Programmes and Projects

GEF/ World Bank Project “Enabling activities related to the implementation of the Stockholm Convention on persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the Republic of Belarus”

In 2004-2006 the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus in cooperation with the World Bank implemented the international technical assistance project “Enabling activities related to the implementation of the Stockholm Convention on persistent organic pollutants in the Republic of Belarus”. Financing was granted by Global Environment Facility.

In the course of the project an inventory of POPs was taken, the current regulatory and institutional framework of POPs management was analyzed, POPs adverse effect in people's health was estimated as well as a number of other activities and tasks were carried out to provide for the implementation of the Stockholm Convention on POPs in Belarus.

The principle outcome of the project implementation became the National Plan of the Republic of Belarus for the Implementation of its Obligations under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants for 2007-2010 and until 2028.

The document was developed due to a joined effort of the specialists and experts of the ministries, leading research institutions, stakeholders and NGOs.

The National Plan of the Republic of Belarus for the Implementation of its Obligations under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants for 2007-2010 and until 2028 was approved by Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus of 12 June 2007 No. 271 and now it is the main state programme of action for the prevention and mitigation of the negative impact of POPs in the environment and people's health. The expected outcomes of its implementation are discontinuance of use and unintentional production of persistent organic pollutants, environmentally sound disposal of POPs and prevention of new POPs stockpiles.

SGP-GEF Project “Public Awareness Raising and Information Exchange on the POPs Issue in the Framework of Implementation of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants” (implementing organization – Belarusian Public Association “Ecological Initiative”)

The objective of the project is raising awareness of the public and enhancement of the information exchange process related to POPs issues in the framework of implementation of the provisions of the Stockholm Convention in POPs. Implementation period – 2008.

The major tasks of the project are:

1. Creation of the National network on information exchange in the sphere of POPs issue, including:
   
   - establishment of working contacts with governmental bodies, research institutions, enterprises, organizations and NGOs, working in the sphere of POPs issue in the Republic of Belarus;
   
   - regular sending out of information accumulated by the POPs center to the mentioned organizations;
   
   - support of establishment and development of interdepartmental connections in the framework of the National network.
2. Creation of a specialized information center on the problem of persistent organic pollutants.
3. Implementation of informational and educational activities related to environmental education of population on the problems of POPs

GEF/ World Bank project “Preparatory Stage of the Full-Scale project on persistent Organic pollutants stockpiles management and technical / institutional capacity upgrading”, 2008-2009

The project will be implemented by the Ministry of Environment with the financial support of the Global Environment Facility and the World Bank. The principle objective of the project is to provide for the development of a proposal for the GEF for the financing of the full-scale project on POPs management and technical and institutional capacity upgrading in Belarus.

The tasks of the project are:

• planning activities on POPs obsolete pesticides management, PCB management;

• development of plans and actions for the enhancement of POPs monitoring in the environment;

• Elaboration of term of reference for the tasks on improvement of legal and institutional framework of POPs management.

Implementation of the preparatory stage of the full-scale project will allow assessing in more detail POPs impact on the environment, carrying out the tasks related to information and education of the public of the POPs issue.

Environmental Impact Assessment Report