The MEA model was tested and modified in Tallinn, Estonia. Now it is ready to be used by all interested cities.
Photo: Esko Sorakunnas
During a project lasting one and half years, the Commission on Environment has prepared a model for municipal environmental auditing (MEA) in Baltic cities. The last stage of the project was the dissemination phase, in which the results of the project as well as the manual for municipal environmental auditing were presented to interested UBC member cities.
The first dissemination seminar was held in April in Tallinn, Estonia and the others in Panevezys, Riga, Kaliningrad and Gdynia at the end of September and beginning of October. The Commission on Environment and the Baltic MEA Project would like to thank the cities and ECAT´s for helping in arranging the seminars.
A wide group of environmental specialists from the cities participated in the seminars, in addition to representatives from the ministries of the environment, universities and other environmental organizations. Altogether 25 cities and 170 people took part in these five seminars. Both the MEA model and the possibilities of using it in the countries were discussed.
Most participating cities expressed their interest in the MEA model, and many began considering its use in their cities. However, it was noted in the seminars, that there are substantial differencies from one city to another affecting the use of the MEA model, e.g., size of area and population, city management structure, political aspects and the ownership of companies. In order for the MEA model to be useful to various kinds of cities with varying problems, its flexibility is very important. For this reason, the model can - and should - be modified to allow a city-specific approach, in the interests of guaranteeing a successful audit.
MEA in the Future
The intention is to audit five to ten cities by means of the MEA model during 1998-1999, with assistance from the UBC Commission on Environment. It will guide and supervise the audits as well as assist in finding financing for the same. This bulletin will keep you informed in the future as to what is going on in the MEA process. Naturally, you are also welcome to contact the Commission on Environment for further information.
Seminar on Treatment of Contaminated Soils
The UBC Commission on Environment and ECAT Lithuania are going to organize a Seminar on the Treatment of Contaminated Soils in Lithuania in 20-22 February 1998.
The seminar shall present and discuss the methods used for assessing soil contamination, different contaminants and remediation of polluted sites. If you have specific wishes and ideas regarding the topics to be dealt with, please contact the UBC Commission on Environment. We will do our very best to make this seminar meet your needs!
New Project: Harbours and the Environment
The UBC member cities Mariehamn (Finland), Stockholm (Sweden) and Turku (Finland) have started a joint project aiming at unification of the environmental policies respective to their ports. The UBC Commission on Environment is responsible for the general coordination of the project.
The project focuses on waste management, waste water treatment and air pollution caused by ships operating between these ports. Waste management and waste water treatment are especially important for the frequent car ferry traffic, with millions of passangers annually.
The goal is that in the future these ports would have similar regulations regarding all three fields. Within the cities, furthermore, the same rules regarding separation of wastes, treatment of waste water, etc., would apply to the port and ships visiting it as much as they apply to large industries in the city.
The project is being financed by participating cities and the EU´s Interreg II A programme for the Archipelago area between Finland and Sweden. In the initiating meeting in Mariehamn on 26 August a steering group with representatives from Mariehamn, Stockholm and Turku was set up. The actual work started by a mapping of the current situation regarding the project elements which will be done by the Center for Maritime Studies, University of Turku. It is estimated that the project shall last until April 1998.
The results and experiences of this project shall be disseminated to other interested Baltic ports and municipalities.
