Civil dialogue for better environment

Training of environmental civil society organizations to monitor and encourage implementation of the Aarhus Convention in Croatia

Partners:

Friend of the Earth Croatia, Eco Pan, ZEO Nobilis
Collaborators: Ministry of Environment and Nature Protection, National School of Public Administration
External experts: Lana Ofak (Administrative Law) and Tamara ������apeta (EU law) from the Zagreb Faculty of Law, journalist Masha Jerin, IT expert Toth
Target County of Istria, Karlovac, Medjimurje, Zagreb
Project duration: 18 months
Total amount: € 154,048.97 – the amount funded by the EU, of which 138,644.07 ��� 15,403.36 covering the Office for Cooperation with NGOs, the amount of self-financing of € 15,404.90 or 10% of the projects are. Cover the amount of self-financing we asked the Office for CSOs (Maximum cover 70% of the self-financing)
Project Summary:
Implementation of the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus Convention) in Croatia faces a number of obstacles, especially when her third column in question – the right of citizens to access to justice. Without access to justice can not be provided or implementation of the first two pillars of the Convention – the right of access to information and the right to public participation in environmental decision-making. Measures taken by Vada in order to effectively enforce the provisions and principles of the Aarhus Convention is not sufficient to achieve satisfactory results and must be improved. “LIABILITY” to implement policies related to the implementation of the Aarhus Convention shifted almost entirely to the association, and the administrative authorities have almost no role in promoting the principles of the right of access infornacijama and participation. A greater engagement these past if it wants to achieve full implementation of the AC. Monitoring of the implementation of the rights arising from the AC generally is reduced just to the association and its just one action in this area worry that rights are respected in practice and there is no meaningful dialogue between the actors who make public policy on the implementation of the Aarhus Convention should be implemented, or between civil society and local and national government. One reason for the lack of dialogue lies in the imbalance of power between the actors. Environmental civil society are generally small and weak organizations that do not have sufficient knowledge about their rights and how to get them to vote. The project has, therefore, developed in two directions – strengthening “legal muscle” environmental civil society, ie, its bargaining power in went to the authorities, on the one hand, and empowering knowledge of small environmental organizations to encourage cooperation with local authorities and implementation of the Aarhus Convention at the local level. During the project, the environmental civil society organizations monitor the implementation of the regulations, to identify with the help of legal experts to analyze problems that delay full implementation of the rights arising from the Aarhus Convention, and to propose measures to improve the current situation.

Overall objective:

Improving application Aarhus Convention in Croatia
Specific objectives: to build the capacity of environmental CSOs to monitor and enforce AC in Croatia, with an emphasis on access to justice, strengthening cooperation between public authorities at national and local levels, and academic institutions with environmental CSOs, public awareness of the right of access to information, public participation and access to justice in environmental matters
Target groups: 25 environmental CSOs (20 of the Green Forum and 5 outside), local and regional governments (activities are focused on the public authorities in four counties, but there will be some activities providiti in all counties in Croatia).

Activities:
Training for lawyers who work in the environmental CSOs in ClientEarth Aarhus Centre in Brussels + for two students / ice Law School
Training for environmental CSOs on rights of access to justice arising from AK and jurisprudence in this field
Advisory assistance in proceedings EIA procedure, and legal assistance minor environmental CSOs
Monitoring the implementation of legislation relating to AC and analysis of implementation of public policy in this field
Development of a manual on legal opportunities for CSOs
Exchange of experience with organizations from the region and the EU engaged in AC
Organization of seminars for employees in the public administration, in cooperation with MENP and the National School for Public Administration
Distribution Guidelines for information and participation in the procedures impact assessment (EIA) and strategic environmental assessment of plans and programs on the environment (SEA), local authorities across the country
Preparation of recommendations for improving public participation, advocating their adoption and dissemination of recommendations to all public bodies
Selection of the best examples / public authorities of successful public participation
Adaptation of existing websites aarhus.zelena-istra.hr in accordance with the needs of the project
Dissemination of information media

Expected results:
1) Better implementation of the provisions on public participation and access to justice in environmental matters
2) Improved dialogue environmental CSOs with the public authorities with the aim of full implementation of the principles and obligations under the Aarhus Convention
3) Improved inter-sectoral collaboration environmental CSOs-with academic institutions, ministries and local authorities
4) Strengthen capacities of environmental CSOs to monitor and enforce regulations and policies in the area of ���​the Aarhus Convention, focusing on the empowerment of small local CSOs
5) strengthened network of environmental CSOs and cooperation with European organizations
6) Increased public awareness of the rights of access to information, the right to participate in decision-making on environmental issues and access to justice