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Greening Regional Development Programmes‘Learning from each other!’

Integrating the environment in Structural Funds

8th December 2004

Barry Guckian

Programme Executive

BWM Regional Assembly

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Introduction

• Background to the Assembly

• National Development Plan

• Environmental Integration

• Mid Term Review Process

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Background

• Objective 1 Status- Increased prosperity- Per capita GDP > 75% of EU

average- Ireland no longer qualified as a

single region

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Objective 1 Areas 2000-2006

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Role of Regional Assemblies

Manage the Regional Operational Programmes under the NDP

Monitor the general impact of all E.U. Programmes under the N.D.P. / C.S.F. in their regions

Promote the co-ordination of the provision of Public Services in the Region

Evolving role in creating a regional identity Highlighting issues of concern for the region Ensuring that national policies take the regional

dimension into account

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NDP Implementation

.NDP 2000-2006

51 Billon Euro3.7 Billon inStructural/

Cohesion Funds

Economic and

Social Infrastructure

Employment and

Human Resources

ProductiveSector

2 Regional Programmes

PeaceProgramme

Billion€22.42

Billon€12.6

Billion €5.8

Billion €9.4

Million€127

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Integrating the Environment BMW OP

• The carrying out of a pilot eco-audit of The Operational Programme

• Operational Programme and Programme Complement sets out what impact (if any) the measure or sub-measure will have on the environment

• The NDP provides that environmental considerations must be incorporated into the project selection procedures of implementing bodies

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• Where appropriate and feasible, specific indicators to assess impact on the environment have been developed at measure level

• The Monitoring Committee includes representatives from the appropriate bodies responsible for the environment

• Environmental Co-ordinating Committee has been established to promote and co-ordinate the principle

Integrating the Environment BMW OP

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• Environmental considerations feature as requirements in all evaluations undertaken under the Operational Programme

• Each Implementing Body is required to report to the Monitoring Committee on the progress of the integration of environmental considerations in their Measure

Integrating the Environment BMW OP

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• Non-National Roads measure (3 sub-measures)• Rural Water measure • Waste Management measure • Urban and Village Renewal measure • Habitat Protection and Conservation sub-measure Heritage

Conservation sub-measure• Tourism Measure (4 sub-measures)• Forestry Measure (3 sub-measures)• Aquaculture Development measure • Farm Waste Management sub-measure• Animal Carcass Disposal sub-measure• Development of Horticulture Sector sub-measure• Advisory Services sub-measure

Measures identified to report under the Environment Horizontal Principle

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• The existing Objectives and their relevance to the Environmental Principle

• The existing Measure Descriptions and their relevance to the Environmental Principle

• The Selection Criteria being used and how they could be improved

• The existing use of Indicators and the opportunities for improvement.

• The structures for the ongoing Monitoring and Reporting of the Environment Principle under the measure.

Improved Reporting

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Examples of Environmental IntegrationUrban and Village Renewal

Indicator Base-line Final Target 2006

Improvement in Tidy Towns Competition marks

1999 Tidy Town Competitions

marks obtained

All Assisted Towns or Villages show an improvement in Tidy Towns Competition marks.

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Examples of Environmental IntegrationRural Water

Indicator Base-line

Mid term Target

Final Target

% Compliance with the Drinking Water Regulations

60% 75% 95%

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Examples of Environmental IntegrationWaste Management

Indicator Out-turn to December 2003

Final Target 2006

% Waste diverted from landfill by being

collected for recycling

8.6% 10%

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Examples of Environmental IntegrationHabitat Protection

Indicator Final Target Percentage of people with increased awareness of the importance of the conservation and protection of the natural heritage as a major element in improving/maintaining the quality of the environment.

85%

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Contact DetailsBarry GuckianBorder, Midland and Western Regional AssemblyThe SquareBallaghaderreenCo. RoscommonIrelandTel. 00 353 94 98 62970 Fax. 00 353 94 98 62973Email: bguckian@bmwassembly.ieWebsite: www.bmwassembly.ie