Fostering environmental protection through more effective civil society participation in environmental governance and combating environmental crimes” is a two-year project implemented by the Resource Environmental Center (REC) and financially supported by Sweden.
Overall Objective of the project is to improve the environmental governance in Bosnia and Herzegovina by strengthening capacities of ECSOs to participate effectively in the environmental governance and, at the same time, influence the key reforms for further transposition and implementation of the EU Environmental Acquis and strengthening rule of law.
Specific objectives:
- Technical and expert assistance to the relevant institutions with the aim of improving legal framework by developing and adopting new laws, bylaws and rulebooks thereby increasing the percentage of relevant EU directives (such as: EIA, SEA, IAD, SEWESO, ecological crimes, noise) being transposed into the national legislation in accordance with the Environmental Approximation Strategy of Bosnia and Herzegovina (EAS BiH) and Environmental Strategy and Action Plan (ESAP 2030 BiH+) that are currently being developed.
- Cooperation with national and international judicial institutions and organizations in terms of development and implementation of the EU legislation in preventing environmental crime.
- Networking with other organizations and networks from the EU (INTERPOL, IMPEL, EUFJE and ENPE) with the aim of exchanging experiences and best practices for the implementation and enforcement of environmental legislation from the EU Member States.
Project activities:
The activities are divided into five components and include:
- COMPONENT 1 – PROMOTION AND OUTREACH
- COMPONENT 2 – SUPPORT TO ENVIRONMENATL CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS
- COMPONENT 3 – TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THE MINISTRIES OF ENVIRONMENT
- COMPONENT 4 – JUDICIARY
- COMPONENT 5 – NETWORKING
Project results:
- Environmental CSOs participating in the program have increased capacities and have specialized to monitor and evaluate the implementation of EIA and SEA policies and procedures and are actively involved in legislative and reform issues related to the protection of environment that support approximation process with EU.
- SEA and EIA processes in the Country reflect the improved participation of CSOs and their constructive role in decision making is recognized by relevant public authorities and private sector.
- New regulations (laws, bylaws and rulebooks) have been developed, adapted and adopted at different governmental levels and thus transposition of relevant EU Directives (i.e. EIA, SEA, IAD, SEWESO, environmental crimes, environmental noise) into national legislation increased for at least 30% in accordance with EAS BiH and BIH ESAP 2030+.
- Capacities of judges, prosecutors and law enforcement agencies participating in the program for EU environmental legislation and combating environmental crimes have increased.
- Cooperation with INTERPOL through the initiative for establishing NEST in BiH and cooperation with IMPEL for future support to BiH environmental protection institutions have been strengthened.
Project duration: 24 months (July 2021 – July 2023)
Overall project value: 985.000 KM
Coordinator: REC- Resource Environmental Center
Source of funding / Donor: Government of Sweden
More information about the project is available on: https://nestprojekt.ba/