World Bank

Global Environment Facility

Ministry of Nature Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus

POPs enabling activities for the Republic of Belarus

Project Summary

Project Identifiers
1. Project Number:
Not yet assigned / 4. GEF Implementing Agency/Executing Agency
The World Bank in cooperation with UNEP
2. Project Name:
Enabling activities related to the implementation of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in the Republic of Belarus / 5. Country eligibility:
The Republic of Belarus is considered a country with an economy in transition and formally acceded the Stockholm Convention on POPs in February 2004 in accordance with Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus #594 issued on December 26, 2003.
3. Country:
Republic of Belarus
6. Name of GEF national operational focal point and date of the endorsement letter (attached):
Vasily Podolyako, Deputy Minister
GEF Political/Operational Focal Point
Ministry of Nature Resources and Environmental Protection
10 Kollektornaya St.
220048 Minsk, Republic of Belarus
Tel: (375 172) 20 67 62
Fax: (375 172) 20 55 83
Date: February 23, 2004
Endorsement letter included in Annex 1.
Summary of Project Objectives, Activities, and Expected Outcomes
7. Project objectives:The overall project objective is to develop a National Implementation Plan (NIP) for POPs issues with the assistance of international organisations so that Belarus effectively addresses the reduction and elimination of persistent organic pollutants consistent with the protection of human health and the environment from the effect thereof, and meet its obligations under the Stockholm Convention. Within this overall objective the following specific objectives have been identified.
  • Develop and adopt a comprehensive country driven NIP for reduction and elimination of POPs compliant with the provisions of the Stockholm Convention, including Article 7.
  • Assess the adequacy of the national regulatory framework and enforcement capacity to meet the country’s obligations under the Convention, identify possibilities for enhancing the current regulatory framework and produce recommendations for institutional strengthening to ensure enforcement.
  • Strengthen national institutional and technical capacity as required to undertake implementation of the NIP, meet Convention compliance and reporting obligations, facilitate effective information exchange, and participate fully as a Party to the Stockholm Convention in the long term.
  • Achieve a high level of awareness of the POPs issue and sustained ownership respecting the NIP and international obligations among decision makers.
  • Achieve a high level of public and stakeholder participation in the development and implementation of the NIP.
  • Establish a potential for environmental and health POPs monitoring as an integral part of the national environmental and social/hygienic monitoring systems.
  • Provide the basis for expedited financing of NIP implementation measures through preparation on the basis of the NIP action plans for specific POPs of a portfolio of investment and capacity related technical assistance proposals potentially eligible for grant financing under the Convention’s permanent financial mechanism and co-financing through financing opportunities offered within the World Bank Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) framework and such opportunities as may be available from other international sources.

8. Project activities:
The proposed project activities will be aimed at the preparation of the comprehensive NIP for the reduction or elimination of POPs and prevention of negative environmental and health POPs impact, as well as associated country capacity building required for NIP implementation.
This project shall also strengthen sustainable local capacity to support NIP implementation and Belarus’ participation and contribution as a Party to the Convention. Information exchange and public awareness will be an integral part of NIP preparation. The specific activities proposed will be consistent with the Annex B to the GEF "Initial Guidelines for Enabling Activities for the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants", and follow the recommended step-wise framework for similar projects. The proposed list of actions for the project is described in greater detail in the following Project Description and provided in the tabular form in Annex 3. It may form the basis for the project’s detailed work plan and serve as a control tool for the step-wise implementation thereof.
The project implementation activities are summarised in the context of responding to Convention obligations in the following:
NIP preparation activities will:
  • undertake inventories and prepare an assessment of use, import and export of POPs listed in Annexes A and B to the Stockholm Convention on POPs;
  • undertake inventories of unintentional production of Annex C POPs;
  • undertake preliminary assessment of sites contaminated by POPs;
  • assess opportunities for disposal of obsolete POPs stocks;
  • assess the existing regulatory framework and enforcement capacity and produce recommendations for their rationalization and enhancement;
  • assess national institutional and technical capacity for the implementation of Stockholm Convention;
  • assess the potential for environmental POPs monitoring;
  • assess the potential for research and development;
  • assess socio-economic impact of POPs use and reduction;
  • identify health and environmental problems and assess major risks;
  • based on the review of the inventories and assessments, identify national priorities and objectives for the management of identified POPs sources, including opportunities for disposal;
  • draft the NIP in compliance with the Stockholm Convention;
  • develop a Program for environmental and human health monitoring related to POPs impact;
  • undertake consultation on and obtain national endorsement of the finalized NIP;
  • based on the findings of the national-level action plans on specific POPs, develop prioritized proposals for NIP implementation activities utilizing financing opportunities provided within the framework of the World Bank’s CAS for Belarus and other international assistance sources;
  • build capacity to meet Belarus’ reporting obligations under the Convention.
Building NIP implementation capacity will support:
  • pursuit of financial support for NIP implementation measures;
  • development, strengthening and enforcement of the necessary regulatory measures required to support NIP implementation and meet Convention obligations;
  • Belarus’ participation and contribution as a Party to the Convention;
  • meeting Belarus’ obligations under the Convention in respect of timely reporting to the Convention Secretariat and the Conference of the Parties on the compliance with its provisions including presentation of implementation plans under Article 7.;
  • contributing to the sound management of chemicals in Belarus and achieving compliance under international chemicals management conventions Belarus is a party to; and
  • facilitating participation in future international chemicals management conventions that Belarus may become a party to.
Information exchange, and public information, awareness and education as described in Articles 9 and 10 of the Convention will be addressed by:
  • utilization of a multi-stakeholder participatory processes for NIP preparation;
  • preparation of a communication strategy as part of the NIP and establishment of the National Focal Point for information exchange within the Ministry of Nature Resources and Environmental Protection of Belarus (MNREP);
  • participation of all stakeholders in international information exchange initiatives related to POPs and their effect on the environment and human health;
  • development of specific programs to increase the awareness of social groups potentially impacted by chemical pollutants;
  • arrangement of special training to ensure the workers’ safety and accumulation of expert knowledge in the country

9. Project duration: 2 years
10. Project expected outcomes:
The main expected outcomes of the project are:
  • An endorsed National Implementation Plan as called for in Article 7 of the Convention that identifies measures, on a prioritised basis, that will reduce the impact of POPs on the human health and environment, as well as the mechanisms of state (regulatory) management of POPs.
  • A sustainable national institutional framework governing the management of the POPs issue in the form of appropriate legislative and regulatory measures.
  • A National Inter-Agency Coordinating Committee providing oversight and coordination responsible for the measures undertaken on the national level.
  • A comprehensive knowledge base respecting sources of POPs and POPs related emissions, and assessing environmental and health impacts and risks.
  • Enhanced capacity for implementation of related chemicals conventions in an integrated fashion with the Stockholm Conventional and their collective linkage to the country’s overall efforts related to chemicals management and protection measures related to chemical pollutants.
  • a Program for environmental and human health monitoring related to POPs impact, and incorporation of POPs monitoring into the national environmental and social/hygienic monitoring systems.
  • POPs communication strategy oriented to broad awareness of health and environmental impacts of POPs, and to sustained stakeholder and public support in the implementation of the NIP.
  • A portfolio of investment and capacity strengthening measures projects supporting the implementation of the NIP which can be presented under the permanent financial mechanism to be established under the Convention and which may qualify for inclusion for co-financing within the World Bank CAS and/or other international assistance sources.

11. Estimated total budget (see Project Description):US$ 564,450
12. Amount being requested from the GEF: US$ 499,300
The Government of Belarus will make an in kind contribution for the project implementation
of US$65,150 by providing necessary office space for project supervision by the MNREP,
conference rooms for meetings and workshops and the salaries of civil servants who are
involved in NIP preparation, consultation or approval activities associated with the NIP.
The Government contribution also includes funding for the planned inventory of PCB and
PCB-containing equipment.
Information on the institution submitting the Project Brief
13. Information on the organization submitting the proposal:
The MNREP as the national authority responsible for environmental protection in Belarus and the implementation of the Stockholm Convention on POPs is submitting the proposal under the authority of the First Deputy Minister and the GEF Political/Operational Focal Point.
Ministry of Nature Resources and Environmental Protection
10 Kollektornaya St.
220048 Minsk, Republic of Belarus
14. Information on the proposed executing organization:
The MNREP and, within it, the Specialized Waste Management Inspection is proposed as a local Executing Agency and will host the Project Management Unit. In this capacity, it will be supported by the expertise provided by the Ministry of Health and the National Academy of Science of the Republic of Belarus. Profiles of the MNREP and the Specialized Waste Management Inspection are included in Annex 1. The Executing Agency contact persons are:
Mr. Valentin Malishevsky
Deputy Minister
Focal Point for National Implementation Plan and Stockholm Convention
Ministry of Nature Resources and Environmental Protection
10 Kollektornaya St.
220048 Minsk, Republic of Belarus
Tel: (375 172) 20 70 48
Fax: (375 172) 20 55 83/20 55 71
E-Mail:
Ms. Alina Bushmovich
Project Coordinator
Lead Specialist
Department of State Control over Waste Management
Ministry of Nature Resources and Environmental Protection
10 Kollektornaya St.
220048 Minsk, Republic of Belarus
Tel: (375 172) 20 55 71
Fax: (375 172) 20 55 83
E-Mail:
15. Date the proposal was submitted to a GEF Implementing Agency/Executing Agency with Expanded Opportunities: February 26, 2004
Endorsement letter applicable to the Implementing Agency and Submission Letter to Implementing Agency are included in Annex 1
16. Date the proposal was submitted to the GEF Secretariat: ______
17. Date the proposal was approved:
18. Date of first Disbursement:
Information to be completed by the Implementing Agency/Executing Agency with Expanded Opportunities:
  1. Implementing Agency/Executing Agency with Expanded Opportunities contact persons:
Ms. Elena Klochan
Operations Officer
Belarus Country Office
2A Gertsen St.
220030 Minsk, Belarus
Fax: (375 172) 11-03-14
Tel.: (375 172) 26-52-84
E-Mail:
Ms. Emilia Battaglini
Sr. Operations Officer/GEF Regional Coordinator
Europe and Central Asia
The World Bank
1818 H St. N. W.
Washington, D.C. 20433, USA
Tel: (202) 473-3232;
Fax : (202) 614-0696/7/8;
E-Mail: E

Project Description

Introduction

The project will undertake the development of a comprehensive National Implementation Plan (NIP) and related activities associated with ensuring sustained Government commitment to its implementation and participation as a party to the Stockholm Convention. It will cover the NIP preparation cycle inclusive of preparing the country for submitting the NIP to the COP in accordance with Article 7, and being ready to initiate implementation of the NIP consistent with Belarus’ obligations as a Party to the Convention. In addition, it is intended that the NIP preparation work would seek to integrate this activity with the country’s overall efforts related to chemicals and chemical pollutant management, environment and human health protection from adverse impact of chemical pollutants and will take into account the provisions of other international conventions, in particular, the Basel Conventions On The Control Of
Transboundary Movements Of Hazardous Wastes
And Their Disposal. The project will be undertaken within the framework of Belarus’ overall environmental management system and the government’s active efforts to strengthen it in co-operation with the international community. This is intended to further maximise the sustainability of the country’s efforts to address the POPs management issue.

The Government of Belarus has selected the World Bank as the international implementing agency through which it will undertake the GEF financed enabling activities. Additionally, it has been agreed that this work will be undertaken in cooperation with the UNEP-Chemicals. This arrangement is based on the positive relationship between these two international organizations and Belarus as well as the opportunity it presents to capitalize on their complementary strengths. The World Bank offers a strong permanent presence in Belarus, experience with strategic institutional strengthening in the environmental field and the potential to integrate the co-financing of NIP implementation activities into an established financial assistance framework. It also has demonstrated its capability in supporting delivering Convention related investment assistance. This offers the basis for a longer-term implementing agency partnership as the country undertakes NIP implementation under the Convention’s permanent financial mechanism. The involvement of UNEP will be undertaken through the World Bank in a similar manner as UNEP is involving the Bank in NIP projects in Ukraine and the Russian Federation.

The project will build on the experience and lessons learnt of the World Bank activities related to POPs in client countries such as the POPs EA project in Moldova, PCB feasibility study in Algeria and elimination of obsolete pesticide stockpiles under the African Stockpile Program.

Country Overview

Republic of Belarus has a strategic geographic position with Central and Eastern Europe It is bordered by Poland to the West, Russia to the East, Lithuania and Latvia to the North and Ukraine to the South.

Belarus covers an area of 207,600 km2 . Its territory stretches from north to south for 560 km.

Belarus is a middle income country, with a per capita income in 1999 of $2,620[1] and a population of 10 million, both of which have declined since independence in 1991. The population is predominantly and increasingly urban (up from 67 percent in 1991 to 69 percent in 1999 and 70.2 percent as of January 1,2001), with Minsk, the largest city, having a population of around 1.7 million and 5 other cities having populations of more than 250,000 (Gomel, Mogilev, Vitebsk, Grodno and Brest). The country is divided into six oblasts (provinces) named after the six largest cities listed above.

The country was declared an independent republic in September 1991. At the time of its independence in 1991, Belarus had one of the highest standards of living in the Former Soviet Union (FSU). Since then it has struggled, like all the Newly Independent States (NIS) formed out of the FSU, to balance the needs for market based reforms with those of maintaining social cohesion and reducing economic disruption and hardship. In this, it has pursued a path of very slow reform. This can be seen most clearly in the share of GDP generated in the private sector and administered prices for 'socially important' products, and direct credit, foreign exchange and other subsidies to state enterprises.

The share of agricultural and industrial sectors is relatively high. Meat and dairy products, grain and potatoes are the main agricultural products.

Belarus has a substantial industrial base. The main sectors include machine-building, metal processing, chemical, petrochemical, food-processing and electronic industries and consumer goods production.

The country has significant environmental problems similar to those found in other countries with economies in transition. These include air pollution both from regional and transboundary sources, significant degradation of surface and ground water resources, accumulating waste management issues, including hazardous waste stocks, and land being allocated for waste disposal sites and availability of environmentally sound waste management facilities for treatment and disposal. In Belarus, these problems are aggravated by the consequences of Chernobyl accident which resulted in radioactive contamination of over 22% of the country’s territory. Overall, the existing environmental situation deteriorates the quality of life and has a negative impact on human health, especially children’s health.

Consistent with the principles of sustainable development, national priorities along with the sustainable economic growth are represented by tasks aimed at the improvement of environmental performance of the industrial production, reduction of anthropogenic impact on the nature and balanced use of natural resources by decreasing resource and energy intensity of production.

Project Objectives

The overall project objective is to develop a National Implementation Plan (NIP) for POPs issues with the assistance of international organisations so that Belarus could effectively address the reduction and elimination of persistent organic pollutants consistent with the protection of human health and the environment from the effect thereof, and meet its obligations under the Stockholm Convention. Within this overall objective the following specific objectives have been identified.

  • Develop and adopt a comprehensive country driven NIP for reduction and elimination of POPs compliant with the provisions of the Stockholm Convention, including Article 7.
  • Assess the adequacy of the national regulatory framework and enforcement capacity to meet the country’s obligations under the Convention, identify possibilities for enhancing the current regulatory framework and produce recommendations for institutional strengthening to ensure enforcement.
  • Strengthen national institutional and technical capacity as required to undertake implementation of the NIP, meet Convention compliance and reporting obligations, facilitate effective information exchange, and participate fully as a Party to the Stockholm Convention in the long term.
  • Achieve a high level of awareness of the POPs issue and sustained ownership respecting the NIP and international obligations among decision makers.
  • Achieve a high level of public and stakeholder participation in the development and implementation of the NIP.
  • Establish a potential for environmental and health POPs monitoring as an integral part of the national environmental and social/hygienic monitoring systems.
  • Provide the basis for expedited financing of NIP implementation measures through preparation on the basis of the NIP action plans for specific POPs of a portfolio of investment and capacity related technical assistance proposals potentially eligible for grant financing under the Convention’s permanent financial mechanism and co-financing through financing opportunities offered within the World Bank Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) framework and such opportunities as may be available from other international sources.

Project Scope and Activities