According to Keit Pentus, the programme’s objective is to make information related to the state of the environment more user friendly and easier to monitor. “For example, what is the water quality in your neighbourhood, in what condition are the environmental indicators of one area or another, and how have they changed – monitoring must become faster and better.” explained the Minister of the Environment. Within the framework of the environmental monitoring programme already existing monitoring data will be reviewed and organised, the needs of data users will be studied, a solution will be developed for the collection of heretofore unavailable data, along with opportunities for the improved use of data. New technologies (information system and necessary framework for the collection and use of monitoring data) will enter use with the implementation of the programme and connections will be created between heretofore unconnected data. A result of the programme will be the reduction in the amount of manual work accompanying the collection and issuing of environmental monitoring data, allowing environmental specialists to focus instead on data analysis and the assessment of trends, the operative monitoring of the status of the environment and the development of necessary environmental information services. The cost of the environmental monitoring programme is EUR 1.53 million, and it is being financed to the extent of 100% by the European Regional Development Fund. The final deadline for the programme is 31 December 2015. The programme is being implemented by the Ministry of the Environment. |
