Dear Tamar,

 

With this email I would like to inform you that the Commission services have positively assessed the idea for the EU action    supporting environment and health  from the EU-Georgia  bilateral envelope of the  Annual Action Programme  (AAP) 2020. This allows us to start policy dialogue  with respective  line ministers. The Programme’s total amount  will be tentatively  up to €10 M (subject of further negotiation and agreement)  and can envisage combination several Twinning and TA projects. Your ministry and agencies are invited to elaborate more on the needs in this direction and prepare  the concept notes for the Twinning/TA projects. Please note that  implementation of the projects can be started not before 3^rd  Q 2021 onwards.

Your ministry is encouraged to discuss and coordinate possible interventions  with the ministry in charge of environment. We would appreciate to get information  on the needs  and possible projects in coming months as shall submit the identification  fiche to the HQ  in early September 2019.  

Please see below the idea based on which a programme shall be elaborated.

 

I am at your disposal for discussing the technical details of the possible support,

 

With my best regards,

 

Nika

 

“EU4 Better Environment and Health

This action will enhance environmental protection and support green economic development – including on local level, and will build upon activities under the regional programme EU4 Environment and the Water Initiative. Georgia benefits from strong natural assets for the further development of tourism and organic production. In the early stages of political and economic transition, high growth rates were achieved and urban expansion often took place at the expense of the environment. Today, pollution is having a direct negative impact on the health of Georgian citizens. Environmental protection and its impact on health have become an increasing priority for the Georgian population and the Government.  

The following components are being considered:

·         Improved air quality, with additional monitoring and analytical capacity for evidence based policy making coupled with enhanced capacity to implement and enforce legislation.

·         Increased awareness of the public regarding environmental protection and its impact on health through educational and other outreach actions, with a focus on children, students, journalists, civil society, also through the development of online reporting tools based on the pilot air quality smartphone application.  

·         Greener economy and circular economy developed, through among others separated collection of waste, reuse and recycling of solid waste which could reinforce local packaging production, increased green/eco-tourism potential, and expansion of successful pilot actions existing in the country in these sectors.

·         Better water quality through reinforced capacity to regulate, monitor and analyse water quality as well as better management of water as a resource and of the corresponding infrastructure. Depending on reform progress, this component could extend to the sustainable use of other natural resources such as forestry and the protection of natural areas.

·         Enhanced capacity to implement provisions of the EU-Georgia Association Agreement in particular on cross-cutting environmental issues such as permitting systems, mainstreaming of environmental and social impact assessments, reinforcement of institutional capacity to tackle environment-health aspects.   

·         Enhanced capacity to implement the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to reduce national emissions and adapt to the impact of climate change, in line with the commitments undertaken in the framework of the Paris Agreement. Particular focus will be put on the development and implementation of environmental friendly transport policy, which would also contribute to e.g. improved air quality and reduction in transport time.”

 

I look forward for your feedback,

 

Nika

 

Nino (Nika) Kochishvili (Mrs)

Programme Officer

EU Delegation to Georgia

38, Nino Chkheidze street

0102  Tbilisi, Georgia

Tel: +995 32 2 943763

Email: nino.kochishvili@eeas.europa.eu