News
Large Scale Public Forum “Talking Environment”
Looking into how waste management can be improved in Georgia was the focus of today’s Public Forum “Talking Environment” supported by the EU that brought together over 400 representatives of all parts of society.The Public Forum was organized in cooperation with the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, Solid Waste Management Company of Georgia, Tbilisi City Hall and the organization “Georgia’s Environmental Outlook- GEO”.
The Public Forum provided a platform for over 400 representatives of general public, youth, civil society, local and international experts, international organizations, media and other stakeholders to engage in discussions on waste management related issues in Georgia. Challenges induced by improper waste management in Georgia, as well as achievements and reforms carried out in the field of waste management were the main topics discussed at depth by the representatives of respective governmental institutions and local experts. Participants of the Public Forum also had an opportunity to familiarize themselves with international practices in waste management and circular economy.
Among the key speakers of the Public Forum were: H.E. Carl Hartzell, Ambassador of the European Union to Georgia, Mr. Levan Davitashvili, Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, Mr. Kakha Kuchava, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee of Environment Protection and Natural resources of Georgia, Ms. Khatia Tsilosani, Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, Mr. George Shukhoshvili, Director, Solid Waste Management Company of Georgia, Mr. Maayke Damen, International Expert, Ms. Khatuna Gogaladze, Environmental Policy Expert, Ms.Nino Tevzadze, CENN.
“The EU is a global leader in environmental protection, and I am happy to see that environmental and health concerns are rapidly rising on the public agenda here in Georgia. For these reasons, the EU is proud to host today’s Forum in Tbilisi where we want to give people a chance to discuss more about these issues and contribute to the public discussion. We are impressed with the huge interest and happy to have key partners such as the Government, Parliament and civil society involved. We look forward to continue our work in supporting Georgia to deal with these crucial issues’’ noted Ambassador Hartzell.
“Coordinated actions and common understanding of waste management among key stakeholders, including general public, as well as proper understanding of their roles and public ownership are instrumental for achieving success in this sector.” said Levan Davitashvili, the Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia. “It is therefore, of utmost importance that general public and other relevant stakeholders are aware of current situation, trends and planned activities in the field of waste management and are actively engaged in the process”
Ambassador Hartzell used the Public Forum to launch a social media challenge on waste minimization, noting: “Reducing waste is something that we can all do – through this challenge I hope to get this message out!” .
The event was initiated in a view of recent findings of the National Democratic Institute (NDI), which found that environment tops the list of the most important local issues. In particular, Georgian citizens are most concerned about: air pollution (57 percent), food safety (44 percent), and the presence of hazardous materials and toxins in products (40 percent). According the poll, residents of Tbilisi identify environmental pollution as the number one issue.