Case Study: International partnership of the local self-administration authorities in the area of the environment, Slovakia

Case Study (45 KB PDF)

Summary

The mission of the activity was to contribute to the environmental awareness of the Slovak community through elimination of the existing barriers in people's thinking.

Two identical seminars titled "International Partnership of the Local Self-Administration in the Area of the Environment" were organized by REMA in close co-operation with DTSW e.V., Germany, and Biomasa Association Slovakia. The undertakings were dedicated to the introduction of activities of the German and Austrian organizations (DTSW and Klima Bundnis e.V) in the field of environmental protection, and they addressed mainly representatives of the local self-administration authorities and self-governing regions.

The co-operation with participants of both seminars and development of the gathered contacts will continue during the prepared excursion of people interested in visiting German cities, having already made specific steps in the interest of the environment through development of installations utilizing renewable sources of energy. The excursion is planned in October 2003 and will be again organized by REMA.

Results

Organizational preparation of seminars and excursion is a contribution of REMA to the process of environmental education of the citizens.

The first seminar took place in Zilina on 11 June 2003 and by its activity covered the area of Zilina, Banska Bystrica and Trencin regions. The second one held in Bratislava on 12. June 2003, covering Trnava, Nitra and Bratislava regions.

The following contributions were delivered during the seminars:

• Change of the Environment as a Global Problem - scientific observations and political impacts;
• Specific environmental protection and local options of activities for cities and municipalities;
• Offer of co-operation of the local self-administration from Germany and Austria in the field of environmental protection;
• Use of biomass for heating public buildings in the municipalities of the Northwest Slovakia.

The seminar was terminated with workshop on the theme: "What could be made?" Discussion after each presented lecture was an inseparable part of the seminar.

An offer of co-operation from the party of the German associations towards the Slovak local self-administration is also an important output of the undertakings. Some contacts were already raised during the seminars; some self-administration authorities already negotiate with the German partner about their accession to the association.

Our decision to address representatives of self-administration was proved to be correct in the end and assumed realization of the gathered knowledge and experience in practice - in the large-scale spectrum of sectors and areas of the public life.

Low turn-out of both seminars could be considered as a negative output of this undertaking (only 84 people out of 1500 addressed ones showed an interest to participate in the session), which, on the other hand allowed immediate discussion between the lecturers and the seminars participants

In connection with the incumbent of Slovakia to the European Union, the undertaking opened new possibilities for the Slovak self-administration to join environmental associations of the European cities.

To find similar reports, click on a keyword below:
Biomass & Bioenergy : Heat/Heating : Local Government : ManagEnergy : Planning issues : Regional Government : Sustainable Communities : User behaviour

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REMA Zilina - Regional Energy Management Agency in Zilina