[Table of Contents][Order copies of this Report][Index of documents]
1.EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
2.BACKGROUND
2.1 Brief Country Profile
2.2 Environmental issues and environmental decision-making
3.STATUS OF ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION NETWORK
3.1 National-level network
3.2 Sub-national environmental information network
3.3 International networking
3.4 Environmental legislation and public assessment management
3.5 Information systems functioning and environmental information
dissemination
3.6 Information use in decision-making, education and the
media
4.GENERAL NEEDS ASSESSMENT
4.1 Priority need of information for decision-making
4.2 Legislation regarding the management and accessibility
of environmental information
4.3 Financing of environmental information management
4.4 Improving institutional framework
4.7 Priority information technology needs for database and meta database development
4.8 Training needs
5.PROPOSED ACTIONS
6.APPENDICES
A-1 Relevant Contact Addresses
A-2 Environmental Legislation.
A-3 State of the Environment Reports
A-4 Relevant ongoing or planned related projects or programs
A-5 References
Agenda 21, Chapter 40 on information for decision making outlines
two programme areas for bridging the data gap and improving information
availability to ensure the sustainable development. According
to this guiding document, "relevant international organisations
should develop practical recommendations for co-ordinated, harmonised
collection and assessment of data at the national and international
levels". This report is the first attempt to assess in a
comprehensive way current status and general needs of environmental
information network in Armenia. Guiding assistance of UNFP/GRID
in preparing this report is acknowledged. Objective of the Assessment
Report is to help set up continuous and accurate datacollection
systems and make use of geographic information systems and expert
systems models, and a variety of other techniques for the assessment
and analysis of data.
Republic of Armenia parliamentary Republic, population
approx. 3.287,7 thousand (1989), capital Yerevan (1.218,5 thousand),
average population density 110,3 inhabitans/sq. km.
Geography
Republic of Armenia is situated in the middle latitudes of the northern hemisphere and occupies the eastern part of the Armenian Plateau. Total area is 2974 sq. km, situated between 38°50' th 41°18' th latitudes and 43°30' th 46 th longitudes. It borders with Turkey, Iran, Republics of Georgia and Azerbaijan and does not have coastline.
Republic of Armenia is a highland country with all the Armenian Plateau characteristics. The average height is 1800 m, the uppermost is 4090 m (Aragats), the lowest is 360 m. There are folded mountain ranges with pits and valleys between; 45% of all the territory is covered with clinkers.
The 1000 m layer occupies 10%; from 1000 to 2000 m. layer is 50%; above 2000 m. is 40%. of the territory.
The hypsometric features cause the diversity of natural conditions having effects in economics. The most important among the other minerals are building materials, nonferrous metals, iron ores, mineral water springs.
The Republic differs with climate conditions variety and brightly expressed high-altitude zones. Located in a subtropical zone it is characterised with being dry and continental.
Radiation in sum is 150 - l60 sq. cm a kg cal. a year and radiation balance is 50 -55 sq. cm a kg cal a year.
The annual precipitation varies from 250 mm in the lower zones to 300 mm in the middle zones and it is 700 - 900 mm. in the highland zones.
In winter the territory of the Republic is covered with snow.
There is a lack of water, water-resources consist of shallow and underground waters. National economy uses 53% of all the water resources.
Soils differ with the great variety, caused by the complex of landscape conditions, forests cover 11,8% of it.
There are about 3.200 species of plants, caused not only by the relief, soils and climate complex but by the 2 geo-botanic (Caucasian forest meadow and Iranian desertedsemideserted) junction situations.
History
The Armenian nation is one of the most ancient nations in the World. Assyrian cuneiforms prove the existence of Urartou with capital Toushpa (Van) formed in the IX. century B.C. beginning after the Nairie Country tribes joint.
In 590 580 B.C. as the result of wars with Assyria, Urartou left the scene of history for ever.
The Armenian kingdom came to change and became in 55C330 B.C. the satrapia of Persia. Alexander the Great (Macedon) conquest of Persia in 330 B.C. and the formation of the Selevkids Hellenistic monarchy defined a new era in political and economic development of Armenia. After the Roman conquest of the Selevkid kingdom Armenia won independence in 189 B.C.. Final formation of Armenian language and nation happened at the mentioned period.
Strabon testified that the nation having lived on the Armenian Plateau used Armenian language. The 1st century B.C. was the "Golden Age" of the Great Armenia. The vast empire of Tigran the Great ( 9555 ) stretched from the Caspian to the Mediterranean seas and from Mesopotamia to river Koura.
The Empire was disintegrated in 69-66 B.C. and the only province belonged to Tigran the Great was the Great Armenia.
History of the first four A.D. centuries was the period of the gradual independence loss and division between 2 powerful neighbours - the Roman Empire and the Persian Kingdom.
Romans and Persians devised Armenian lands and the ancient Armenian Country stopped to exist in 428. Therefore the great events as declaration of Christianity as a state religion in 301 and appearance of Armenian written language in 4Q5 happened in national history of Armenians.
The X-XI period was a constant time of devastation of the Great Armenia. The Arabian Khalifate, the Turks se1jouks changed Byzantia and Persia.
In the second part of XI century Armenia was again divised between the Moslem East and the Christian West. A new Armenian kingdom called Kilikia grew in the south-west of Byzantine Empire situated at the Mediterranean sea, it had the roots of Armenian culture traditions and kept the statehood during 3 centuries. Egyptian Mamelukes destroyed the Kilikian kingdom in 1375.
Finally the last signs of independence of Armenia were destroyed by Turks and new Persian conquerors. The next division of Armenia happened in 1639, West Armenia was joined to Turkey and East Armenia to Russia.
In XIX the state of Armenians was worsened in Turkey sharply. As the result of the genocide 2 million Armenians were tortured to death.
In 1918 Armenia regained independence but in 1920 it was joined to the USSR. Since 1991 Republic of Armenia has been an independent state.
Economy
As one of the former USSR Republics RA was economically developed region with poly branched industry, intensive agriculture, vast system of organisations with industrial and social infrastructure.
Industrial enterprises used imported stuff (80-85%) and readymade production was realised at external markets. Armenia had monopolistic production of synthetic rubber, melamine, power transistors, large scale electric machines in the former USSR.
In all Union labour division the Republic was distinguished as fruits, vegetables, grape, tobacco, geranium, fruit and vegetable tins producer.
Industry was dynamically developed till 1988.
After the destroying earthquake the significant part of industrial potential was lost and due to the USSR disintegration, the most considerable reduction of production happened in 1992.
Privatisation of land, livestock, bird and more than 30% of agriculture fund major production (technique, transport, etc.) has been implemented in the Republic. Privatisation of agricultural enterprises and organisations of service, remaking and purveyance is forthcoming.
Since 1993 November the national currency dram has been introduced
into practice.
2.2. Environmental issues and environmental decision - making
The complicated environmental condition has formed in Armenia.
The state of natural resources affect the problem clearly.
Land resources
Agricultural area covers 1400 thousand ha or 47% of the whole territory.
60%. of agricultural lands are exposed to different degree of erosion. Because of landslides 140 thousand ha. of arable lands and 30 thousand ha. of pastured and hay-mowings have been out of agriculture cycle for the latest 30 years. If in 1958 there were 0,33 ha. of arable lands for a person, now it forms 0,13 ha. per person.
There are 8,3 thousand ha. of destroyed lands, big territories stay industrial dumps, the marsh-ridden and salted land problems of Ararat valley have not been solved.
Water Resources
Water resources are valued at 7.5 billion cubic meters and only 53%. of it is used.
56%. of water is used in agriculture, 14%. in industry, 30% is aimed for municipal needs.
The water loss is significant 28% is used for drinking and 46%. for irrigation needs).
The functioning sewage water biological treatment provides 50% of polluted waters cleaning.
Just because of water usage f r energetic and irrigation needs the level of lake Sevan lowered for 18.7 m from 1938 to 1994, the area reduced for 12%, the volume for 41%.
Chemical, physical and biological characteristics of water quality
prove the important changes caused to destroying bio-balance
in the ecosystem.
Vegetable and Animal World
Climate and relief defined the variety of vegetable world. The 400 species of 3200 are of great value for science and economy and 180 are Armenian endemic - 387 ( 12%) are recorded in the Book of Nature Preserve of Armenia.
Animal world is introduced with 11.450 species (11 thousand are
invertebrates, 76 are mammals / 24% are recorded in the Book
of Nature Preserve/), 304 bird species (23 are in the Book of
Nature Preserve), 44 reptile species (24% are in the Book of
Nature Preserve), 6 amphibious species (17% are in the Book
of Nature Preserve). 5 national parks, the National Park "Sevan"
and 32 reserves function to protect the bio-diversity of the
Republic. Forests cover 11,8% of the whole territory. Middle
age of forests is 90 years, density - 0,52, which is critical
as forest loses protected and reproductive qualities.
Air Pollution
The source of air pollution of cities of the Republic is used to be energetic objects industrial enterprises, motor transport, unfavourable meteorological conditions and not being enough planting of greenery. Yerevan, Razdan, Vanadzor and Ararat are highly air polluted populated areas. Due to the Environmental legislation the Government of Armenia and local authorised organs implement state management.
State Organs Functioning
State ecological organs of management are used to be of general, interdepartmental, special and branch competence.
Government executive committees of local council deputies are the organs of general competence.
The Government regulates and controls the elaboration and implementation of ministries, departments, enterprises and organisations of environmental resources rational use, reproduction, registration, and management activities, confirms environmental usage rules.
The Local Councils and their executive committees implement local state management, control elaboration and introduction of natural resources rational usage and environmental protection activities reproduction. The ecological management state organs of interdepartmental competence are Ministry of Economics, State Department of Town-Planning and Architecture, Department of Standards and Metrology.
Ministry of Economics co-ordinates Republican ministries and departments activities to elaborate ecological programmes, the economic and social development, works out economic methods of environmental usage, distributes the natural resources usage licences.
State Department of Town - Planning and Architecture implements the elaboration of normative documents according to the environmental protection needs.
Department of Standards and Metrology implements the standardisation of normative documents, concerning environmental protection.
Ecological management state organs with special competence are:
Ministry of Environmental and Nature Protection which implements
state control of protection, reproduction and rational usage
of natural resources, organises ecological projects of the
state programmes, elaborates normative acts, standards and norms,
conducts water resources and air-monitoring.
Agriculture Ministry which conducts National Parks, the state cadastre of animal world and the Book of Nature Preserve.
Agriculture Ministry implements the state protection and rational usage of land, water resources, forest state fund management. It conducts state land cadastre, organises fertility raising, protection from erosion and exhaustion.
Then it conducts state water cadastre, implements water resources
usage register, works out plans of water complex usage and protection
and projects of balances of water economy.
State Department of Subsoil Minerals conducts the state cadastre of minerals and subsoil resources, implements the state control of minerals rational usage.
Department of Hydrometeorology conducts the water state register,
the water cadastre implementation, Hydrometeorological phenomena
observation, radiation monitoring and provides the interested
ministries, organisations and public with the necessary information.
The seismic service aim is the long and short-term prognostication of place, time and power of coming earthquakes, state organs and public operational informing about seismic danger.
Information collection is conducted through organisation of 4
- level permanent observations system ( subsoil, overground,
space, atmospheric).
3 . STATUS OF ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION NETWORK
State ecological monitoring is an important source of environmental information.
The state service of Environmental observation system of the
Environmental antiopogene changes information collection, generalisation,
value, prognosis is to provide public and interested organisations
with environmental information and the possible changes appearing
because of human economy activity influence and natural phenomena.
Ministry of Environmental and Nature Protection is responsible for Environmental Monitoring.
Enterprises and organisations control atmosphere and water pollution according to an annual report at the end of the calendar year in Ministry of Environmental and Nature Protection.
Enterprises submit the respective reports to the State Statistics Committee and the water resources copy is sent to Agriculture Ministry. On the departmental and Ministry of Environmental and Nature Protection database high and extremely high Republican environmental pollution bulletin is published monthly.
Since 1993 on the base of departmental and Ministry information the Ministry of Environmental and Nature Protection has quarterly published an informational and analytical eco - bulletin on Environmental state, ministry activity, nature protected activities, Environmental legislation observation and international co-operation.
The Ministry of Environmental and Nature Protection, based on the state motor licensing and inspection department information on the quantity of exploited cars and their annual run, controls the motortransport atmosphere pollution.
Agriculture Ministry generalises all the water consumers reports annually. On the base of all these materials the centre of Environmental pollution observation of Agriculture Ministry works out the report of waterresources state and consuming. The report is submitted to the State Stat-committee.
Agriculture Ministry provides the State Stat-Committee with information on land resources, forestry and National Parks objects.
Annually, enterprises and organisations represent reports on subsoil minerals and underground water usage to the State Stat Committee and the State Management. A copy of the report on underground water usage is submitted to Agriculture Ministry.
The Department on Hydrometeorology management systematically represents the information on water expanse and reservoir to the interested Ministries and departments. Water balance of lake Sevan is drawn up on the base of the regular measures and conducted observations and represented as a bulletin to the interested ministries and departments.
Radiation state information is submitted by Armhydromet to the Government and the other organisations.
As it is mentioned above, State Stat Committee is responsible for ecological statistical information collection.
The environmental information is represented in an annual statistical collection, besides, a special bulletin i~ published on ecology. There are 3 Non-Governmental Organizations: "The Society of Nature Protection", "Green Society " and "Green Yerevan" , all ecological organisations in the Republic.
These organisations do not collect ecological information, they
use official statistics in their activities.
3.2. Sub-National Environmental Information Network
There is no sub-national informational system in the republic.
Information centre functions in the Ministry of Environmental and Nature Protection. The aim of the centre is creation of Republican Environmental database and publishing.
Information centre co-operates with the CIS International Ecological Council. One of the immediate tasks is to be connected with "TVEcoinform" system of the Russian Ecological Federal Information Agency (REFIA). The system is based on the TV functioning network.
The main aim of the system is the united ecological information space of the CIS countries creation to join the UNEP systems.
IEDS passes the Environmental statistical database to Ministry of Environmental and Nature Protection for the ECE database programmes unification.
The National Chosen Center / UNEP INFOTERRA/ functions based on
Armenian scientific and technical information. The aim is the
national sources of information creation. The National Chosen
Center implements the ecological information exchange with the
World Health Organisation, European Environmental Agency, CEDAR,
the UN Urgent Environmental Center, Global Monitoring system,
International Project Center of the RF Ministry of Environmental
and Nature Protection.
3.4. Environmental legislation and public assessment management
There is no special Environmental legislation management in the Republic.
The 6/2 article of the "RA Nature Protection Legislation", confirmed in July 1991 by the Supreme Council, says:
"Every citizen of the RA may demand and get the universal
and certain information on Environmental condition."
3.5. Information systems functioning and environmental information
dissemination
The budget finances the information systems functioning and the
information is free of charge. There is a need to make the system
of information more perfect.
3.6. Information use in decision-making, education and the
media
Ecologically and economically proved decisions-making on Environmental state is possible on the base of full and objective information.
Functioning network provides generally the decision making organs with the necessary information.
Teaching ecological disciplines, the informational materials are widely used at schools and higher institutions.
The media discusses the environmental issues widely.
It is organised by the Information Centre of the Ministry of Environmental and Nature Protection.
Besides, the National Ecological Report of Armenia was for the 1st time published in 1993 by the Ministry of Environmental and Nature Protection.
The Magazine " Sources " is published by the Ministry of Environmental and Nature Protection but because of finances it is published irregularly.
The film " Aragats " is shot by the Ministry of Environmental and Nature Protection order.
The State Museum of Nature of Armenia plays a great role at ecological
education of population raising.
4.1. Priority need of information for decision-making
The functioning information systems, accumulated data information
obtaining from international and national services assure the
proved decision-making.
4.2. Legislation regarding the management and accessibility
of Environmental information
It is necessary to develop and adopt the legislation. It is preferable
that foreign experts will take part in legislation development.
4.3. Financing of environmental information management
The budget finances the informational systems functioning. The
Nature usage paid system has been functioning since 1993. Enterprises,
organisations and citizens make payments into the budget for
the Environmental pollution and Nature resources usage. The
means are used for the Nature Protection activities implementation
and for additional organs implementation Environmental monitoring
financing.
4.4. Improving institutional framework
The functioning information systems are necessary to be perfect.
4.7. Priority information technology needs for database and
meta database development
The priority needs - information service equipment with up-to-date
computers, systems of information change with methodological
information database creation.
It is necessary to ensure information services specialists English learning, acquaintance with international and national information services functioning and with the modern information technique.
Environmental Information Systems are not perfect. It is preferable
to develop the improved informational system programme together
with international experts for Armenian Information system integration
into international framework.
RA Supreme Council
19 Bagramian St.,
Yerevan 375095
Republic of Armenia
Phone: (8852) 520358
Fax: (8852) 527400
Telex: 243240 Masis SU
Constant Commission on Environmental
Protection and Natural Resourses
Head of Commission Mr.S.Shahinian
RA Ministry of Economics
House of Government, Yerevan 3750l0
Republic of Armenia
Phone: (8852) 527342
Fax: (8852) l5l069
Minister, Mr. A. Yeghiazarian
Deputy Minister Mr.G.Manasarian
Phone:(8852) 520572
Department of Natural Pesourses and
Environmental Protection
Phone: (8852) 527052
Head of Department Mr.Zh.Ohanian
RA Ministry of Environmental and Nature Protection
35 Moskovian St., Yerevan 375002
Republic of Armenia
Phone: (8852) 530741
Fax: (8852) 534902
Minister, Mr.S.Avetissian
Deputy Minister Mr.K.Shahinian
Phone:(8852) 530792
Department of International Cooperation
Phone: (8852) 533629
Head of Department Mr.B.Ghazarian
Department of Environmental
Science and Information
Phone: (8852) 532472
Head of Department Mr.R.Petrossian
Informational Division
Phone: (8852) 532812
Head of Division Mr.S.Sahakian
Informationat Center on
Environmental Condition
Phone: (8852) 538613
Head of Center Ms.J.Gabrielian
Department of Protection and
Water Pesourses Rational Usage
Phone: (8852) 534892
Head of Department Mr.H.Kirakossian
Department of Land and
Subsoil Minerals Protection
Phone: (8852) 531841
Head of Department Mr.F.Chakhkalian
Department of Ecological Expertise
Phone: (8852) 532801
Head of Department Mr. A Arakelian
Department of Fishing Stock
Protection and Reproduction
Phone: (8852) 427507
Head of Department Mr.N.Pahlevanian
Republican Center of Environmental
Pollution Control
Phone: (8853) 532831
Director of Center Ms.T.Hovhanissian
National Park "Sevan"
Phone: (8276) 24044
Director Mr.M.Voskanov
Museum of Nature
Phone: (8852) 532677
Director Ms.I.Frangian
54 Leo St., Yerevan 375002 HYDMET
Republic of Armenia
Goverment of Armenia
Department of Hydrometeoroloqy
Phone: (8852) 532001
Fax: (8852) 524231
Head of Department, Mr.G.Kojoyan
8 Toumanian St., Yerevan 375001
Republic of Armenia
Ministry of Health
Phone: (8852) 582413
Fax: 78852151097
Minister Mr. A.Babloyan
Square of Republic 2, Yerevan 375010
Republic of Armenia
Ministry of Agriculture
Phone: (8852) 524641
Fax: (8852) 523793
Telex: 243-369 TRANS SU
Minister Mr. A.Voskanian
13 Nalbandyan St., Yerevan 375010
Republic of Armenia
"HayAntar" (Armenian Forest)
Industrial Association
Phone: (8852) 524574
Director Mr.S.Tamazian
House of Government 3,Yerevan 375010
Republic of Armenia
State Department of Statistics and Registry
Phone: (8852) 524213
Fax: (8852) 521921
Head of Department Mr . L. Davtian
46 Charents St., Yerevan 375025
Republic of Armenia
RA State Department of Subsoil Minerals
Phone: (8852) 551305
Fax: (8852) 550488
Head of Department Mr.A.Sarkissian
25 Poushkin St., Yerevan 375010
Pepublic of ~rmenia
State ~epartment of Extraordinary Situations
Phone: (8852) 531512
Head of Department Mr.S.Badalian
48 Nalbandian St., Yerevan 375010
Republic of Armenia
Ministry of Food and Purveyance
Phone: (8852) 529611
Fax: (8852) 528246
Telex: 243-338 WOI SU
Minister Mr. D. Zadoyan
30 Hanrapetoutyoun St.,Yerevan 375010
Republic of Armenia
"HayDzouk" (Arm Fish)
Industrial Association
Phone: (8852) 521201
Director Mr.M.Ghazaryan
1 Alex: Manoukian St.,Yerevan 375049
Republic of Armenia
State University
Phone: (8852) 554629
Fax: (8852) 554641
Head of University Mr.R.Martirossian
101 Terian St.,Yerevan 375009
Republic of Armenia
Polytechnical Architectural University
Phone: (8852) 565982
Fax: (8852) 151068
Head of University Mr.Y.Sarkissian
74 Terian St., Yerevan 375009
Republic of Armenia
Armenian Agricultural Academy
Fhone: (8852) 524541
President of Academy Mr.A.Khachatrian
RA National Academiy of Sciences
Avan, Yerevan 375~63
Republic of Armenia
Institute of Botany
Phone: (8852) 240140
Head of Institute, Mr.A.Charohoghlian
7 P.Sevak St., Yerevan 375044
Republic of Armenia
Institute of Zoology
Phone: (8852) 281470
Head of Institute, Mr.S.Movsissian
186 Kirov St., Sevan 378610
Republic of Armenia
Institute of Hydroecology and Fish-breeding
Phone: (8852) 277423
Head of Institute, Mr.R.Ohanissian
5/1 P.Sevak St., Yerevan 375044
Republic of Armenia
Institute of Biochemistry
Phone: (8852) 281840
Head of Institute, Mr.A.Galoyan
Abovian 378510 Republic of Armenia
Institute of Microbiology
Phone: (8852) 277510
Head of Institute, Mr.S.Karakhanian
19 Charents St., Yerevan 375025
Republic of Armenia
Center of Econoospheric Researches
Phone: (8852) 551361
Head of Center, Mr.A.Saghatelian
12 Vagharshian St., Yerevan 375012
Republic of Armenia
Armenian State Project and Researches Institute
of Water Economy Obiects Designing
Phone: (8852) 277661
Director Mr.E.Barseghian
42 Ajarian St., Yerevan 375040
Republic of Armenia
Armenian State Project Institute Organization
of "ARMHIPROZEM" Land Use
State Project Institute
Phone: (8852) 640110
Head of Institute Mr.S.Haroutunian
13a Vardanants St., Yerevan 375010
Republic of Armenia
"Armvodkhoz" Special Assigned
State Organization
Phone: (8852) 570581
Head of Organisation, Mr.R.Grigorian
12 Leo St., Yerevan 375002
Republic of Armenia
Municipality
Department of Environmental and Nature
Phone: (8852) 538317
Head of Department, Mr.R.Kosemian
125 Amaranotsanayin St.,Yerevan 375044
Republic of Armenia
Institute of Water Problems and Hydrotechnique
Head of Institute Mr.O.Tokmajian
ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION
The Principles of Nature Protection
Legislation of the RA
July 9, 1991
The RA Law on the "Particularly Protected
Nature Territories"
December 17, 1991
RA Code of Subsoil Minerals
March 12, 1992
The RA Water Code
March, 1992
The RA Forestry Code
November 1, 1994
The RA Law on the "Atmospheric Air Protection"
November 1, 1994
The Land RA Code
January 29, 1991
The Armenian SSR Law on the
"Protection and Usage of Wild Life"
December 4, 1981
STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT REPORT:
Minerals Extraction
(70-ta annual)
Minerals Usage at Concentration, Stripping and
Technological Changes
(71-ta annual)
Atmospheric Air Protection
(2-ta /air/ semi-annual, annual)
Oil Products Collection and Usage and the
Oil-leaving Obtaining and Expenses
(14-ta quarterly, semi-annual and annual)
Current Capital expenses on Nature Rrotection
(4-mp annual)
Water Usage (2-tp vodkhoz / water economy/)
Nature Usage and Environmental Pollution Payment
(1-bav annual)
Protection and Reproduction of Valuable and
Marketable Fishes
(5-mp annual)
Forest and Sanitary Felling Charges
(3-at annual)
Forestry Work Implementation
(7-at annual)
Protection of Forests
(12-at annual)
Report on Hunting
(2-ta /hunting/ annual)
Waste Formation, Usage and Utilization
(1 /wastes/ annual)
Forest Work Implementation
(1-at annual)
Report on Forest Fire
(5-at annual)
Report on Nature Reserves, Forestry and
natural National Parks
(1-argelots annual)
Water Protection Objects Building and
Sewage Waters Drainage Stopping
(3-mp annual)
Report on Wood Remains and Glades
(4-at annual)
Report on Forests Felling
(5 antar tntesoutyoun /forestry/)
RELEVANT ONGOING OR PLANNED RELATED PROJECTS AND PROGRAMMES
In January 1995 the Government of Armenia appealed to the GEF Secretariat to finance the Restaration of Lake Sevan Biobalance and the Climate Researches programmes permitting to implement the UN Framework Convention on Climate Changes needs.
The programme on the climate researches, developed with the expert of GEF was discussed and approved at the GEF-OP meeting.
Finally, the issue will be discussed at the Council of GEF.
The World Bank will discuss IDF grants and technique assistance, and the Restoration of Lake Sevan Biobalance Programme development.
Appropriate measures are being taken in the Republic of Armenia after the adoption of the new Constitution with a view to improving the system of State control. These measures include the establishment of the State Board for natural resources and the "Armles" forestry production association, incorporated into the Ministry of Agriculture, and perforrning its functions within the frarnework of Minpriroda (Ministry of Nature).
The new name of the Ministry is the Ministry of Environmental
Protection and Natural Resources. Mr. S.Avetisyan is the Minister.
Telephone: (3742) 53-07-41
Fax: (3742) 53-49-02
The scheme of organization of the Ministry is now being developed.
We shall provide additional information should there be any drarnatic
changes in the information support system.
4.1. In which areas do you lack environmental information most
of all?
"Anthropogenic impacts on the environment and methodology of environrnental impact assessment".
"A system of fees and charges for the use of natural resources".
"A State system of environmental management and use of natural
resources".
4.2. Do you think it is necessary to draft new laws in order
to improve environmental management?
The following bills are now being drafted:
"On the Environment",
"On the Protection of the Animal Kingdom",
"On the Protection of the Plant Kingdom",
"On State Environmental Impact Assessment system".
4.4. What are your concrete proposals that the Institutes should
improve their work?
There is no need to establish new environmental information units.
4.5.-4.8. Define specific aspects of the problems mentioned:
The main problems are caused by a lack of technical and financial
support.
5. What should the next steps be like, do you think?
All problems can readily be solved within a short period of time
on condition that the environmental information systerns be provided
with technical and financial support.