister said.

The international scientific confer-ence Sakharov Readings of 2018: Environmental Problems of the 21st Century is underway at the Interna-

tional Sakharov Environmental Insti-tute of Belarusian State University on 17-18 May with the support of the Education Ministry, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Healthcare Ministry, the Depart-ment for Dealing with the Conse-quences of the Catastrophe at Cher-nobyl NPP under the Emergencies Ministry, the Public Council of the Basic Organization for Environmental Education of the CIS countries, the Belarusian Fund for Basic Research, the National Institute for Vocational Education. Taking part in the forum are students, undergraduates and postgraduates from Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Germany, Turkey, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, India and other countries.

The conference will include a meeting of the Public Council of the Basic Organization for Environmental Education of the CIS countries and also a number of sections and roundtables. The House of Represent-atives of the National Assembly will play host to a roundtable on environ-mental legislation and mindset for-mation in the interests of sustainable development of the Republic of Bela-rus.

BELTA, 17.05.2018

Green Belarus Green Belarus News & EventsNews & Events in Belarusin Belarus

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Monitoring of transboundary water objects carried out by experts from Belarus and Russia will help improve the quality of water, Belarus' Deputy Minister of Natu-ral Resources and Environment Andrei Khmel told reporters on the sidelines of the 10th session of the joint Bela-rusian-Russian commission on the protection and rational use of transboundary water bodies, BELTA has learned.

The main issues on the agenda of the Go-mel meeting include water quality and the sta-tus of water ecosystems in the Dnieper River basin and Western Dvina River basin. According

to Andrei Khmel, to control water quality Bela-rus and Russia have taken various measures

such as monitor-ing, comparing laboratory data. The anthropogenic factor does not have a great im-pact on them, he noted.

Both sides seek to not only prevent deterioration but also achieve im-proved water qual-ity in transbounda-ry objects. “Of course, this will be

achieved primarily through monitoring activities and through the reconstruction of the sewage treatment plants in the basins of these two rivers. We continue joint monitoring. If neces-sary we take certain management decisions,” Andrei khmel said. Both sides cooperate almost

on a daily basis. According to the co-chair of the commission, Deputy Head of the Federal Agency for Water Resources (Russia) Tatyana Boko-vaya, not only the Ministry of Natural Resources and Federal Agency for Water Resources keep in touch. So do all agencies concerned. “By com-municating directly, we find the best solutions possible to emerging issues,” said Tatyana Bokovaya. The parties share practical experi-ence, modern technologies. Sharing operational information helps experts prepare in advance for floods or some other situations.

The goal of the commission is to contribute to the implementation of the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Water-courses and International Lakes, and the Bela-rus-Russia agreement on cooperation in protec-tion and rational use of transboundary water bodies.

BELTA, 23.05.2018

Belarus, Russia to discuss protection of trans-boundary waters

OPINION: MONITORING HELPS IMPROVE WATER QUALITY IN BELARUS-RUSSIA TRANSBOUNDARY WATER OBJECTS

BELOVEZHSKAYA PUSHCHA EXPECTS MORE THAN 500,000 TOURISTS IN 2018

Belarus expects to welcome more than 500,000 tourists in the Belovezhskaya Push-cha national park in 2018, BELTA learned from Director General of the park Alexander Bury.

In 2017, the national park was visited by 465,000 tourists, including about 70,000 foreign-ers. “The number of tourists is on the rise. I can forecast that this year the number of tourists will be higher than in the previous year, as the in-crease in tourist numbers in Q1 2018 made up about 15%. I think we will surpass the mark of 500,000,” said Alexander Bury.

The number of Belarusian tourists has been steadily rising. More foreigners are taking the advantage of visiting Belovezhskaya Pushcha visa-free. If earlier the only way to visit the national park was via the border crossing point for pedes-trians and cyclists Bialowieza-Pererov, this year the national park has been included in the Brest

tourist and recreation zone which envisages a ten-day visa-free stay for foreign citizens.

“The number of tour-ists visiting the pushcha via the border crossing point increases every year, with a 2-3-time progress. After the new free-visa rules were in-troduced, the border checkpoint was crossed by about 1,500 tourists within the first year, and 3,500 tourists within the second one. Last year the number of tourists made up about 5,000. In January-April 2018 we have already surpassed the last year's figures,” the director general of the park said.

The northern part of the park has been re-cently used more actively for recrea-tional purposes. “The tourist potential of the national park is huge. We should understand that the pushcha is a living organism which will not tolerate the recreational burden for too long. We have been developing the central and northern parts of the park in order to give a break

to its southern part with a well-developed infra-structure,” Alexander Bury said.

BELTA, 2.05.2018

BELARUSIAN-ARMENIAN FRIENDSHIP FOREST PLANTED ON LAKE SEVAN SHORE

A Belarusian-Armenian friendship forest has been planted on the shore of Lake Sevan in Armenia, the press service of the Bel-arusian Forestry Ministry told BELTA.

Belarusian and Armenian wood growers have planted nearly 10ha of Belarusian pine trees in the Akhtamar forest district in the Sevan section of the national park Sevan.

The agreement to plant the forest to celebrate Belarusian-Armenian friendship was reached dur-ing the 13th session of the Belarusian-Armenian intergovernmental commission on trade and eco-nomic cooperation in October 2017. A total of 49,180 pine tree saplings were delivered to Arme-nia. The saplings were donated by Belarusian forestry enterprises. The Belarusian saplings had to travel for nearly 3,000km in order to embellish the shore of Lake Sevan. They were transported in special low-temperature conditions and kept their quality

nicely. The Belarusian enterprise BellesExport provided the Armenian side with the necessary tools such as baskets for transporting saplings

with covered roots, planting tubes, and Kolesov's swords (a special narrow spade for planting sap-lings).

The Belarusian Forestry Ministry has advanced cooperation with Armenia for a long time. Belarus-ian and Armenian wood growers are interested in sharing their best practices and technologies. Dur-ing his visit to Minsk in October 2017 Armenian Agriculture Minister Ignaty Arakelyan stressed that the Armenian side placed a strong emphasis on forest preservation, yet it was interested in other projects, too, for instance, wood pellet production.

BELTA, 3.05.2018

SUDAN EXPLORES BELARUS' SYSTEM OF SPECIALLY PROTECTED NATURAL AREAS

Sudan is interested in the Belarusian expe-rience in the man-agement and devel-opment of the system of specially protected n a t u r a l a r e a s , spokeswoman for the Ministry of Natural Resources and Envi-ronmental Protection Yelena Meleshkova told BELTA.

A delegation of experts and geologists from the Sudanese Ministry of Minerals is visiting Belarus in furtherance of the agreements reached during the visit of Belarus' Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Andrei Khudyk to Su-

dan. The main goal of the visit is to learn more about the geological map-ping from the Belarusian Research and Production Center for Geology at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, the Na-tional Academy of Sciences of Belarus, the Belarusian State University. In addition to the theoretical part of the training, the Sudanese specialists will take practical courses. The program includes visits to the enterprises of the geological prospecting industry, field observations, and so on. Repre-sentatives of the Sudanese Ministry of Minerals expressed the desire to get familiar with the management and development of the system of specially protected natural areas, the national ecological network in Belarus.

Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Alexander Korbut met with Charge d'affaires of Sudan in Belarus Faisal Abdelazim Salim. The parties discussed the prospects for joint projects in mining, environmental protection and natural resources, training of Suda-nese specialists in Belarus and other issues.

BELTA, 11.05.2018

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BELARUS' REPORT ON FULFILLING SPENT FUEL CONVENTION DISCUSSED IN IAEA

Belarus' sixth national report on ful-filling the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management was discussed in the headquarters of the I n t e r n a t i o n a l Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, Austria on 22 May, represent-atives of the Bela-rusian Emergen-cies Ministry told BELTA.

The sixth re-view meeting of the contracting parties to the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Manage-ment is in progress in the IAEA HQ. Belarus' sixth national report was discussed at the ses-sion of the country group on 22 May. It was presented by a delegation led by Belarusian Deputy Emergencies Minister Anatoly Dol-golevets. The delegation included specialists of the Emergencies Ministry (the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department aka Gosatomnad-zor), the Energy Ministry (the Nuclear Energy Department), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (the energy and nuclear research institute Sosny), and the state enterprise Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant.

The national report lists the installations working with spent fuel and radioactive waste in Belarus, information about the government policy and practices in this field, the legislative framework, and the fulfillment of recommenda-

tions after the previous report was delivered. The report contains other information as well. It covers activities and events in 2014-2017.

After reviewing the Belarusian national report, questions and answers to them the

country group conclud-ed that Belarus demonstrates direc-tions of successful work as part of the efforts to decommis-sion the Iskra storage facility and review the legislation on radioac-tive waste and spent nuclear fuel manage-ment, in particular, by preparing to amend

the law on the radiation safety of the popula-tion. The proactive stance on using cutting-edge practices, for instance, by inviting an IAEA mission in 2016 to evaluate the regulatory infrastructure and embrace the mission's rec-ommendations was mentioned.

The mentioned challenges include the actualization of the relevant legislation, the improvement of the safe management of radio-active waste at the special enterprise Ekores, the development of a strategy on spent nuclear fuel of the Belarusian nuclear power plant, the specification and stipulation of Belarusian-Russian agreements on this work.

Results of the work of the country groups will continue to be considered during plenary sessions. The meeting of the contracting parties to the joint convention will end on 1 June.

BELTA,

22.05.2018

BELARUS PLANS TO RECYCLE 20.3% OF MUNICIPAL SOLID

WASTE IN 2018 Belarus plans to recycle 20.3% of

municipal solid waste (MSW) in 2018, Nina Kulbeda, the chief specialist of the state-run company Operator of Secondary Materi-al Resources, told a press conference in Minsk on 25 May, BELTA has learned.

“In 2017 the share of extraction of sec-ondary material resources from municipal solid waste was about 17%. In accordance with the national strategy up to 2035, Belarus plans to recycle 20.3% of munic-ipal solid waste in 2018. In other words, the country plans to re-use the fifth part of munici-pal solid waste as raw materials. The current infrastructure enables us to achieve this goal,” Nina Kulbeda said.

In 2017 Belarus collected 654,000 tonnes of secondary material resources, which was up by 9% over 2016. The-se included waste paper, glass, polymer waste, worn tires, used oil, old household and computer equipment. “Some 207,000 tonnes of secondary material resources were collected in January-April 2018. This year we hope the positive dy-namics will remain in place. In the past four months the collection of electronic and electrical equipment went up 1.8 times, that of waste oil by 43%, waste paper by almost 12%, plastic waste by 7.3%. The collection of used tires went up as well,” Nina Kulbeda said.

Nina Kulbeda also talked about the main areas of work of the company in 2018. “We will continue to pay compensation from the funds

that come from producers and suppliers of goods and packaging to the companies that collect and send MSW to use or either disposal. The development of separate waste collection infrastructure will be continued. This year we are planning to acquire over 18,000 containers for the collection of waste glass, paper, plastic, mixed collection of MSW. Several large projects will be financed this year out of the funds of major manufacturers and suppliers. These in-

clude the modernization of Spartak Paper Mill, setting up a plant to produce Refuse-derived fuel, introducing a de-posit-refund system and also the construction of a waste processing plant in Vitebsk,” Nina Kulbeda informed.

In Belarus there are 420 organizations that col-

lect secondary material resources and prepare them for use. In the residential sector there are around 87,000 special containers for the collec-tion of waste paper, glass, plastic, of them 9,000 containers were installed in 2017.

There is also a system of collection of spent batteries, energy-saving lamps in shop-ping sites: almost 3,300 containers for batteries and more than 700 for mercury-containing lamps.

BELTA, 25.05.2018

Belarus to ship products from recovered waste oils to Germany, Israel, Norway