Remediation of Sillamäe’s radioactive tailings pond completed 28.10.2008 An international conference opening today in Jõhvi in Ida-Viru County will mark the completion of 10 years of remediation work on the radioactive tailings pond in Sillamäe. Cooperation between Estonia, the Nordic countries and the European Union has removed one of the greatest threats of pollution to the Baltic Sea. Riigikogu approves development plan for use of oil shale 22.10.2008 On Tuesday 21 October the Riigikogu (the Estonian parliament) approved the National Development Plan for the Use of Oil Shale 2008–2015, which examines the mining and use of one of Estonia’s key natural resources primarily in terms of national and environmental interests for the first time. International Union for Conservation of Nature elects Estonian to management position 16.10.2008 At the 4th World Conservation Congress held in Barcelona this week Kalev Sepp, a professor from the Estonian University of Life Sciences, was elected regional adviser and supervisory board member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for a four-year term. Recreational fishing permits now available by mobile to those without ID cards 11.10.2008 Since July amateur fishermen in Estonia have been able to pay for recreational fishing permits using their mobile phone, which has made obtaining a permit significantly easier. From today it is now possible for those who do not have an ID card to also pay for permits with their mobile. Government approves proposed merger of Ministry of Environment agencies 10.10.2008 On Thursday 9 October the Estonian government approved the merger of the Ministry of the Environment’s environmental services, the State Nature Conservation Centre (SNCC) and the Radiation Centre into one body to be known as the Environmental and Nature Conservation Board as well as the resulting draft act for the amendment of the Government of the Republic Act and other laws. How Lootus Teine OÜ and MFV Lootus OÜ obtained their fishing opportunities 31.07.2008 In the last few days of July a lot of attention was paid by the media, led by the Äripäev newspaper, to how Lootus Teine OÜ and MFV Lootus OÜ obtained their fishing opportunities in international waters regulated by the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (NAFO) and the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) between 2000 and 2005 and the legality of this. Government appoints Rita Annus new Chancellor of Ministry of the Environment 20.06.2008 On Thursday 19 June the Estonian government appointed Rita Annus Chancellor of the Ministry of the Environment, thereby releasing her from her duties as the ministry’s Assistant Minister. Production of a development plan for mineral resources used in the construction industry begins 20.06.2008 On Thursday 19 June the Estonian government approved a proposal to begin production of a national development plan for the use of mineral resources by the construction industry. The aims of such a plan are to identify the best potential mining areas and to establish procedures for and volumes of mining based primarily on the state’s interests. National Development Plan for the Use of Oil Shale is ready 16.06.2008 On Thursday 12 June the Estonian government approved the draft version of the “National Development Plan for the Use of Oil Shale 2008-2015”, which deals with the mining and use of one of the country’s most nationally significant resources for the first time in Estonia, primarily taking the state’s interests into account. The third meeting of the monitoring committee of the Operational Programme for the Development of the Living Environment (OPDLE) reviewed activities involving the implementation of structural resources in 2007 and summarised the plans for 2008. The committee also approved the OPDLE’s annual report for 2007 at the meeting. Government releases Annika Uudelepp from position as ministry’s Secretary-General 12.06.2008 Today, 12 June 2008, on the proposal of the Minister of the Environment, the government released Ministry of the Environment Secretary-General Annika Uudelepp from service at her own request as of 21 June 2008. Recreational fishermen recommend that more valuable fish be caught 05.06.2008 The Ministry of the Environment has carried out a survey among recreational fishermen in order to find out what types of fish they are catching or would like to catch and where, what their views on catch restrictions and fees are and what should be taken into account in the drafting of a recreational fishing development plan. Environmental Council to examine climate, energy and GMOs 04.06.2008 Minister of the Environment Jaanus Tamkivi is to attend a session of the European Union’s Environmental Council in Luxembourg on Thursday 5 June at which a package of climate and energy measures, genetically modified organisms and the European Parliament and Council’s decree on reducing the exhaust norms for new cars will come under discussion. International seminar to present overview of great crested newt project 29.05.2008 On 3 June Otepää will play host to the opening of the final seminar of the international LIFE-Nature “Protection of Triturus cristatus in the Eastern Baltic Region” project, which will present an overview of the work done in Estonia and elsewhere over the last four years for the protection of the great crested newt. Government approves waste action plan for next five years 29.05.2008 Today, 29 May 2008, the Estonian government approved the national waste action plan for 2008-2013, which is designed to drastically reduce the amount of waste being used for landfill and the danger associated with waste produced as well as to increase recycling. Eerik Kumari award won by mycologist Erast Parmasto 13.05.2008 On 12th of May, Deputy Minister of the Environment Rita Annus presented the 2008 Eerik Kumari conservation award at the opening ceremony of Conservation Month at the Tallinn Botanical Garden. This year marks the 20th time that the ministry has selected a winner for the award. From the list of very worthy candidates the prize went to well-known mycologist, biology doctor and academic Erast Parmasto. Nature conservation month dedicated to nature’s life cycle begins 9.05.2008 At midday on Monday 12 May at Tallinn Botanical Garden, Deputy Minister of the Environment Rita Annus will be declaring Conservation Month open, which this year will last until 5 June. The opening ceremony will also feature the presentation of the Eerik Kumari nature conservation prize.
Development of environmental fee concept begins 08.05.2008 A forum was held today, 7 May, at the Ministry of the Environment to debate the concept of environmental fees. The participants agreed that the economy can develop in a sustainable way by using the country’s natural wealth economically and ensuring a high-quality living environment. Estonia’s first radiation safety development plan completed 18.04.2008 On 17 April 2008 the Estonian government approved the national radiation safety development plan developed by the Ministry of the Environment, which sets out the measures designed to guarantee radiation safety and ensure that the state is able to cope with emergency situations involving radiation. Pavlovsk may leave port of Baltic Ship Repair Factory 28.03.2008 The members of the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) have granted their consent for the deletion of the fishing vessel Pavlovsk from its list of ships involved in illegal, undeclared and unregulated fishing, permitting the vessel to leave the Estonian port it is currently docked in. Cooperation between ministry and companies boosts environmental friendliness 26.03.2008 On Wednesday 26 March the Ministry of the Environment and the Estonian Association for Environmental Management (EAEM) entered into a voluntary agreement with the aim of boosting cooperation between companies and the ministry in the name of environmental protection. Regular waste centres not meeting requirements to be closed 22.02.2008 The Ministry of the Environment has completed the draft regulation of a measure which establishes the conditions for the provision of funding for the closure of regular waste centres that do not meet requirements. European Union supports development of Estonian water management 22.02.2008 The Ministry of the Environment has completed the draft regulation on the measure for the development of water management infrastructure, which establishes the principles of distribution of the 6.4 billion kroons in funding provided by the European Union’s Cohesion Fund, the activities the funding will support and the potential grant applicants. The regulation also sets out the grant application evaluation system and procedure through to the point of decision-making regarding funding. Mining and use of oil shale to be based on interests of state 29.01.2008 For the first time in Estonia, the draft development plan for the use of oil shale produced on the initiative of the Ministry of the Environment deals with the mining and use of one of the country’s most nationally significant resources, taking into account its effects and bearing in mind the state’s interests. |