Environmental taxes made up 6.3% of tax revenues in the EU in 2014. In the European Union (EU), environmental taxes amounted to €343.6 bn in 2014, compared with €282.0 bn in 2004. However, the share of environment taxes in total revenues from taxes and social contributions has decreased over this 10-year period, from 6.8% in 2004 to 6.3% in 2014. Two of the countries with best resulsts in the share of environmental taxes in the EU are new member states Slvenia and Croatia.
A workshop entitled “Activist to Activists: Environmental advocacy skill-share in South East Europe and Turkey” was organised in Istanbul on 24-25 April, as part of the ETNAR project. The aim of the workshop was improving the capacity of environmental CSOs in policy analysis, policy monitoring and public advocacy, and increasing cooperation among climate justice and environmental justice social organisations within Turkey and internationally.
As part of the workshop, Cem İskender Aydın from TEMA Foundation, the Turkish partner of the Env.net, presented the “Map of threats to water resources in Turkey” which was compiled thanks to Env.net support. He also talked about mapping as an advocacy tool and about other potential applications using data from mapping platforms.
Cities play an increasingly important part in our lives. Urban areas are where we live, work, rest and play. The European Environment Agency (EEA) invites you to participate in the ‘My City’ photography competition and share the moments you captured in European cities.
Participants can focus on one of the following three categories:
Sustainable lifestyle in a city
Getting around in a city
Leisure time in a city
Competition winners will receive a cash prize. All entries may be promoted by the EEA and its partners across Europe. Entrants may submit their photos until 15 August. The competition is open to citizens of the 33 EEA member countries and 6 West Balkan cooperating countries. All participants must be 18 or older. The cities depicted in the entries must be located in the countries mentioned above.
The two Env.net subgrantees from Turkey, Tunceli WildcatCommunication Network and Society for the Protection of Natural and Cultural Entities of Kazdağı, have reported on their projects’ progress.
Tunceli Lynx Communication Network executed their first workshop on March 24-30 in Tunceli. The Network representative gave a presentation on wildcats’ biology and their effect on natural balance. They organized a trip to the field to observe the wildcats with the help of photo traps followed by a meeting with local actors to determine the next course of action in regards to the network.
Society for the Protection of Natural and Cultural Entities of Kazdağı (Mount Ida) appointed one of the four experts required for their seminars, started working on the communication kits for the seminars and executed numerous face-to-face meetings. Preparations for their “Assets of Kazdağı” photograph exhibition continue.
Mr. Dusko Hristov, as representative from the ENV.net Macedonia, was invited to participate as a key note in a public debate titled “Environmental topics in the media – advantages, barriers and opportunities”.
The event, that was held on 28th April, 2016 in Skopje, was organised by the Centre for Environmental Democracy – FLOROZON and Development Association of the Roma Community – SUMNAL. The event was part of the “Development of Environmental Investigative Journalism” project, supported by the Delegation of the European Union in Skopje under the IPA Civil Society Facility and Media Program 2014 (EuropeAid/136-992/DD/ACT/MK).
It was a good opportunity for present the progress and achievement of the ENV.net project, as well as to share information about the ENV.net attempts to raise this issue on a higher regional level.
Key topics discussed at this public debate included: presence of environmental topics in the media – existing practices; advantages, barriers and opportunities for effective CSOs-media cooperation; as well as recommendations for further improvement. Participants pointed to a number of challenges such as increasing pollution increases, but scarce media coverage, insufficient investments in the environment, lack of transparency and unsatisfactory involvement of the concerned public in decision making processes.
Among the key note speakers were also Mr. Mauro di Veroli , Head of Operations 2: Regional Development, Social Policy, Agriculture, Cross Border Cooperation, the Delegation of the European Union, Prof. Nenad Markovic PhD, Analysis expert, Mr. Kiril Ristovski from CED Florozon, Mr. Goce Trpkovski, journalist from Nova Makedonija (national newspaper), Mr. Ljubomir Petkovski, environmental expert, representative from the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning of Macedonia, and Mr. Neshat Azemovski from SUMNAL.
On April 18, Nature Protection Law Monitoring Initiative representatives held a meeting on the Draft Law of Preserving the Nature and Biodiversity with the Environment Commission of the Parliament and representatives of Forest and Water Affairs Ministry
The participants’ including the Turkish Env.net Team’s demands were as follows:
CSO inclusion in the Biodiversity and Nature Protection Committee,
elimination of the 2 year limit for reevaluation of protected areas,
protection of special environmental protection zones and wildlife development sites, inclusion of protection and usage principles,
readjustment of ecological impact assessment.
The Law is expected to come to the parliament in the second half of 2016. TEMA Foundation will be closely monitoring the process.
