 This is the site of the EU funded regional Project on Environmental Collaboration for the Black Sea (ECBSea) launched in the EECCA countries – Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.
Environmental degradation of the Black Sea and its main contributing rivers is one of the major concerns of the BS basin countries and the international community. Encouraging improvements have taken place during the last 15 years, mainly thanks to a decrease in polluting economic activities and some progress in regional environmental management. However, improvement and proper enforcement of environmental legislation, sustainable development of the coastal zone and sustainable use of natural resources throughout the region are essential to sustain and reinforce these first signs of recovery.
Main transboundary issues - euthrophication, changes in marine living resources, chemical pollution, biodiversity/habitat changes - need to be addressed at regional level through improvement of the Convention on the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution (the Bucharest Convention, ratified in 1994) and improvement of implementation and enforcement of environmental legislation at national level in the beneficiary countries.
The Project is focused on the assistance to national governments in achieving the objectives of the Bucharest Convention at regional and national level, and to support some specific activities outlined in the working plan of the Commission for the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution (the Black Sea Commission).
The outline of Project activities and outputs is provided in the Project Profile.
As a result of the two years of intensive work of ECBSea offices in Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, international and national experts in cooperation and consultation with the Environmental Ministries as well as stakeholders in the beneficiary countries, the Project came up with the following outputs.
Attention! In February 2010 the archive of the ECBSea Project web site is planned to be moved to the web site of the Black Sea Commission http://www.blacksea-commission.org/
News:
The first draft of the new Framework Water Law for Georgia is under development within the ECBSea Project. It is expected that the document will be delivered to the Ministry of Environment Protection and Natural Resources in Georgia as early as in February 2010.
On 8 January 2009 a feature story about ECBSea project “Saving the Black Sea” (English, Ukrainian and Russian versions) was issued by ENPI (European Neighbourhood Policy Instrument) Information Centre in Brussels following media event at the Aarhus Centre in Kyiv (1 October, 2009). The story is focused on the achievements and outcomes of ECBSea project during more than 2,5 years of activities in the Black Sea region on the whole and beneficiary countries Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, in particular. It is also posted on the web site of ENPI Info Centre. (See more)
On 2 December 2009 after several rounds of discussions by the Project WG and consultations with the Ministry Draft Law of Ukraine On Coastal Zone together with Explanatory note was passed to the beneficiary for further legal procedure. Regulation of the coastal zone is a sensitive issue, especially considering various and often contradictory interests of the numerous stakeholders. (See more)
Recognising the ECBSea Project accomplishments the Ministry for Environmental Protection in Ukraine placed the Project related information on the Ministry web site (See more)
On 30-31 October 2009 International Black Sea Action Day was celebrated in Samsun, Turkey. Activities were organized by the Turkish Ministry of Environment and Forestry together with Permanent Secretariat of the Black Sea Commission. ECBSea Project Director and Project Team Leader were invited to participate in the 1st Marine Environment Workshop and make presentation on Project activities and outcomes. The BS Commissioners from Georgia, Russia and Turkey as well as the officials of the Turkish Ministry of Environment and Forestry, representatives of international organizations, governmental bodies, universities and NGOs also participated in this workshop.(See more)
On 28-29 October 2009 the ECBSea Wrap-Up Conference, a final international event to present the Project outputs and achievements as well as to discuss the best practices and lessons learnt, took place in Istanbul, Turkey. Representatives from European Commission in Brussels, Project beneficiaries, key experts, national team leaders, national experts in Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine as well as NGOs participated in this event. (See more)
On 28 October 2009 the ECBSea 5th Project Steering Committee meeting took place in Istanbul, Turkey. Officials from the European Commission, Brussels, representatives of the beneficiary countries: Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Project team and guests participated in it. At the meeting the results of the Project activities in the reporting period including its outputs and achievements, plans for the next period, administration issues were discussed. Progress Report 5 was adopted by the Steering Committee. The results and outputs of the Project were highly appraised by beneficiaries, SC members and observers. (See more)
ECBSea Project has published a brochure “Saving the Black Sea Together”. This publication includes full description of Project’s activities during 2,8 years in Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, Project evaluation and comments by key and national experts, beneficiaries and partners. The brochure has been disseminated to the beneficiaries, partners and other stakeholders of the Project. (See more)
On 1 October 2009, media event took place in Kyiv to present and share the experience of more than two years of ECBSea Project work in Ukraine. The officials from the EC Delegation to Ukraine, Ministry for Environmental Protection in Ukraine, Project international and national experts participated in the event. Special attention was given to the legal documents, developed by the Project for Ukraine and the outcomes on Biodiversity and Marine Protected Areas in the Black Sea. (See more)
On 22 September 2009 ECBSea Project passed on to the Ministry for Environmental Protection in Ukraine a Proposal for the Declaration of a Marine Protected Area: “Botanical Reserve of National Importance, Small Phyllophora Field of Karkinitsky Bay”, that was developed in result of biodiversity and MPA activities. The purpose of this document is to provide the necessary information and justification for declaration of a marine protected area of the Small Phyllophora Field in Karkinitsky Bay. (See more)
On 15 September 2009, a public event was held in Tbilisi to present the legal outcomes of the ECBSea Project activities in Georgia. Officials from the EC Delegation to Georgia, Ministry of Environment Protection and Natural Resources, representatives of international projects and NGOs participated in the event. The Concept Paper for the Water Law of Georgia and Road Map for approximation of Georgian water legislation to the EU Directives, developed by the Project, were in the focus of the discussion. (See more)
On September 5, 2009 ECBSea Project in Georgia participated in the public event “People’s Accountability”, organised by local government in Tbilisi. Project team presented its legal and ICZM work and disseminated Project information materials to stakeholders and wide public. (See more)
Coordinated with the Ministry and State Reserve Committee the Survey of current state and perspectives of legal regulation for wetlands of national and local importance in Ukraine has been completed by ECBSea Project. It was passed on to the Ministry on 3 September, 2009. (See more)
About our website
This website is constructed as the Project external communication tool to provide transparency of the Project work and access for the general public and various stakeholders to the Project results.
The Project team would be glad to have your feedback which can be sent at the email address: ecbsea@ecbsea.org Please let us know if you would like to be included in our e-mail list.
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Version for print
This project is funded by the EU