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‘’Minister’s Hour’’ Levan Davitashvili presents a report at the hearing session, Parliament of Georgia
• Environmental regulations under the Law of Georgia on Environmental Protection have been developed, this is a fundamental document, a new law that is prepared according to the European Directive and determines the responsibility of damage caused to the environment in Georgia. In accordance with the bill, polluting companies are obliged to restore the environment and eliminate damages.
" To avoid incidents faced in the past few years, financial obligations are imposed on large companies which might cause impact on environment, in many cases we had the environmental damage, although state did not have sufficient resources to compensate for all damage caused to the environment "- said Minister Levan Davitashvili.
• Implementation of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) will start in December 1, 2019, which is a new policy approach under which producers/importers are given a significant responsibility – financial and/or physical – for the treatment or disposal of post-consumer products so as to minimize adverse environmental impacts.
Specific reserves include: waste packaging material (plastics, paper / paperboard, wood, metal, glass), residual electrical and electronic equipment, tires removed from the use, used vehicles, oils, batteries and accumulators.
• In 2018 a project funded by the "Green Climate Fund" was signed, which aims to create early warning systems across Georgia. The warning systems are capable of identifying hydro-meteorological and geological hazards in Georgia and evaluate natural risks, the project will be launched in 2019.
The national early warning system will be introduced and modeling capability will be strengthened. Meteorological radar will be installed in the adjacent territory of Kutaisi, which will enable us to predict expected weather forecast in western Georgia and prepare early warnings to make high precision on upcoming natural processes.
Geological group of West Georgia will be created, in case of natural disasters, specialists will timely study the factors that caused natural disasters in the west region of
Georgia in order to determine natural processes and give relevant recommendations.
In 2018, the hazardous geological risk zoning maps were elaborated, geological report will be available to the society in 2019. In 2017-2018, five automatic meteorological stations were installed in high mountainous regions.
In 2018, the devices for measurement of river level and sediment was installed in River Nenskra Chuberi.
In 2018, the preparation works to install meteorological radar was carried out in the vicinity of Kutaisi. Placing a meteorological radar near Kutaisi will allow us to predict expected weather forecast in western Georgia and allow us to predict about upcoming natural disaster processes; In 2018, geological maps were prepared for Mtskheta-Mtianeti region.
• "The new Forest Code has already been submitted to the Parliament, which enables us to use its economic function (apart from ecological functions) and maintain its social function as well, forest categories were identified which will ultimately restore forest farming " said Levan Davitashvili. The National Forestry Agency has implemented rehabilitation of forest roads throughout the country on 105,54 km of area. Arrangement and rehabilitation of roads promotes measures for fire prevention, also enables to implement forest restoration maintenance works. It also makes easy for the population to get timber resources from the controlled territory of forests, which is controlled by the agency.
The first phase of restoration of forest on 163.73 hectares is completed in Borjomi Gorge, including fire damaged areas in Borjomi valley. 270 000 tree seedlings were planted. Measures will be taken this year as well and forest restoration will be carried out on 329,51 ha of forest areas.
Forest National Registry under the framework of the grant allocated by the Government of Germany, the national forest registry (inventory) will be introduced for the first time in the country along with the constantly updated information and monitoring system. The first works will be implemented in Kakheti, Guria, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Shida Kartli and Kvemo Kartli regions in 2019.
Young Forest Specialists Training Program, initiated by the National Forestry Agency will allow 16 motivated young foresters to increase their knowledge in the forest registry. The specialists trained within the program will be involved in forest registering activities in Lagodekhi and Akhmeta forest areas (total 82 186 ha). In the mentioned areas, the National Forestry Agency will implement forest inventory with its own resources and will prepare forest management plans for 10 years.
The Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Levan Davitashvili underlined the importance of renewing the relevant equipment of the Fisheries and Black Sea Monitoring Department of the Environmental Agency.
As the Minister noted, at the end of the year, the LEPL National Agency for Fisheries and Black Sea Monitoring Service will be equipped with appropriate equipment. On the basis of the accumulated experience, the specialists will be able to count the number of fish reserves in the Black Sea by using new, modern equipment – eco sounder.
This will enable our specialists to conduct high accuracy studies, moreover, counted reserves will enable to earn more revenue from the fishery sector.
According to the Minister, in 2019, the construction of new building equipped with modern standards of fisheries and black sea monitoring department is planned in Batumi, where fisheries and black sea and hydrometeorology departments will be located. The state budget 1.5 million GEL is already allocated for construction of this project.
Georgia is a marine country and rich with hydro resources that can be used for aquaculture purposes. According to Levan Davitashvili, the draft law on aquaculture will be developed, which will determine the legal basis for the activities taken in the aquaculture sector. The rules and principles are specified in this law for issuing licenses and permits to apply to the procedures, including determination of zones, protection of biodiversity, environmental protection and aquaculture related issues.
It is important, that, in 2018 , the research was conducted to assess fish resources for the first time in the Black Sea coast.