News
New EU program "EU4Environment - Water Resources and Environmental Data’’ to launch in Georgia
The new EU program "EU4Environment - Water Resources and Environmental Data’’ is launched in Georgia.The protection and sustainable use of water resources, support for existing water management policy, new reforms and their implementation at the local level, as well as improved access to reliable environmental data, information on water resources, air quality, land use, and waste
are envisaged by the new EU program "EU4Environment - Water Resources and Environmental Data".
Under the frame of the Association Agreement signed between the European Union and Georgia, Georgia has undertaken an obligation to harmonize its national policy and legislation with the EU legislation. Some progress has already been made - a draft law on water resources management has been developed and the water monitoring network has been significantly expanded. It should be mentioned, that the new EU program will help to improve the environmental protection in Georgia, "- said Mrs. Nino Tandilashvili at the event.
The EU program ‘’EU4 Environment - Water Resources and Environmental Data’’ is a part of the EU Eastern Partnership framework with a total budget amounting to € 12.75 million.
The program will be implemented in the period 2022-2024; The consortium of implementing organizations consists of representatives of the Umweltbundesamt (Environment Agency Austria), the ADA (Austrian Development Agency), the Office International de l'Eau (France), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).
The Project EU4Environment - Water Resources and Environmental Data is based on the results of the projects, which have been already implemented with the EU support – ‘’EU Water Initiative Plus (EUWI +)’’ and the ‘’ENIS SEIS II East’’.
The project ‘’EUWI +’’ assisted Georgia in fulfilling its commitments taken under the Association Agreement with the European Union and supported in gradually implementing EU water resources management practices in Georgia.
Alazani-Iori and Khrami-Debeda River Basin Management Plans and Chorokhi-Adjaristskali Basin Management Plan have been developed, which also include issues related to the Black Sea coast. All three pool management plans total 24,000 km2 and include 961,000 inhabitants.
The ENI SEIS II East project supports the implementation of the principles and practices of the Shared Environmental Information System (SEIS) and strengthens the regular reporting process including the production of environmental indicators and assessment reports in the fields of biodiversity, water, land, waste, and air. The project develops institutional capacity in the environmental assessment and accounting fields.