Reports on Environment and Urban Development for Alaverdy

GEO ALAVERDI: ENVIRONMENT AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

3. Environmental programs and tools used by Alaverdi Municipality In order to ensure effective actions, in the conditions of economic and socio- cultural developments and changes, the real potential of Alaverdi community is weakly demonstrated in the legal framework and state policies. At the same time, it is hard to over evaluate the important role and signi fi cance of the community and the local self-government bodies, within the framework of environmental issues. It is important to mention that Alaverdi community plays a double role from the point of environmental programs. About 30% of the population of Alaverdi is farmers, i.e. main and direct users of the natural resources, as well as those who contribute to the origin of anthropogenic impacts in the environment. Moreover, staying in direct dependence on the natural resources, the rural population immediately feels the environmental impact on their income and on public health. Ignorance of the need for special authorities and capacities of the local self- government bodies, in the newly formed socio-economic and legal conditions, can become a factor contributing to the degradation of the environment. The present legislation has envisaged limited authorities and capacities for the Municipality of Alaverdi. Those authorities are mainly of declarative nature, as the city does not have the necessary fi nancial means or sources of funding to implement the de fi ned tasks. Besides, the municipality also does not have skilled and quali fi ed human resources; hence, they do not have a complete picture on the nature of the environmental problems. There is no organized system of training for the staff of the municipality, even though some work has been carried out in that direction, especially through involvement of international organizations, the social investment fund, NGOs and the Public School of Management. The training programs mostly include sessions for the management and fi nancial staff of the municipality. The main subjects discussed at the training sessions are the community budget and the development of the three-year program. The solution of environmental issues of Alaverdi in such conditions would require higher level of environmental education and awareness among the municipality of fi cials, so that the latter is able to fi nd solutions thereto, within the framework of their authorities. It might also be mentioned that certain funding has been earmarked from the State Budget in form of subsidies to Alaverdi Community, since 2005, for the solution of health and environmental issues, in accordance with the RA Law “On Targeted Use of Environmental Fees”. The allocations made in the period of 2005-2007 were not signi fi cant, comprising 20-30 million AMD. Some of the programs implemented by that funding were: establishment of green playgrounds for children, provision of additional food to the vulnerable groups,

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CHAPTER 5. POLICY INTERVENTIONS AND INSTRUMENTS

Environmental Knowledge for Change