Part I
|
| Chapter 1 |
The Danish
support for improving the environment in Central and Eastern Europe
Denmark is one of the largest bilateral donor for environmental assistance to
Central and Eastern Europe. Denmark has in total granted DKK 3.1 billion (EUR 0.42
billion) to environmental assistance to countries in Central and Eastern Europe.
|
| Chapter 2 |
The Danish-Lithuanian
environmental co-operation on the environment
The Danish environmental support to Central and Eastern Europe is mainly targeted at the
countries around the Baltic Sea and includes Lithuania. The environmental co-operation
between Denmark and Lithuania was established in September 1991.
|
| Chapter 3 |
The environmental
challenges of Lithuania and the future perspectives for co-operation
One of the most important objectives for Lithuania is the future membership of the EU.
Even though Lithuania in recent years has made progress in the field of environment and
has achieved a fair level of alignment, there are still major differences across sectors -
as for instance a safe closing of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant, abatement of polluted
rivers and lakes, waste management, sustainable forestry, and public awareness rising. |
| |
Part II
|
| Chapter 4 |
The DANCEE programme
and its administration
The following part of the book presents a selection of projects executed during the period
from 1991 till 2001. The selection illustrates the great variety of supported projects in
relation to sector, subject, size, as well as duration.
|
| Chapter 5 |
Getting a better
quality of air
Approximately 70 percent of all emissions into the atmosphere are generated by mobile
sources. The main stationary emission sources are in the energy, the petrochemical, and
the metal industries, construction, and building materials industries. Nevertheless, only
relatively few DANCEE projects are targeted directly at the industry and energy sector,
since this area is a main goal of the Energy Sector Programme administered by the Danish
Energy Agency.
|
Projects
described:
Exploitation
of Geothermal Energy in Klaipeda
|
| Chapter 6 |
High priority to
water quality
In the Danish-Lithuanian co-operation portfolio, projects relating to water quality
improvements and water protection have by far the largest volume. 43 projects relating to
water quality improvements have been supported directly by DANCEE with a total grant
support of close to DKK 120 million (EUR 16.14 million). Approximately 50 per cent of the
DANCEE support have addressed treatment of municipal waste water.
|
Projects
described:
Improvement
of Alytus Water Supply
Rehabilitation
and upgrading of Vilnius Waste Water Treatment Plant
Combating Oil
Spills in the sea
|
| Chapter 7 |
Improving the
management of waste
|
Projects
described:
Waste management in
Kaunas
|
| Chapter 8 |
Protecting the
diversity of natur
15 per cent of the Danish grants to Lithuania goes to the socalled "green
projects" which all have the objective of protecting the diversity of nature. The
Danish projects have focused equally on sustainable forestry and nature protection.
|
Projects
described:
State Park
Institutional Development
|
| Chapter 9 |
The closure of the
Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant
In 1999, the Lithuanian parliament adopted a new national energy strategy encompassing the
gradual closure of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant. Denmark very much applauds this
decision because of the intrinsic environmental risk of this kind of nuclear reactor. From
the Danish side it is, however, at the same time recognized that the closure of Ignalina
NPP - at any time - will impose a large economic impact on Lithuania.
Substantial financial and technical support is therefore needed from the donor countries
to implement the decision taken by the Lithuanian Government and Parliament.
|
| Chapter 10 |
Institutional
Strengthening Some projects have the primary objective to strengthen the set-up
and capacity of Lithuania environmental institutions. Even if it is difficult to evaluate
the non-tangible benefits of a given project, one criteria that could be applied is that
there has been a transfer of knowledge which is found useful and valuable by the recipient
of the project. Most projects supported by the DANCEE programme contain components which -
more or less explicitly - are targeted on the strengthening of participating persons
and/or institutions.
|
| Chapter 11 |
Improving the
environment through a cleaner technology
Due to the decline and modernization of industrial activities in Lithuania, the
pollution load from the industry has diminished since the regaining of independence. In
relation to the abatement of the industrial pollution control, Danish support has
primarily been implemented through projects targeted at the introduction of cleaner
technologies in Lithuanian industries and projects in the electroplating industry, the
leather industry and in slaughterhouses.
|
Projects
described:
Introduction
of Cleaner Technology in Lithuanian Slaughterhouses
|
| Chapter 12 |
Chemicals and
Genetically Modified Organisms
The DANCEE programme has supported the mapping and labelling of pesticides in old and
obsolete storage facilities. Apart from that, only few activities have been carried out so
far in relation to chemicals and genetically modified organisms, the GMOs. However, more
activities in the sector of chemicals and GMOs are planned in relation to EU approximation
in the period of the country programme.
|
Projects
described:
Management
of unused and obsoleted pesticides
|
| Chapter 13 |
Public awareness and
public participation
Public environmental awareness and public participation have been natural components of a
wide range of projects supported by DANCEE, and some projects have focused specifically on
public environmental awareness, public participation, and the strengthening of
environmental Non Governmental Organisations, the NGOs.
|
Projects
described:
Capacity
building of the Lithuanian Ornithological Society
|
| Chapter 14 |
The sector-integrated
environmental assistance
Protection and improvement of the environment cannot only be seen as an isolated
environmental task; the environmental conditions are dependent on and influenced by all
sectors in society. Therefore, the activities of the sector-integrated environment
programme are set up as partnerships between a range of Danish Ministries or governmental
agencies and their colleagues in the recipient countries.
|
| Chapter 15 |
The Energy Sector
Programme
Since 1992, Lithuania and Denmark have been co-operating on environment-related energy
sector issues, based on a close partnership between The Danish Energy Agency and the
Lithuanian Ministry of Economy (previously Ministry of Energy). Since 1992, approximately
DKK 135 million (EUR 18.15 million) has been allocated to Lithuania through this programme
where special priority has been given to the transfer of Danish experience and knowledge.
|
| Chapter 16 |
Other sector
programmes
In connection with the Danish environmental assistance to Lithuania, different sector
programmes have been established. The objective of the sector programmes is to integrate
the environmental policy into other political areas. |
| |
Part III
|
| Background |
|
Country characteristics
List
of DANCEE projects in the period 1991-2000
Environmental
effects of the projects in Lithuania
List of abbreviations
List of websites |