Tbilisi. The Tbilisi office of the Heinrich Boell Foundation presents a project, supported by the institution, and a new organization - Climate Basics. The organization works to inform the public about issues related to climate change. Climate Basics is the first Georgian platform writing in regard to climate change. Read more… Source: The website of the organization on a social network

Kakheti. From November 2-3, 2021, CENN, in cooperation with GIZ, conducted trainings for teachers on Sustainable Forest Management and Renewable Energy in Akhmeta municipality, Kakheti region. “The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) program "Natural Resource Management and Ecosystem Services for Sustainable Rural Development in the South Caucasus" (ECOserve). Initiatives are being implemented within the scope of the CENN project - Promoting Sustainable Forest Management for Rural Development, with financial support from Austrian Development Cooperation”. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. An EU-supported conference of the regional multi-stakeholder platform on social entrepreneurship and green innovations was held in Tbilisi. “The aim of the meeting was to analyse the legal framework and recommendations for the creation and development of a social entrepreneurship legal basis in both countries. 🇪🇺🇬🇪 The conference was organised as part of the EU-funded “EU4Youth: Social Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Development (SEED) for Green Growth” project, which is being implemented by CENN in partnership with KRDF in Georgia and Green Lane NGO in Armenia”. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. Green Alternative and the Social Justice Center submit an administrative complaint to the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, demanding annulment of licenses for mining of minerals issued to extract manganese in the village of Shkmeri in Oni Municipality. Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge

Tbilisi. According to information released by the Social Justice Center, on October 19, the Ministry of Economy made a statement to the media, which once again misled society about the Namakhvani HPP project. “The Ministry of Economy noted in its statement that the tender for selection of an investor company for Namakhvani HPP was conducted before enactment of the Law of Georgia on Public-Private Partnerships, therefore the conclusion of the Ministry of Finance in regard to the project could not exist. The statement of the Ministry of Economy is another attempt to cover up legal violations related to the Namakhvani project and to spread inaccurate information”, - is noted in the statement. Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge

Tbilisi. CENN within the frames of the EU supported Georgia Climate Action Project (GEO-CAP) invites you to take part in the cycle of webinars to mark International Climate Action Day and to help further climate action across the globe. Register for the webinars here... The deadline for registration is 18 October, 18:00. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. Social Justice Center (formerly EMC), with the support of the European Foundation, has been implementing a project entitled “Cases of collusion, corruption and conflict of interests surrounding the Namakhvani HPP Cascade Project” since July 2021. “This project is a collaborative endeavor of Social Justice Center and the media organization Investigative Journalists Team “iFact”. A team of legal experts and journalists will work jointly during 12 months and publish information about cases of corruption and conflict of interests, as well as possible state and business collusion scenarios involving state agencies and Namakhvani HPP implementing parties”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge

Tbilisi. The European Union (EU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are partnering with the Agency of Protected Areas of the Ministry of the Environmental Protection and Agriculture to help Georgia sustainably manage these forests, preserve biodiversity, mitigate climate change and create environmentally friendly economic opportunities.  Through this partnership, the EU and UNDP will assist the Agency of Protected Areas to improve management of 34,000 hectares of forests in the Algeti, Javakheti and Lagodekhi protected areas, develop forest management plans, train and equip rangers and establish eco-tourism services. In addition, the EU and UNDP will help create a multi-language mobile application to provide tourists with information about all protected areas in Georgia.  The 14-month EUR 211,000 support draws on the resources made available under the EU-funded European Neighbourhood Programme for Agriculture and Rural Development (ENPARD) programme(link is external), which is assisting Georgia to reform and modernize its national approach to rural development.  Read more…   Source: The webpage of the organization

Tbilisi. Social Justice Center Appeals to Court to Suspend Construction of Namakhvani HPP and Revoke Construction Permit.  By the organization, ‘The construction permit was unjustifiably issued by the LEPL Technical and Construction Supervision Agency of the Ministry of Economy on April 22, 2020, with gross violations of legal requirements. According to a lawsuit filed by the Social Justice Center, the permitting agency grossly violated the requirements of the law and issued a construction permit without proper justification on an exceptional basis'.  Read more…   Source: The webpage of the organization

UNDP Accelerator Lab conducts a behavioral experiment to support waste separation in Batumi and Tbilisi... UNDP signed memorandums of understanding with the Batumi and Tbilisi municipalities, to assist the two largest Georgian cities to introduce plastic waste separation practices and promote sustainable lifestyles. Read more…  Source: The webpage of the organization

Tbilisi. Organizations involved in Namakhvani HPP related meetings, called by the Energy Union, inform public about their opinion on the current process. “We, the signatory organizations appreciate the fact that during June-July we were given the opportunity to be involved in the process of development of a “technical assignment”, which should serve as a guideline for independent experts in the future. However, unfortunately, selection of experts based on the principle of professionalism and impartiality, mobilization of a reliable source of funding and creation of guarantees for parties and general public to trust this assessment process still remain a challenge and unfulfilled task”. Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge

Tbilisi. Social Justice Center presents a study related to the history of the Namakhvani HPP project. “This document contains a summary of information regarding all defective and unlawful decisions identified during the process of planning and construction of Namakhvani HPP. On the one hand, the study contains an assessment of the issue of closure of the company selection process and endorsement of the Namakhvani agreement in terms of both legality and fairness, while on the other hand, the document provides a legal assessment of environmental and construction permits and a critical analysis of significant institutional gaps that led to unlawfulness of the project”. Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge

On July 8, the European Commission launched the second phase of its EU4Energy programme – ‘Promoting the Clean Energy Transition in the Eastern Partnership Countries: EU4Energy Phase II’. The Programme, which will run until December 2024, aims to contribute to the development of sound legislative and regulatory frameworks for energy, to support the region’s transition to clean energy, and the liberalisation of its energy markets. Read more… Source: euneighbours.eu

Tbilisi. In an informational video, prepared by Social Justice Center, the organization responds to inaccurate, false and manipulative arguments in regard to the Namakhvani HPP project that have been disseminated by its supporters. Source:socialjustice.org.ge

As Part of the EU Green Week 2021, CENN Launched a Large-scale Campaign – Act4Climate. „Campaign participants had the opportunity to engage in cognitive and fun activities. Fight against Climate change and protection of the environment is our common responsibility. Any little action undertaken by any of us is just as important as the high-level multilateral negotiations taking place on this subject“. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. Social Justice Center (formerly EMC) publishes an analysis of possibility to export electricity generated by Namakhvani HPP. “While talking about benefits of Namakhvani HPP, representatives of state agencies, along with other issues, often underline importance of the project in strengthening energy independence of the country. This assertion of energy independence is another of loud statements, which is often voiced by government officials and is not backed up by the text of the agreement - the content of the agreement signed between the investor and the Government”. Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge

Tbilisi. EU4Environment is launching Industrial Waste Mapping in Rustavi and Zestaponi municipalities in 🇬🇪Georgia. “This work aims to identify, assess, and map the waste streams of the local manufacturing enterprises. Its main goal is to develop options for an improved resource efficiency and introduction of circular economy principles and practices”. Read more… Source: www.eu4environment.org

Tbilisi. According to a statement released by Social Justice Center, “Georgian Manganese”, which was avoiding questions about harm caused by extraction for years, had to become a party to negotiations as a result of the protest of residents of Shukruti and thus acknowledge its responsibility. “Unfortunately, the rule and conditions for compensation of harm caused by extraction of minerals to affected local population are still not defined at the legislative level. Respectively, population of Shukruti had to carry out private negotiations and reach civil agreement on the procedure and amount of compensation for suffered harm directly with the company. Besides, released information about the agreement, as well as an uneven and non-transparent nature of the negotiation process are essentially problematic, as fairness and credibility of the agreed mechanism of compensation remain questionable, while facts of the ongoing criminal persecution against protesters raise additional questions about the subject of the agreement”, - is noted in the statement of the organization.  Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge

Tbilisi. Documentation received by Social Justice Center in the form of public information reveals that the company “Enka” has got an extension of the deadline for submission of construction documentation for the Kvemo Namakhvani HPP from the Ministry of Economy for another year. “We consider that this decision of the Ministry is another unjustified concession granted to “Enka”, which proves that statements regarding proper study of the project are false and unfounded. Besides, this process explains the real motive of announcement of a 9-12-month “moratorium” on construction of the dam. The delay in construction of the dam building is, in fact, connected not to the compromise of both the government and the company, but to the fact that the company delayed submission of complete project design related documentation itself and requested an extension of the deadline from the state for the same period of time”. Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge

Tbilisi. How can Georgian business benefit from becoming ‘greener’? - Find out on the e-Cards produced with the support of the UNIDO and EU4Environment programme… Source: www.euneighbours.eu

Imereti. Social Justice Center examined main demands of participants of the protest in Shukruti and reasons of their disagreement with the company, on the one hand, while on the other hand, circumstances, preconditioning this extensive social and environmental crisis, which preceded the protest in Chiatura Municipality. “Residents and representatives of the company assessed damage differently - in terms of both methodology and coverage of different types of damage. It is important to direct efforts of state agencies and knowledge of industry accumulated therein towards assessment of damage associated with mineral extraction as in case of specific owners, as well as in conjunction with the natural environment of the municipality as a whole. This intervention should be carried out in the form of elaboration of a common standard for damage assessment, which would position possible negative impact of the mining sector more sustainably, fairly and methodically in the area of regulation". Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge

Tbilisi. Social Justice Center (formerly EMC) responds to a statement of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia in regard to conducted studies about economic benefits of the Namakhvani HPP, which was released by the Ministry to confirm the existence of a cost-benefit analysis of the project. “The content of the statement of the Ministry confirms that at the stage of preparation of the project, the cost-benefit analysis of specifically the Namakhvani HPP project was not carried out, which fact is a gross violation of requirements of Georgian legislation. The organization calls on the Government and relevant agencies repeatedly to publicize the conclusion of the Ministry of Finance of Georgia on the Namakhvani HPP project and the cost-benefit analysis of the project immediately". Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge