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Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies
A National Council for Sustainable Development of the Republic of Lithuania is in process of being approved by the Government. It is expected to have 28 members, and will be headed by the Minister of Environmental Protection of the Republic of Lithuania. In addition, the following ministries and government agencies are to be involved: the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry; the Ministry of Construction and Urban Development; the Ministry of Economics; the Ministry of Education and Science; the Ministry of Environmental Protection; the Ministry of Finance; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Ministry of Health; the Ministry of Justice; the Ministry of Public Administration Reforms and Local Authorities; the Ministry of Social Security and Labor; the Ministry of Transport; the Lithuanian Geological Survey; the Department of Regional Problems and National Minorities to the Government of Lithuania; and the Department of Statistics. Para-statal bodies and institutions will also be involved. These include: the Institute of Botany of the Academy of Sciences; the Institute of Chemistry of the Academy of Sciences; the Institute of Mathematics and Informatics of the Academy of Sciences; the Institute of Philosophy; and the Environmental Protection Institute at the Kaunas Technological University, as well as the non-governmental organization, the Lithuanian Manufactures Confederation.
The main institutions responsible for supporting the implementation of the Action Programme are the municipalities, the Ministry of Construction and Urban Development and MEP.
Decision-Making: Legislation and Regulations
The main principles of environmental legislation are fixed in the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania (human health protection, protection of the environment from harmful impact), and the Environmental Protection Act of the Republic of Lithuania (sustainable development, environmental integration policy, polluter-pays-principle, precautionary principle, partnership and liability principle, principle of information assessment). The polluter-pays-principle is embodied in the acts on taxes for the State natural resources and taxes for the pollution of the environment. The precautionary principle is embodied in the Environmental Impact Assessment Law which was adopted by the Parliament in August 1996. EIA (including for separate projects) is foreseen in the Act of Environmental Protection (adopted on 21 of January, 1992), the Act of Protected Areas (adopted on 9 of November, 1993), the Construction Act (adopted on 19 of March, 1996), the Act of Territorial Planning (adopted on 12 of February, 1995) and other acts and legal documents, such as the Waste Management Law; Law of Hazardous Materials and Products, Radiological Safety Law, Fauna Law, Flora Law, and Law of Protected Fauna, Flora and Mushroom Species and Communities.
Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies and Plans
In searching for solutions to the deteriorated state of the environment, the establishment of sound environmental policy and an effective system for its implementation was essential. In developing environmental policy, Lithuania took into consideration standards established by international agreements and conventions, EU directives and requirements. Integration of environment and development served as a guiding principle in Lithuania's efforts to reconstruct its economy and strive for sustainable development.
Lithuania's Environmental Protection Programme was developed in 1992. Most of the measures included in the Programme have already been implemented, but new economic development policies, economic restructuring and the urgency of some environmental problems now require the setting of new environmental policy goals and priorities and of selecting the most effective ways to achieve them. Consequently, a new programme was developed within the framework of the Lithuanian Environmental Strategy, adopted by the Parliament in 1996. The effective implementation of this Strategy Action Programme requires good coordination and feed-back between all involved state, municipal and non-governmental organizations in developing and implementing their action plans.
According to the National Environmental Strategy, the problems resulting from urbanization could be solved by preparing a land management scheme for Lithuania and its regional administrative units, municipalities and settlements. The NES proposes that town plans are amended to make them relevant to new social and economic conditions.
Considerable rights on environmental protection policy are given to the public in Lithuania. In the 7th article of the Act on Environmental Protection, it is foreseen that the public has a right to information on the environment, the use of natural resources, environmental impact of planned activities, and other environmental information.
Decision-Making: Major Groups Involvement
Non - governmental organizations have equal rights as the public (citizens) according to the 7th article of the Environmental Protection Act on "Rights of Citizens and Public Organizations". This rule, as well as the Act of Territorial Planning adopted in 1995 and the Act on EIA, give NGOs the right to participate in discussions on environmental protection questions. Organizations and separate bodies (physical as well as juridical) may object to decisions in the administrative law concerning cases of violation by environmental protection officials, other decisions and resolutions to the Court.
Programmes and Projects
No information is available.
Status
National Decision-Making Structure |
|
| 1. National Sustainable Development Coordination Body: | YES |
| 2. National Sustainable Development Policy: | YES |
| 3. National Agenda 21/other strategy for SD: | NO |
| 4. Local/Regional Agenda(s) 21: | IN PROCESS |
| 5. Environmental Impact Assessment Law: | YES |
| 6. Major Groups involved in Sustainable Development Decision-Making: | YES |
National Instruments and Programmes |
|
| 1. Sustainable. Dev. or environmental education incorporated into school curricula: | YES |
| 2. Sustainable Development Indicators Program: | IN PROCESS |
| 3. Eco-label Regulations: | YES |
| 4. Recycle/Reuse Programs: | YES |
| 5. Green Accounting Program: | NO |
| 6. Access to Internet: | YES |
| 7. Access to World Wide Web: | YES |
| 8. A national World Wide Web Site for Sustainable Dev. or State of the Environment: | YES http://www.gamta.lt |
Policies, Programmes, and Legislation |
|
| Does your country have either a policy, programme, and/or legislation consistent with Agenda 21 in: | |
| 1. Combating poverty: | NO |
| 2. Changing consumption and production patterns: | YES |
| 3. Atmosphere: | YES |
| 4. Land Use Planning: | YES |
| 5. Forest and Deforestation: | YES |
| 6. Desertification and Drought: | NO |
| 7. Sustainable Mountain Development: | NO |
| 8. Sustainable Agriculture: | YES |
| 9. Biological Diversity: | YES |
| 10. Biotechnology: | YES |
| 11. Oceans and Coastal Areas: | YES |
| 12. Freshwater Management: | YES |
| 13. Toxic Chemicals: | YES |
| 14. Hazardous Wastes: | YES |
| 15. Solid Wastes: | YES |
| 16. Radioactive Wastes: | YES |
| 17. Energy: | YES |
| 18. Transport: | YES |
| 19. Sustainable Tourism: | YES |
Challenges
No information is available.
Capacity-building, Education, Training
and Awareness-raising
No information is available.
Information
No information is available.
Research and Technologies
No information is available.
Financing
No information is available.
Cooperation
In order to adjust to the normative document of the European Union (Directives on eco - labeling, waste management, etc.), the MEP adopted The Order on Eco-labeling of Products (No 81 from 15/05/1995). Lithuania cooperates with neighboring countries, e.g. through joint meetings and seminars between the Ministries of Environment. There has also been cooperation between Lithuanian municipalities (Association of Lithuanian Municipalities) and municipalities in Baltic Region countries. Lithuania is taking part in the international project "The Vision and Strategies for the Baltic Sea Region 2010".
* * *
This information is based on Lithuania's reports to the 5th, 6th and 7th Sessions of the United Nations Commission for Sustainable Development. Last update: December 1998.
For national information on the
environment, status and trends, click here.
For the Human Development
Report for Lithuania, click here.
Click here to access the Island Directory
on the UN System-wide Earthwatch Web Site.
For information on Environmental Law
around the World, click here:
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WOMEN
Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies
No information available
Decision-Making: Legislation and Regulations
No information available
Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies and Plans
No information available
Decision-Making: Major Groups Involvement
No information available
Programmes and Projects
On 8 November 1996, the Lithuanian Program for the Advancement of Women was approved by the Government. This Program includes strategies in following areas: Protection of Women's Human Rights, Economic and Social Status of Women, Women and Environment, Women's Health and Family Planning, Women and Education, Women in Politics and Decision-making, Violence against Women, Women and Mass Media, Statistical Systems and Gender Differences. The national machinery for the advancement of women comprises: Advisor on Women and Family Issues to the Government, Commission on Women Issues and Women's NGOs.
Status
From 1994 to 1996, the percentage of women in government increased from 0% to 11.1% and in Parliament from 7.1% to 17.5%. The percentage of women at the local government level was 19.4% in 1996.
Challenges
No information available
Capacity-building, Education, Training
and Awareness-raising
No information available
Information
No information available
Research and Technologies
No information available
Financing
No information available
Cooperation
The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women was signed in 1994 and ratified in 1995.
* * *
This information is based on Lithuania's reports to the 5th Session of the United Nations Commission for Sustainable Development. Last update April 1997.
For information on WomenWatch in
different countries, click here:
For information on national
plans of action in the follow-up to the Beijing Conference, click here:
CHILDREN AND YOUTH
Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies
No information is available.
Decision-Making: Legislation and Regulations
No information is available.
Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies and PlansNo information is available.
Decision-Making: Major Groups InvolvementAt present there are many possibilities for dialogue between the youth and government at all levels. Unfortunately sometimes youth are not very active in the process of national activities and development.
Programmes and Projects
No information is available.
Status
No information is available.
Challenges
No information is available.
Capacity-building, Education, Training and Awareness-raising
No information is available.
Information
No information is available.
Research and Technologies
No information is available.
Financing
No information is available.
Cooperation
No information is available.
* * *
This information is based on Lithuania's reports to the fifth session of the United Nations Commission for Sustainable Development. Last update April 1997.
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
Not applicable.
* * *
NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS
Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies
No information is available.
Decision-Making: Legislation and Regulations
No information is available.
Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies and Plans
No information is available.
Decision-Making: Major Groups Involvement
At a meeting in 1995 between the Environmental Protection Ministry and NGOs, a letter of intention was signed which later served as a basis for cooperation agreements with NGOs. As a result, in 1995 the Public Relations and Education Division of the Environmental Protection Ministry started to release an Information Bulletin providing information about orders of the Ministry, decisions of the Ministry College, orders and regulations of the Government under preparation, about programmes, upcoming workshops, conferences, recent publications, and so forth. NGOs also have made commitments to provide information on planned or on-going projects as well as about informational issues. Finally, the cooperation agreements have led to an increasing number of common projects.
Programmes and Projects
No information is available.
Status
Currently there is a total of 80 NG environmental organizations of different levels (state, district, city, local). The following environmental NGOs participate most actively in the process of implementing sustainable development: Green Movement of Lithuania, Lithuanian Fund for Nature, Karst Region Fund"Tatula", Lithuanian Fund of Nature Photography, Support Center for Non-governmental Organisations(NOSA), "Radiati", Non-profit Political-public Movement ("Support to Fatherland"), Lithuanian Association of Engineering Ecology, Non-profit Organization "Green Lithuania", Lithuanian Association of Organic Biological Agriculture in Lithuania "Gaja", Lithuanian Society "Žinija"("Knowledge"), Lithuanian Society of Hunting and Fishing, Lithuanian Society of Animal Protection, Lithuanian Society of Ecologists, Lithuanian Society of Theriologists, Lithuanian Society of Hydrobiologists, Lithuanian Society of Dendrologists, Lithuanian Society of Geographers, Lithuanian Society of Nature, Vilnius Nature Protection Society, Lithuanian Society of Biologists, Ecological Education Center, The Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC), Non-profit Enterprise "Project of Healthy City in Vilnius", Coalition Clean Baltic for Lithuania, Lithuanian Association of Adult Education, Lithuanian Society of Ornithologists, International council for Studies of Drinking Water in Farmlands, The Society of Oak-tree Lovers"Oak-wood", Movement of Universal Ecology "Santalka", Lithuanian Unit of Foresters, Society for Andronment of Lithuania, Ecological Education Center of iauiai", and Society for Sea-coast Environment.
Challenges
No information is available.
Capacity-building, Education, Training
and Awareness-raising
No information is available.
Information
No information is available.
Research and Technologies
No information is available.
Financing
No information is available.
Cooperation
No information is available.
* * *
This information is based on Lithuania's reports to the 5th Session of the United Nations Commission for Sustainable Development. Last update April 1997.
LOCAL AUTHORITIES
Status
To date there are no specific Local Agendas 21 in Lithuania, but local governments have created a number of programmes and activities according to the recommendations of Agenda 21.
* * *
This information is based on Lithuania's reports to the fifth session of the United Nations Commission for Sustainable Development. Last update April 1997.
WORKERS AND UNIONS
Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies
No information is available.
Decision-Making: Legislation and Regulations
No information is available.
Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies and Plans
No information is available.
Decision-Making: Major Groups Involvement
No information is available.
Programmes and Projects
No information is available.
StatusWorkers participate in the implementation of Agenda 21.
Challenges
No information is available.
Capacity-building, Education, Training and Awareness-raising
No information is available.
Information
No information is available.
Research and Technologies
No information is available.
Financing
No information is available.
Cooperation
No information is available.
* * *
This information is based on Lithuania's reports to the fifth session of the United Nations Commission for Sustainable Development. Last update April 1997.
BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY
Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies
No information is available.
Decision-Making: Legislation and Regulations
The main focus in the development of environmental taxes has been placed upon the imposition of environmental pollution fees and taxes for the use of natural resources.
Particularly successful actions in the field of promoting ecological ways of production include: financial incentives, subsidies, taxation, charges and return systems for recoverable goods on an environmental basis; the Environmental Impact Assessment Act, adopted by the Parliament in 1996, environmental management, the National Environmental Strategy and Action Programme, adopted by the Parliament in 1996; and the new Waste Act, approved by the Government and presented to the Parliament for adoption.
Efficiency of energy consumption has been promoted by raising the price of energy.
Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies and Plans
There are governmental policies that require business and industry to recycle. Reducing the amount of waste and recycling of materials have become major goals.
Decision-Making: Major Groups Involvement
No information is available.
Programmes and Projects
No information is available.
Status
No information is available.
Challenges
No information is available.
Capacity-building, Education, Training
and Awareness-raising
No information is available.
Information
The main information on waste production is collected from enterprises by the established order according to submitted reports. Each year the Ministry of Environmental Protection receives such information from approximately 1,600 enterprises in the country. There are 5 paper recycling enterprises and 2 glass recycling enterprises in Lithuania.
Research and Technologies
Water and air pollution have been reduced substantially both by improvements in processing techniques and by cleaning emissions.
Financing
No information is available.
Cooperation
No information is available.
* * *
This information is based on Lithuania's reports to the 5th Session of the United Nations Commission for Sustainable Development. Last update April 1997.
SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL COMMUNITY
Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies
No information is available.
Decision-Making: Legislation and Regulations
No information is available.
Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies and Plans
No information is available.
Decision-Making: Major Groups Involvement
No information is available.
Programmes and Projects
No information is available.
StatusNot much has changed in this area.
Challenges
No information is available.
Capacity-building, Education, Training and Awareness-raising
No information is available.
Information
No information is available.
Research and Technologies
No information is available.
Financing
No information is available.
Cooperation
No information is available.
* * *
This information is based on Lithuania's reports to the fifth session of the United Nations Commission for Sustainable Development. Last update April 1997.
FARMERS
Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies
No information is available.
Decision-Making: Legislation and Regulations
No information is available.
Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies and Plans
According to the regulations adopted by the Government, the Ministry of Agriculture is authorized to formulate an agricultural and food industry development strategy and a scientific-technical, technological and investment policy. These functions also include the formulation and implementation of long-term sustainable agricultural development programmes.
Decision-Making: Major Groups Involvement
A number of NGOs, such as the Lithuanian Agricultural Chamber, Farmers' Support Fund, Association of Agricultural Companies, Association of Agricultural Co-operatives, Association of Processing Industry and Service have been involved in formulation and implementation of the Agricultural Policy.
Programmes and Projects
No information is available.
Status
As a result of the privatization policy in agriculture, the number of farmers is constantly increasing. At the same time the farmers' influence in formulation and implementation of the policy of sustainable agricultural development has increased. The Farmers Support Fund established by the Government of Lithuania in 1992 provides assistance to new farmers and their groups in the matter of road building, construction of electricity lines, digging of artesian wells, to purchase better equipment, fertilizers of higher quality, and so forth.
Challenges
No information is available.
Capacity-building, Education, Training
and Awareness-raising
No information is available.
Information
No information is available.
Research and Technologies
No information is available.
Financing
No information is available.
Cooperation
No information is available.
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Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies
No information is available.
Decision-Making: Legislation and Regulations
No information is available.
Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies and Plans
No information is available.
Decision-Making: Major Groups Involvement
The dialogue among the scientific community, the government and the public as well as the incorporation of science in decision making is being carried out through the Science Council of Lithuania. The Council is consulted by the Parliament and the Government on issues of organization and financing of science and higher education. The Council consists of 36 members (having PhD or higher research degree): 24 members are elected by the scientific community and 12 members are appointed by the Parliament.
Programmes and Projects
No information is available.
Status
No information is available.
Challenges
No information is available.
Capacity-building, Education, Training
and Awareness-raising
No information is available.
Information
The information on Lithuanian science is available on the following Internet address:
http://www.lii.lt
Research and Technologies
In Lithuania environmental and sustainable development research is being carried out mainly in Kaunas University of Technology, Vilnius Technical University, Vilnius University and State research institutes such as Institute of Botany, Institute of Ecology, Institute of Physics, etc.
The State research programs are funded by the Ministry of Education and Science and by some other ministries for sectoral research programmes and stimulation of sustainable development. Worthy of attention are two programmes to promote sustainable development, i.e. Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant and the Environment and Ecological Sustainability of Regional Development in a Historical Perspective: Lithuanian Case Studies.
It is necessary to examine the environmental research carried out by state funded universities and research institutes so as to identify gaps and/or overlaps. Awarding of state funds to universities and research institutions for environmental research on the basis of open competitive tendering and submission of project proposals is also important.
Lithuanian priorities for R&D are the following:
Financing
No information is available.
Cooperation
No information is available.
* * *
This information is based on Lithuania's reports to the 5th and 6th Sessions of the United Nations Commission for Sustainable Development, April 1997 and 1998. Last update: January 1998.
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Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies
The Department of
Statistics under the Government of the Republic of Lithuania is responsible for
general statistical information management and dissemination at the national
level. Other public authorities, e.g. the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry
of Economy, the Ministry of Social Security and Labor, etc. are responsible for
the collection, analysis, management, and dissemination
of information and data according to their competence.
Usually an
institution, which drawing up a new policy document or legislation concerning
the flow and management of information co-ordinates it with other relevant
institutions and/or establishes the working group for the preparation a policy
document or legislation. The working group consists from representatives of
relevant institutions. As a rule, such policy document or legislation is adopted
by Government Resolution or accepted as law, e.g. Law on Statistics of the
Republic of Lithuania, The Environmental Monitoring Law of the Republic of
Lithuania, Government Resolution on Approval of the State Monitoring Programme,
etc.
The authority for information management is delegated to the lowest level of public authority, or local government by laws and other legal acts or executive regulations.
Decision-Making: Legislation and Regulations
There are a lot of laws, regulations, or policy
instruments addressing the flow and management of information for
decision-making in Lithuania. The most of them have been prepared or reviewed
taken into account principles of sustainable development with a view to
improving the quality and availability of information. These include:
· Lithuanian
Environmental Strategy, adopted by Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania
(Decree No I-1550 on 25 September 1996) and Action Programme, approved by the
Government of the Republic of Lithuania (Resolution No 938 on 5 August 1996),
·
Environmental Protection Law of the Republic of Lithuania No I-2223
adopted on 21 January 1992, amended on 28 May 1996,
·
Law on Ambient Air
Protection of the Republic of Lithuania No VIII-1392 adopted on 04 November
1999,
·
Law on Water of the
Republic of Lithuania No VIII-474 adopted on 21 October 1997,
·
Law on Waste
Management of the Republic of Lithuania No VIII-787 adopted on 16 June 1998,
· The
Outline National Waste Management Strategy and Action Programme, approved by the
Government of the Republic of Lithuania, Resolution No 593 on 17 May 1999,
·
Law on
Environmental Monitoring of the Republic of Lithuania No VIII-529 adopted on 20
November 1997,
· The
State Environmental Monitoring Programme approved by the Government of the
Republic of Lithuania, Protocol No 27 on 1 July 1998,
·
The Order of the
Minister of Environment No 408 On the Approval of the Accounting Order of
Pollutants Emissions and Discharges to the Environment, adopted on 20 December
1999,
· Other.
Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies and Plans
The
essential objective of Lithuania is the constant improvement of working and
living conditions of its inhabitants within the framework of sustainable
development, sustainable management of natural resources, and protection of the
environment. Accordingly, there are different indicators of three interdependent
dimensions – economic, social and environmental.
A
safe and healthy life for current and future generations are characterized by
the following indicators:
Indicators
of the economic dimension include:
Among indicators of sustainable
development there are plenty of indicators of the quality of environment and nature
conservation:
Every
separate sector of activities has its own characterizing sustainable development
indicators. For instance, in agriculture sector indicators can be used:
Load of nutrients to the surface waters;
Nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer use;
Livestock units per ha;
Permanent pasture to total arable land;
Crop and milk
productivity; and etc.
It is very important to harmonize and standardize data on sustainable development at national and international levels. The Baltic Sea Region is the first region in the world which adopted the common regional goals for sustainable development. These goals include an overall goal, goals for each of the 8 Baltic 21 sectors (Agriculture, Education, Energy Fisheries, Forest, Industry, Tourism and Transport), and a goal for spatial planning. In order to monitor the Baltic 21 goals, a set of core indicators has been elaborated for each goal, and statistics have been compiled.
Decision-Making: Major Groups Involvement
Scientists, local
authorities, institutions under ministries participate
in the collection, assessment, management, and dissemination of
information and data for decision-making.
The private sector is
regularly providing information, in particular with regard to environmental
indicators (emissions, concentrations, discharges, etc.).
Programmes and Projects
See under Cooperation
Status
The integrated information
network related to sustainable development is not developed in Lithuania yet.
There are systems of information in environment, energy, transport and some
other sectors.
The main channels of
information are computer networks, programmes on mass-media, bulletins and other
printed matter.
The main purposes of
sustainable indicators are planning, assessment , decision-making.
Collection, analysis, management, and dissemination of information on sustainable development are realized in separate sectors of activities in our country. It is not possible to estimate the exact amount of money which is spent for that.
According to the Government of Lithuania, information for decision-making is available as follows:
Agenda 21 Chapters |
Very good |
Good |
Some good data but many gaps |
Poor |
Remarks |
|
| 2. | International cooperation and trade | x |
||||
| 3. | Combating poverty | x |
||||
| 4. | Changing consumption patterns | x |
||||
| 5. | Demographic dynamics and sustainability | x |
||||
| 6. | Human health | x |
||||
| 7. | Human settlements | x |
||||
| 8. | Integrating E & D in decision-making | x |
||||
| 9. | Protection of the atmosphere | x |
||||
| 10. | Integrated planning and management of land resources | x |
||||
| 11. | Combating deforestation | x |
||||
| 12. | Combating desertification and drought | n.a. |
||||
| 13. | Sustainable mountain development | n.a. |
||||
| 14. | Sustainable agriculture and rural development | x |
||||
| 15. | Conservation of biological diversity | x |
||||
| 16. | Biotechnology | x |
||||
| 17. | Oceans, seas, coastal areas and their living resources | x |
||||
| 18. | Freshwater resources | x |
||||
| 19. | Toxic chemicals | x |
||||
| 20. | Hazardous wastes | x |
||||
| 21. | Solid wastes | x |
||||
| 22. | Radioactive wastes | x |
||||
| 24. | Women in sustainable development | x |
||||
| 25. | Children and youth | x |
||||
| 26. | Indigenous people | n.a. |
||||
| 27. | Non-governmental organizations | x |
||||
| 28. | Local authorities | x |
||||
| 29. | Workers and trade unions | x |
||||
| 30. | Business and industry | x |
||||
| 31. | Scientific and technological community | x |
||||
| 32. | Farmers | x |
||||
| 33. | Financial resources and mechanisms | x |
||||
| 34. | Technology, cooperation and capacity-building | x |
||||
| 35. | Science for sustainable development | x |
||||
| 36. | Education, public awareness and training | x |
||||
| 37. | International cooperation for capacity-building | x |
||||
| 38. | International institutional arrangements | x |
||||
| 39. | International legal instruments | x |
||||
| 40. | Information for decision-making | x |
||||
Challenges
Information is rather good
in all areas of sustainable development in Lithuania. It is necessary to improve
information dissemination system in some cases.
The development of integrated Environmental Management Information system
is extremely critical for Lithuania. At this moment a lot of small IS in
different areas are developed without any vision of systems integration.
The
rural population has the worst possibilities of accession
to information in Lithuania.
Lithuania requires high
integration of databases with GIS and web technologies for improving data
collection, management and analysis needs.
The development of a national information system for sustainable development is very fair but, strengthening is needed in all possible areas of system development.
Capacity-building, Education, Training
and Awareness-raising
Based on basic
priorities in environmental protection fields of the Lithuanian Environmental
Strategy and Action Programme (1996) was developed the Lithuanian Public
Environmental Education (information, education, training) Strategy and Action
Programme till 2002 (1998). In this Strategy main environmental education trends
and tasks are foreseen based on principles of sustainable development. The
Strategy is the background for the organization PA&EE in Lithuania.
Following the Strategy and Action Programme the institutions either formal
education system (comprehensive schools, vocational schools, colleges,
complementary education institutions, universities, adult education
institutions), or informal education system (Ministry of Environment, other
ministries or public authorities, counties, municipalities, science and studies
institutions, mass media, enterprises, NGO, family) implement PA&EE
activities according to their competencies.
A lot of different programmes and projects for capacity building related to improving the collection, assessment, management, and dissemination of information have been implemented in Lithuania, e.g. with the assistance of the Danish Environmental Protection Agency - the projects: “Technical assistance for the development of an information system on waste management in Lithuania”, “Long Term Assistance on Information and Reporting. Information Management Programme”, etc.
Information
Lithuania
has the national information system in several sectors of activities with the
corresponding data bases. For example, Ministry of Environment has the national
air quality data base, emissions data base, it started to create data base for
Project NATURA 2000, etc.
Seminars and
workshops are organized for such purposes.
Lithuania is a member of EIONET network. On the basis of this project
there was developed EIONET server of Lithuania (nfp-lt.eionet.eu.int). The
development of this server has the main purpose to build up the catalogue of
data sources (CDS) of environment and sustainable development. Unfortunately the
CDS structure is under development. At this moment the investment into the
development of CDS collection system and data classification is needed.
There are several Internet web sites where relevant sustainable
development data are available to find, e.g.:
Research and Technologies
Computer systems are
usually used for data collection. The satellite-based remote
sensing maps and GIS are used as well.
Geographic Information
Systems are used for physical planning of territories and development of data
bank for territorial planning. Management system of water basins with
integration into GIS is under development. The GIS systems and analysis tools
are used in high scale in the development of management system of protected
areas, register of water bodies, the cadastre of forests, geological survey. A
few modeling systems are used for water and air management.
Financing
See under Cooperation
Cooperation
Several sources of financial support in development and/or improving the national information
system are used
in Lithuania (e.g. foreign subsidies according to bilateral agreements, etc.).
Lithuania has
been co-operating on different (bilateral, regional and international) levels in
gathering and sharing information on sustainable development. Lithuania is one
of 11 member-countries of the Project Baltic 21 – an Agenda 21 for the Baltic
Sea Region. The emphasis of Baltic 21 is on regional co-operation and on the
environment and its bearing on economic and social aspects of sustainable
development. The work focuses on seven sectors of crucial economic and
environmental importance in the region. Lithuania and Finland are the lead
parties in Forests sector.
Following the
Declaration of the Ministers of Education of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany,
Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, the Russian Federation and Sweden (Stockholm,
23-24 March 2000) Lithuania and Sweden were appointed as lead parties in the
development of an Agenda 21 for Education. Representatives of Lithuania take
part in international and regional conferences on specific issues of sustainable
development, e.g. Euro Park Federation organized seminar “Ecotourism and
sustainable development”, “Environmental education and sustainable
development”, symposium “Sustainable management of geological heritage in
the new millennium” in Spain, etc.
Lithuania has used
several co-operation agreements in the transfer of technology and know-how on
the development and management of national data bases and information systems
(e.g. with US EPA Region V, with Denmark).
Lithuania has developed
indicators of sustainable development together with other countries of the
Baltic Sea Region in the frame of Baltic 21.
Lithuania submits
information to the European Information Network EIONET since 1997. There are
several agreements on exchange of information with the neighbor countries.
The Project “Long-term
Assistance of Information and Reporting. Information management Programme” is
being implemented with the financial assistance of the Danish Government and it
is expected to end 2001.
The Project “Long-term
Assistance of Information and Reporting. Information management Programme” is
carrying out now with the financial assistance of the Danish Government. It will
be finished till the end of 2001.
There are several agreements on standardizing and exchange of information with the neighbor countries Latvia, Poland.
The Ministry of Education and Science in co-operation with the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (Country Office Lithuania) implement the Project “School Agenda 21”, the Ministry of Environment constantly provides information on the state of environment, the Ministry of Economy organizes campaign “My house. Energy saving”, etc.
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This information is based on Lithuania's reports to the 5th and 9th Session of the United Nations Commission for Sustainable Development. Last update: March 2001.
For information in Lithuania, click
here.
For the Sustainable Development Networking Programme in
Lithuania, click here.
Click here for links to statistical
agencies in the UN ECE Region.
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No additional information is available. Please refer to specific subject areas, such as atmosphere, biodiversity and so forth.
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