1 International Project Eco-Management and Audit Scheme – Peer Review for Cities

Tarptautinis projektas „Aplinkos vadybos ir audito sistema miestuose“ ”EMAS – Peer Review for Cities”2 At the end of April 2003 the Union of the Baltic Cities’ Commission of the Environmental issued invitation to Šiauliai Municipality to participate in the international project Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) - Peer Review for Cities. The decision had to be taken without delay, as attendance was already required at the first training workshop in Tallinn in early May.

Tarptautinis projektas „Aplinkos vadybos ir audito sistema miestuose“ ”EMAS – Peer Review for Cities”3 The goal of the project is training and learning to implement EMAS in local authorities in cooperation with different European cities.  Knowledge and new information,  Gaining of experience,  Administrative capacity building,  Preparation for European integration.

Tarptautinis projektas „Aplinkos vadybos ir audito sistema miestuose“ ”EMAS – Peer Review for Cities”4 Today the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme is mostly familiar to business circles. Several companies in Šiauliai have already become ISO 9001 and ISO certified. One of the first enterprises to do that was UAB Šiaulių vandenys. However, Lithuania does not yet have any examples of the implementation of the Eco-Management Scheme at municipalities, recently started in European countries. The motives for a positive decision were obvious:

Tarptautinis projektas „Aplinkos vadybos ir audito sistema miestuose“ ”EMAS – Peer Review for Cities”5 Project participants: municipalities of 16 European cities (8 EU member states and 8 accession countries). Project coordinators and partners: the Union of the Baltic Cities’ Commission of Environment, EUROCITIES, University of the West of England and the City of Newcastle (United Kingdom). Project term: 2 years (December 2002 – December 2004). The project is financed by the European Commission (GD Environment). For further information on the project see

Tarptautinis projektas „Aplinkos vadybos ir audito sistema miestuose“ ”EMAS – Peer Review for Cities”6 A working group for the implementation of the project was set up by the decree of the Municipality’s Administrator dated June The working group includes representatives of the local authority departments in charge of urban planning, infrastructure, environmental protection and health care (group leader – R. Šemeta, head of the Environmental Department). The group consists of 11 members. The implementation of the project was launched in accordance with an approved workbook and the tasks formulated by the project's steering team.

Tarptautinis projektas „Aplinkos vadybos ir audito sistema miestuose“ ”EMAS – Peer Review for Cities”7 How was it accomplished? On 27 June 2003 a seminar was held at Šiauliai Municipality, attended by about 30 participants; the seminar’s instructor was Prof. Jurgis Staniškis, Director of the Institute of Environmental Engineering at Kaunas Technological University. The key topic of the seminar was the benefits to the local community and city authorities from the implementation of the eco-management scheme. For most participants this was an introduction to the environmental management system.

Tarptautinis projektas „Aplinkos vadybos ir audito sistema miestuose“ ”EMAS – Peer Review for Cities”8 Main steps in implementing EMAS (according to the project’s implementation schedule – workbook):  Direct and indirect aspects,  Environmental review,  Environmental policy,  Environmental management programme,  Peer review and evaluation. Other steps envisioned:  Monitoring of the project implementation,  Meetings of the working group,  Provision of interim reports to the project coordinators,  Dissemination of information on the project implementation.

Tarptautinis projektas „Aplinkos vadybos ir audito sistema miestuose“ ”EMAS – Peer Review for Cities”9 Communication and cooperation: - with foreign partners mostly by (discussion of the project implementation workbook, reporting, completion of questionnaires and forms), - Tallinn and Barcelona training sessions, - 6 meetings of the working group, also close internal cooperation by telephone and , - provision of 4 reports to the project coordinators, - at the beginning of December 2003 seven working group members took part in the TAIEX regional training programme seminar Public Participation in the Sustainable Development of Cities, which introduced the environmental policy of Vilnius City and examples of sustainable development in Finland, Belgium and Germany, March 2004, a peer review in Šiauliai – “critical friends” from Liepaja and Newcastle, April 2004, a peer review in Sopot (Poland) – “critical friends” from Šiauliai and Newcastle.

Tarptautinis projektas „Aplinkos vadybos ir audito sistema miestuose“ ”EMAS – Peer Review for Cities”10 Information on project dissemination -Municipality web site (with links to the web sites of the project EMAS – Peer Review for Cities and of the Ministry of Environment -Žemės valanda, supplement to Šiaulių kraštas, -Information bulletin of the Union of the Baltic Cities, distributed at 104 municipalities around the Baltic Sea, -Leaflet and poster on the project for the municipality’s administrative staff and city’s politicians.

Tarptautinis projektas „Aplinkos vadybos ir audito sistema miestuose“ ”EMAS – Peer Review for Cities”11 Environmental Policy Project In implementing the environmental policy, Šiauliai Municipality is committed to a continuous improvement of environmental performance, seeking harmonious urban development, sparing use of resources, preservation of biodiversity, improved quality of the environment and human health and cooperation with the community. (a document harmonised the vision of the city outlined in the city’s Strategic Plan, contributing to the implementation of the National Sustainable Development Strategy, and surviving any changes in the composition of the Council and municipality’s administrative staff)

Tarptautinis projektas „Aplinkos vadybos ir audito sistema miestuose“ ”EMAS – Peer Review for Cities”12 Main Environmental Policy Principles of Šiauliai City: Planning of urban development by using environmental criteria and protecting quality of the urban environment, Guarantee of efficient energy use by reducing the adverse effect on the environment. Economical and rational use of natural resources, Strengthening of the city’s identity by protecting and using its unique natural and cultural values more widely, Creation of the city’s residential environment based on the principles of sustainable development, Seeking of a sustainable and sound environment by implementing an effective urban waste management system and reducing the effects of pollution on the environment and human health, Creation of an industrial and business environment favourable to investments by promoting the implementation of modern technologies, Upgrading of the environmental management, planning and control systems, Raising of public awareness by seeking the responsibility and citizens’ initiative for the preservation of the environment, Resolution of environmental problems through existing legal measures, based on the principle of partnership of municipal departments.

Tarptautinis projektas „Aplinkos vadybos ir audito sistema miestuose“ ”EMAS – Peer Review for Cities”13 Implementation of Šiauliai Municipality Environmental Policy 2004 examples: - construction of a new wastewater treatment plant in Aukštrakiai, - organisation of the Talša ecological path in the city’s recreation area: Talša and Salduvė Parks, - organisation of traditional environmental contests for the city’s educational institutions and NGOs (with 47 educational institutions and 8 NGOs participating), - collection of used paper and batteries and their separation from the general household waste flow at the municipality administration, - announcement of municipality’s annual report on environmental activities on the internet and continuous updating of information on the environment, - board with information on the environment in the city’s main street.

Tarptautinis projektas „Aplinkos vadybos ir audito sistema miestuose“ ”EMAS – Peer Review for Cities”14 Experience of other municipalities taking part in the project: - EMAS certificates at municipal departments of Newcastle and Leeds (United Kingdom), - ISSO – 9002 certificates at municipalities of Sopot (Poland) and Liepaja (Latvia), - Centres of environmental resources and education in Barcelona (Spain) and Goteborg (Sweden).