annual report 2009 - The Regional Environmental Center for Central ...

A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 0 9

The state of play in Central and Eastern Europe
has changed dramatically since the REC opened
its doors two decades ago. Countries in transition
in the 1990s have made positive moves towards
the ultimate goal of sustainable development
and can count an impressive number of successes
and achievements. But the game is far from over.
The REC is poised to continue fulfilling its mission
to improve environmental conditions regionally
and globally in the coming years.

contents
CHAIRMAN’S LETTER
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
1
COMPENDIUM OF REC PROJECTS
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
REC STAFF AND INTERNS
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Paint a different colour in each numbered area on the simplified image
and see a copy of the original photograph emerge. Since its foundation,
the REC’s mission has been to promote cooperation among governments,
civil society organisations, the business sector and other stakeholders
and to encourage public participation in environmental decision making.
Each actor makes a unique contribution to the full picture of sustainable
development efforts in the region. The REC’s 14 topic areas each add their
own colours to the canvas, implementing a palette of projects that include
the management of protected landscapes such as the Tatra Mountains.
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Chairman’s letter
JaAkko Henttonen
Chairman of the
REC Board of Directors
hile the 2009 global economic crisis emphasised
the need for a genuinely sustainable future, environmental
considerations were often pushed into the background.
In line with its mission, the Regional Environmental Center pursued
its strategy for 2006-2010 and contributed to local, regional
and global processes and solutions. On behalf of the Board of Directors
I would like to thank all our donors, especially the governments
of Austria, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway
Sweden, the UK and the US, as well as the European Commission,
for their outstanding financial and political support.
4
At the global level, the year’s most important environmental event was the 15th Conference of the Parties
to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Copenhagen. The REC’s executive
director, Marta Szigeti Bonifert, delivered a statement at the plenary session on behalf of the REC,
emphasising that in Central and Eastern Europe, and beyond, it is crucial to increase the share of renewable
energy sources and to promote energy efficiency solutions, sustainable consumption patterns and sustainable
production methods.
The decade-long multi-project effort, the Regional Environmental Reconstruction Programme for South
Eastern Europe (REReP), wrapped up final project work in June following groundbreaking progress
in four priority areas: institution building, civil society support, support for environmental regional
and cross-border cooperation, and reducing environmental health threats and biodiversity loss.
Helping to raise the profile of water-related issues, the REC participated in the Fifth World Water Forum
(WWF) in Istanbul in March, organising the side event ‘Opportunities and Challenges in Water
Management after EU Enlargement and Prospects for Candidate Countries.’ The REC presented its efforts
in the area of sustainable water management and promoted the Green Pack, its influential and acclaimed
environmental education toolkit.
Since 2003, more than 15 iterations of the Course for Sustainable Development have been organised,
targeted at governmental officials and business representatives. The geographical scope includes
Central and Eastern Europe, South Eastern Europe, the Visegrad countries, the Black Sea region, Turkey,
and recently the Russian Federation.
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Chairman’s letter
5
With support from the Italian Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea (IMELS), the second Course
for Local Sustainability and Action took the form of two training sessions at Venice International University
and the REC’s Head Office in Szentendre, Hungary in October. The course attracted 39 participants
from 11 countries.
The REC in Turkey, with funding from the EU’s Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance, began
implementing a three-year capacity-building programme aimed at accelerating Turkish efforts to achieve
approximation with EU environmental norms.
In October, Krakow, Poland hosted the Seventh Civitas Forum. Launched in 2003, the Civitas Forum
Network has spread to 155 cities in 27 European countries — all of them formally committed to clean
and sustainable urban transport infrastructure.
In November, 30 members of the REC staff participated in a one-day training by renowned author
and systems analyst Dennis Meadows.
On November 3, the Macedonian Government and the REC’s Board of Directors signed a bilateral
agreement granting international legal status to the REC.
Stepping up its Internet presence, the REC fully redesigned its website, and the print quarterly Green Horizon
was transformed into Green Horizon Online.
In June 2010, the REC celebrates its 20th anniversary. Momentous changes have taken place in the region
over the past two decades and the REC has played a key role in helping countries to address environmental
challenges. As it celebrates 20 years of work in the CEE region and beyond, the REC pays tribute to
governments, organisations and individuals that have made its long-term effort possible.
On behalf of the REC, I also wish to extend heartfelt thanks to my predecessor as chairman of the Board
of Directors. Corrado Clini stepped down in 2009 after serving as chairman for six years. Adriaan Oudeman
kindly filled the interim chairman vacancy. Their dedication and commitment to the REC is greatly
appreciated, and their future input and contributions will, no doubt, continue to be of value.
The REC was honoured to receive HRH the Prince of Wales and HRH the Duchess of Cornwall
at a ceremony on March 18 in Szentendre marking the REC’s commitment to environmental education,
biodiversity protection and climate change mitigation.
JaAkko Henttonen
Chairman of the REC Board of Directors
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Executive director’s message
Marta Szigeti Bonifert
Executive Director
he vision that inspired the founders of the REC 20 years ago
continued to contribute to the organisation’s achievements
in 2009. Many new and exciting projects were launched
during the year, bringing fresh challenges in a number of areas.
Projects began in the field of biodiversity and ecosystem services
for local sustainable development in the Western Balkans.
Awareness-raising activities were implemented on sustainable
consumption and production. Environmental education was the focus
of projects on local communities and sustainable schools; courses
for sustainable development; and the promotion of Green Pack Junior,
a toolkit for teaching children between the ages of seven and 10.
6
The implementation of several longstanding projects continued, including “Support to the Regional
Environmental Reconstruction Programme for South Eastern Europe”; “Support to the Implementation
of the Multi-annual Work Programme of the Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Network
for Accession (ECENA)”; “Courses for Sustainable Development”; “Supporting Environmental Civil Society
Organisations in South Eastern Europe (SECTOR)”; and “CIVITAS VANGUARD — Advancing Sustainable
Urban Transport in an Enlarged Europe through the CIVITAS Initiative”.
This brief list of projects illustrates the approach that the REC has developed over its 20 years
of existence — multi-stakeholder cooperation across borders while reflecting the vision and mandates
of the organisation’s founders and signatories. Through training programmes, pilot projects, environmental
assessments, analytical studies, educational toolkits and grants, the REC supports the countries of Central
and Eastern Europe in a variety of political and economic contexts. The REC also serves as a bridge
for the transfer of regional experience to countries throughout the world.
Our continuing response to local, regional and global environmental challenges is made possible through
the support of our donors, partners and beneficiaries, to whom I would like to express our gratitude.
The Italian Trust Fund and the Japan Special Fund deserve particular mention for their ongoing generosity.
In accordance with the 2006-2010 REC Strategy, some 300 projects were implemented in 2009 through
strong cooperation among the topic areas (TAs), including the staff of the REC’s country office network.
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Executive director’s message
The focus of the Biodiversity, Agriculture and Rural Development TA was on public
participation and assistance in the designation and management of territories with natural values, including
Natura 2000 sites, with a strong communication and education profile. The TA’s focus on capacity building
for sustainable tourism and the marketing and branding of local tourism products from protected areas
supported the development of rural regions in a way that benefits both the human population and nature.
The TA was involved in the development of sustainable agricultural policy and supported local stakeholders
in implementing organic and environmentally friendly agricultural practices. It also provided assistance
in the implementation of national and international nature conservation regulations.
The REC opens its doors.
The opening ceremony is attended
by the president and prime minister
of Hungary and by many European
ministers of environment.
7
The Civil Society Support TA continued granting and capacity-building activities in SEE through
the SECTOR programme. Five grant schemes were developed, supporting environmental civil society
organisations (CSOs) with approximately EUR 1.3 million to implement projects in 2009 in Albania,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo (as defined by UNSCR
1244), Montenegro and Serbia.
As part of the networking and training component, the Master Class series continued in Serbia, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Montenegro, with a total of 188 participants.
The organisational viability component aimed at building independent institutions and developing their skills.
A planning tool was developed in English and national languages: some 45 CSOs created organisational
development plans and 37 were given seed money to implement selected components. In November, the
regional SECTOR workshop in Ohrid was the closing event of the programme, highlighting results, lessons
learned and future needs. It was attended by 26 CSOs, donors and international and national stakeholders.
REC’s first office
United Nations report
on climate change warns that
global temperature rise might
be as much as 2°F in 35 years
and recommends reducing CO 2
emissions worldwide.
The Climate Change TA continued to support the shaping of the post-2012 climate regime.
Studies were prepared on policy options for CEE/SEE and Turkey. As part of the consortium managing
the European Topic Centre on Air and Climate Change (ETC/ACC) the REC contributed to assessing
climate change impacts in coastal zones, focusing on the Black Sea region.
As Regional Focal Point for Article 6 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC), the REC organised a successful training in November to improve the contributions of state
negotiators to the international negotiations. The REC was represented at the 15th Conference of the Parties
(COP15) to the UNFCCC in Copenhagen with an exhibition and side event on flexible mechanisms.
The TA worked with ICLEI — Local Governments for Sustainability to provide European local governments
with a strong voice in the international energy and climate debate.
The REC in Turkey organised a workshop for experts from 14 municipalities on low-carbon projects
and carbon inventories. REC COs in the Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia
and Slovenia continued to promote sustainable energy through “Intelligent Energy-Saving Measures for
Municipal Housing in CEE” (INTENSE), and COs in Estonia, Hungary and Poland implemented “Kyoto
in the Home”, introducing renewable energy sources in households and supporting climate education.
The REC’s Information Bulletin
is launched. The quarterly magazine
became Green Horizon in 2004.
Japan signs the REC Charter
pledging USD 800,000
for the first year.
The first free elections
for over 50 years are held
in many countries of Central
and Eastern Europe.
The opening conference
“Sustainable Development
in Eastern Europe: The Role of the
Environment” sets the stage for
the first 10 years of REC activities.
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The idea for a RECnet,
an electronic network for
environmental NGOs, is conceived.
The Environmental Legislative Task
Force is launched, aiding policy
development in CEE.
The expansion of the REC’s
beneficiary area is approved, adding
coverage to the Baltics and Balkans.
Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia
become independent.
The REC’s grants programme
assists countries to deal with
a legacy of environmental neglect.
FACING EXTINCTION
Endangered species of
birds in the region are
protected with REC support
PLITVICE PANORAMA
Projects throughout the region
focus on biodiversity and
landscape conservation
Three courses were developed during 2009 in SEE, the Visegrad countries, the Black Sea region and Turkey
by the Courses for Sustainable Development TA in cooperation with renowned partners
such as the Venice International University, Agroinnova, Bosphorus University and Bilgi University.
More than 100 governmental officials and business representatives were empowered with tools to implement
sustainable national policies in their countries. The programme facilitated the creation of a dialogue network
among government officials and representatives of the target countries in order to promote joint sustainable
development initiatives.
Through seminars, lectures and practical exercises, exchange was promoted and participants were provided
with a framework applicable in daily professional life and policy making. A curriculum was produced
targeting different groups, providing academic materials for new generations. The Russian Federation has
been identified as a new target area for the programme, where 40 governmental officials and high-level
business representatives will be able to benefit from the lessons learnt and experiences exchanged.
8
REC outreach offices
in Bulgaria, Romania, Poland
and Czechoslovakia are staffed.
The UN Conference on
Environment and Development
(Earth Summit) is held in
Rio de Janiero, Brazil: Participants
adopt Agenda 21, a blueprint
for sustainable development.
The REC’s Information Resources
Programme is launched,
serving as a clearinghouse
for environmental information
and a source of assistance
to the public throughout the region.
The Local Authorities Initiative
is launched at the REC.
Under the Education TA, the REC continued to develop its Green Pack multi-media toolkit
for four Western Balkans countries in seven languages: Green Packs will be launched in 2010 in Bosnia
and Herzegovina, Kosovo (as defined under UNSCR 1244), Montenegro and Serbia. Work began
on adapting the Green Pack Junior for younger pupils in Bulgarian and Macedonian schools. Experts
from the TA visited Ukraine to evaluate needs in the area of education for sustainable development
and work began on the Green Pack for Ukraine.
In the framework of the Environmental Financing TA, the REC’s long-term support to
institutional strengthening and capacity building for developing environmental infrastructure projects in SEE
within the Priority Environmental Investment Programme was wrapped up in 2009 and its achievements
summarised in the publication Strategic Moves: Eight Years of Environmental Infrastructure Investment Planning in
SEE. Manuals targeted at water and waste utilities in SEE countries were also published.
The REC is leading the INTERREG IVC project “Regions for Sustainable Change” (RSC), promoting
an EU-wide shift to economies with minimal greenhouse gas emissions. A climate confidence index was
developed and a baseline assessment report produced, providing the foundation for future project activities.
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Executive director’s message
In April, participants at the REC-organised conference “Promoting Financing Eco-innovation in SEE”
discussed how to overcome barriers and presented positive examples for replication throughout the region.
The TA maintained its successful cooperation with the UNEP-based Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles
(PCFV) in their efforts to phase out leaded petrol in SEE. The PCFV Global Partnership Meeting was
organised at the REC in April.
The Macedonian National Environmental Investment Strategy, to which the REC provided expert
contribution and coordination, was adopted by the Macedonian Government in April.
The REC was awarded a two-year contract to continue as secretariat of the Danube and Black Sea Task
Force (DABLAS).
Albania becomes the 16th
signatory to the REC Charter.
Young environmentalists
participate in the REC’s first
Junior Fellows Programme.
The Environmental Information TA spent a busy 12 months concluding some milestone projects.
The “Satellite-Assisted Management of Air Quality” project hosted workshops for geographic information
systems and air quality experts on technology transfer potential in eight of the EU’s new member states.
The first group of Junior Fellows
9
Treaty on European Union
enters into force, establishing
EU institutions and objectives.
Conference of environmental
ministers in Lucerne adopts the
Environmental Action Programme
for Central and Eastern Europe.
The Japan Special Fund is
created to support pre-investment
projects in environmental hotspots.
The Macedonian Government
signs the REC Charter.
TURNING TO THE FUTURE
By supporting eco-innovation
the REC helps to promote
sustainable energy solutions
More than USD 0.5 million
is awarded for 488 local grants
in 10 countries.
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Senior Fellows Programme
is launched for government
officials, academics, business
people and NGOs.
Executive director’s message
Publication of the REC Paper Series
is launched, based on the
information and experience
accumulated in the first few years
of the REC’s operations.
The Environmental Action
Programme is translated
into 13 languages and disseminated
by the REC.
Local offices open in Llubljana,
Skopje and Zagreb. Estonia, Latvia
and Lithuania sign the REC Charter.
International Agreement between
the Government of Hungary
and the REC is signed at the Sofia
Ministerial Conference, granting
special legal status to the REC.
The team also wrapped up its contribution to the EC’s Local Transport Information Service (ELTIS)
(www.eltis.org), the leading portal for transport news, policies and practices from European cities.
The REC, with European partners, supported the site’s operation and development with regular news,
case studies and local-language content from CEE, resulting in a fivefold increase in web traffic over
four years. The REC undertook large-scale dissemination activities and co-organised a final workshop
for mid-career transport professionals from new EU member states.
As part of REC’s support to the CIVITAS (City-Vitality-Sustainability) Initiative, the REC as secretariat
organised the annual CIVITAS Forum conference, “The Future of Urban Mobility”, in October in Krakow,
Poland, attended by over 400 urban mobility experts and politicians. According to the EC, “to a large
extent the successes of the first reporting period are owed to a very experienced, pro-active, and highly
committed project coordinator and his colleagues at the REC.”
The SPUTNIC project (“Strategies for Public Transport in Cities”) also drew to a close with a Brussels-based
event supported by the TA. The CURACAO project on urban road-user charging was also successfully
completed. Meanwhile, the project “Attaining Energy-Efficient Mobility in an Ageing Society” (AENEAS)
continued to produce and disseminate promotional materials in several languages. The project website
was relaunched (www.aeneas-project.eu) and two electronic newsletters were produced and distributed
to over 800 subscribers.
Experts from the Health and Environment TA were involved in the implementation of Priority
Goal 3 of the Children’s Environment and Health Action Plan for Europe (CEHAPE) on indoor air quality
improvement in European Schools. The project partners, including five REC COs, delivered health data for
6,000 children from 60 schools.
The TA was also involved in preparations for the Environment and Health Ministerial Conference in Parma,
Italy, in March 2010. During 2009, it was active in communication and awareness raising in the World
Health Organisation’s Europe Region and in the preparation of a side event to highlight the outcomes
of the project “School Environment and Respiratory Health of Children”.
10
Signing ceremony in Sofia
Third Ministerial Conference
“Environment for Europe”
is held in Sofia.
At the Sofia Conference, the REC
is asked to act as Secretariat for four
CEE initiatives: Biodiversity, Local Air
Pollution, Economic Instruments, and
Environmental Impact Assessment.
Experts from the Implementation of the Aarhus Convention TA continued to be among
the key actors in supporting the implementation of the convention and the Protocol on Pollutant Release and
Transfer Registers. Experiences from EU member states and SEE countries were shared on the development
and implementation of the PRTR Protocol and the European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register in a
contribution to the international workshop on the PRTR Protocol for Central Asia, held in May in Dushanbe.
In cooperation with other TAs, experts assisted in integrating the requirements of the Aarhus Convention
and related EU directives in urban planning and transport decision making in the CIVITAS project;
and contributed to trainings, resource materials preparation and information exchange in the area
of sustainable consumption and production. The TA continued its involvement in the Public Participation
Expert Group of the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River and the Tisza Group.
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CATCHING THEM YOUNG
Bosnian kindergarten
children get an early
lesson in recycling
ENERGY GENERATION
Children celebrate
Earth Day 2009 outside the
REC Conference Center
Inauguration of the REC’s new site
in Szentendre. A new charter
is signed by 21 governments
and the EC. REC staff now number
62 people from 17 countries.
11
In June 2009, a workshop and study tour were organised for 15 officials from Belarus, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine on the use of environmental information and monitoring systems for environmental
risk assessment as well as PRTRs and approaches to the environmental management of mine closure
with the support of the Ministry of Environment and Waters of Hungary.
The REC in Albania continued to assist in maintaining the website of the Aarhus Center, and also organised
a public hearing to support participatory processes in decision making on investments planned by the
Albanian Government on the Drin River. The REC in Latvia implemented a project assessing environmental
communications instruments for policy integration and prepared environmental communications guidelines
and a manual for stakeholder involvement.
The Law, Enforcement and Compliance TA continued to monitor the transposition
and implementation of the EU environmental acquis in SEE candidate and potential candidate countries.
Progress monitoring reports are a major reference tool for the EC and help beneficiary countries to focus
their efforts on reforming environmental legislation.
The REC continued to implement the multi-annual work programme of the Environmental Compliance
and Enforcement Network for Accession (ECENA). Three trainings and one exchange programme
were held during the year, aimed at capacity building and experience exchange on EC environmental
directives, in particular the Seveso II Directive and environmental crimes.
Cooperation was strengthened with the EU Network for the Implementation and Enforcement
of Environment Law (IMPEL) and the International Network for Environmental Compliance
and Enforcement (INECE), and the REC assisted in the establishment of the new Arab Countries Network
on Environmental Compliance and Enforcement (ANECE).
The TA continued to foster cooperation and dialogue between Serbia and Bulgaria for the joint
management of the Timok River. It also started to provide professional guidance on diagnostic audits
of the policy, institutional and legal framework for the forestry sector within a project on combating
illegal logging in SEE and Ukraine.
Through a framework contract, the REC was involved in EU complaints and infringement procedures,
leading to the submission to the EC of technical assessments of the conformity of member states’ national
measures with certain environmental directives.
The REC leads the drafting
of the Budapest Declaration
on Sustainable Use of Biological
Resources, adopted by the
250 participants of an international
scientific conference during
NATUREXPO Budapest.
UNECE Convention on the
Protection and Use of
Transboundary Watercourses
and International Lakes comes
into effect.
REC country coordinators
are hired for Yugoslavia and
Bosnia and Herzegovina.
New site in Szentendre
The REC’s Annual Report 1996
wins a design award.
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The Kyoto Protocol strengthens
the 1992 Climate Convention
by mandating that industrial
countries cut their CO 2 emissions
by 6 to 8 percent from 1990 levels
by 2008-2012.
Conferences and workshops
are organised by the REC as part
of its secretariat services for the
four Sofia Initiatives .
Severe flooding causes
devastation in southern Poland.
The REC opens a new country
office in Belgrade.
Convention on Access to
Information, Public Participation
in Decision-Making and Access
to Justice in Environmental Matters
(Aarhus Convention), drafted
with input from the REC, is passed
at the Fourth Ministerial Conference
“Environment for Europe”.
During the Fourth Ministerial
Conference, the REC is requested
by ministers to “assume a greater
role in the Environment for Europe
process” and to “work on the
activities of the EAP Task Force
in CEE countries”.
Executive director’s message
The Local Initiatives TA remained one of the most active in SEE and Turkey. Its activities are based
on three objectives: improving environmental planning, providing environmental investments and improving
environmental management. Over 2 million people in partner municipalities have benefited from TA activities;
over 50 local communities in SEE have been supported in drafting local strategic documents; around EUR 1
million have been invested in priority environmental projects in 20 municipalities in Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Kosovo (as defined under UNSCR 1244), the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Serbia; and over
50 national and regional workshops and training courses have been held.
The Sustainable Consumption and Production TA is part of a consortium managing the
European Topic Centre on SCP. During 2009 it prepared an initiative for the structured exchange of SCP
policy information among European Environment Agency member countries and helped draft the European
Environment State and Outlook Report 2010. The REC is also a partner in the project “Civil Society
Platform on Sustainable Consumption and Production”, under the EU’s Seventh Framework Programme.
Green/sustainable public procurement activities included a presentation at the Eco-Procura Conference
organised by ICLEI — Local Governments for Sustainability on the implementation of GPP in new EU
member states in CEE and the organisation of the final project workshop “Promotion of Green/Sustainable
Public Procurement in the Countries of the Western Balkans and Turkey”.
The TA collected good-practice examples of waste prevention and management and helped draft guidelines
for national authorities in EU member states on preparing waste prevention programmes according
to the Waste Framework Directive. Also, a project was initiated promoting green(er) household consumption
and a survey of household purchasing patterns was carried out in selected Hungarian cities.
In partnership with Bogazici University, Istanbul, lectures were given for the local business community
as part of the Corporate Sustainability Certificate Programme to prepare the private sector for threats
and opportunities related to sustainable development and SCP.
12
The Szentendre Agreement,
which the REC helped to broker,
is signed by the environment
ministers of the Bosnian Federation
and Republika Srpska.
The Grants Department launches
the “EcoLinks” project, promoting
market-based solutions to industrial
and urban environmental problems.
IN LINE FOR CONSERVATION
Birdwatchers in Bulgaria focus on
species and habitat protection
LET’S RECYCLE!
Albanian children find out the fun
way about waste management
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Country Office Bosnia and
Herzegovina gets UN Specialised
Agency Status.
CROSS-BORDER CONCERNS
The Crnojevic River flows into
Lake Skadar in Montenegro, a focus
of the REC’s transboundary work
A conference on Environmental
Indicators in Transition Economies
is held at the REC, in cooperation with
EBRD and the Japan Foundation.
An EU-NGO dialogue is organised
in Brussels by REC staff.
13
The Water Management TA assisted CEE and SEE countries to apply the principles of an integrated
policy on water and to improve water protection. As part of a consortium, the REC supported the EC’s
DG Environment in technical challenges for implementing the Water Framework Directive (WFD), carrying
out compliance checks in Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovenia.
The TA helped to implement a project to enhance the replication of good nutrient reduction practices
in the CEE and EECCA region; facilitated the reduction of transboundary pollution risks within the
Drina River basin; and contributed to the preparation of a study on the biological monitoring of river,
lakes and reservoirs in Bosnia and Herzegovina according to the WFD.
The REC in the Czech Republic and Bosnia and Herzegovina supported contacts between water authorities
in the two countries as a basis for future cooperation and capacity strengthening in integrated water
resources management. The REC in the Czech Republic started a four-year project on the guiding principles
for flood management and risk assessment to facilitate the implementation of the EU Flood Directive.
In the context of the Environment and Security Initiative, the TA prepared a draft integrated water resources
management plan for Lake Druksiai/Drisviaty, located between Lithuania and Belarus. It also worked to
prevent transboundary water problems between Serbia and Bulgaria and to protect the ecosystems of the
Timok River basin. Jointly with Danube countries, it had an active role in the preparation of the Danube River
Basin Management Plan and facilitated public participation and the preparation of the stakeholders’ meeting.
These highlights of the projects and activities implemented in 2009 illustrate the broad scope of the REC’s
support to stakeholders throughout its beneficiary regions in their efforts towards environmental protection
and sustainable development. I look forward to the challenges of the future as the REC strives to fulfil
its mission in Europe and beyond over the next 20 years.
REC celebrates its first 10 years.
The REC is instrumental
in launching the Regional
Environmental Reconstruction
Programme for South Eastern
Europe and acts as the programme
secretariat, implementing projects
and facilitating dialogue.
Millennium Development Goals
are adopted by the United Nations,
to be achieved by 2015.
Aurul goldmine dam near
Baia Mare, Romania overflows
releasing cyanide-laced slurry
into the Tisza River.
Marta szigeti bonifert
Executive Director
Casualties of the cyanide spill
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Draw a line connecting a sequence of numbered dots and the outline
of an image will gradually be revealed. Throughout the years the REC
has been deeply involved in enhancing political and social connections
among the countries of Central and Eastern Europe in the interests
of the bigger picture of global environmental protection and long-term
sustainable development. The REC makes continuous efforts to bring together
stakeholders at the local, regional and international level, enabling processes
to take shape for the preservation of the region’s valuable biodiversity
and the protection of declining species such as the European Tree Frog.
14
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A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 0 9 TWENTY AND counting ...

Financial information
The Italian Trust Fund, a targeted
contribution to the REC by the
Italian Ministry for Environment,
Land and Sea, is established.
The Danube Black Sea Task Force
is launched and the REC is invited
to become a member.
The REC helps launch the Balkan
Environmental Compliance
and Enforcement Network
and acts as secretariat.
A directory listing environmental
NGOs is made available online.
REC experts participated in the
negotiation of a new protocol on
strategic environmental assessment.
The first Green Pack, the REC’s
multi-media educational toolkit for
children aged between 11 and 14,
is launched in Poland. Inspired by the
political process “Environment for
Europe”, it receives official approval
from the Polish Ministry of Education
and wins a design award in Hungary.
The detailed figures presented in this section give
a precise picture of the REC’s financial activities during
the past year. A letter from the REC’s auditor confirming
the organisation’s strict account keeping is included.
The two project lists illustrate the continuing generosity
of donor governments, organisations and businesses in
their support of the REC’s work. The 20 biggest projects
are listed in order of size, and a selection of 92 typical
REC projects, arranged according to donor, highlights
the wide range of the REC’s services. In 2009, the REC
worked on 250 projects, most lasting longer than a year.
Introducing the REC’s multi-media
toolkit on environmental topics
A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 0 9 TWENTY AND counting ...

If you think in
terms of a year,
plant a seed; if in
terms of ten years,
plant trees; if in
terms of 100 years,
teach the people.
CONFUCIUS
Balance sheet (all amounts in EUR 1,000) December 31, 2009
2008 2009
ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash 3,460 3,449
Term deposit – –
Prepaid expenses and accrued income 268 224
Receivables 1,686 2,161
Total current assets 5,415 5,834
Fixed assets, net 3,002 3,108
TOTAL ASSETS 8,417 8,942
LIABILITIES AND FUND BALANCES
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable and accruals 424 752
Interest-bearing loans and borrowings 890 250
Deferred revenue 5,835 7,126
Grants payable 381 241
Total current liabilities 7,530 8,369
Long-term liabilities (provision) 50
Fund balance 887 523
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND FUND BALANCES 8,417 8,942
Statement of revenue, expenses and changes
in fund balances (all amounts in EUR 1,000) December 31, 2009
2008 2009
REVENUES
Contributions 12,104 12,165
Interest income 41 20
Other 191 263
TOTAL REVENUE 12,335 12,448
EXPENSES
Direct programme expenses 9,366 10,049
Grants and awards 1,127 913
Administration 1,500 1,557
Depreciation 182 210
Foreign exchange gain/loss 529 66
TOTAL EXPENSES 12,704 12,795
Excess (deficiency) of revenues over expenses (370) (347)
Fund balances at the beginning of year 1,257 887
Fund balance adjustment (17)
FUND BALANCES AT THE END OF YEAR 887 523

Financial information
statement of contributions December 31, 2009
Donor Contributions In-kind TOTAL
1990-2009 contributions
EUR EUR EUR
Albania 345,145 345,145
Austria 1,511,767 1,511,767
Belgium 484,247 484,247
Bosnia and Herzegovina 290,613 290,613
Bulgaria 82,114 82,114
Canada 908,315 908,315
Croatia 94,080 94,080
Czech Republic 518,553 16,609 535,162
Denmark 4,099,725 4,099,725
Estonia 150,855 3,462 154,316
European Union 41,274,853 41,274,853
Financial Mechanism 172,470 172,470
Finland 6,641,231 6,641,231
France 25,683 25,683
Germany 1,989,639 1,989,639
Hungary 1,141,568 17,235,876 18,377,444
Italy 13,037,913 13,037,913
Japan 11,531,574 1,162,517 12,694,092
Latvia 182,455 182,455
Lithuania 8,513 8,513
Luxembourg 7,200 7,200
FYR Macedonia 318,656 318,656
Montenegro 2,100 10,000 12,100
The Netherlands 13,421,845 13,421,845
New Zealand 14,048 14,048
Norway 5,267,375 24,205 5,291,580
Poland 587,561 587,561
Romania 46,533 46,533
Serbia 53,285 53,285
Serbia and Montenegro 37,521 37,521
Slovakia 761,392 761,392
Slovenia 879,261 879,261
Spain 662,548 662,548
Sweden 7,962,233 7,962,233
Switzerland 4,651,097 4,651,097
Turkey 52,824 52,824
UN/UNMIK 6,570,703 6,570,703
United Kingdom 1,306,838 1,306,838
United States 11,937,560 86,997 12,024,557
Other 6,984,405 8,617 6,993,022
TOTAL 146,016,300 18,548,282 164,564,583
INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT
To the Board of Directors
The Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe
We have audited the accompanying financial statements of the Regional
Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (the Organisation),
which comprise the statement of financial position as at 31 December 2009,
the statement of revenue, expense and changes in fund balance and statement
of cash flow for the year then ended, and a summary of significant accounting
policies and other explanatory notes.
Management’s Responsibility for the Financial Statements Management
is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of these financial
statements in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards.
This responsibility includes: designing, implementing and maintaining internal
control relevant to the preparation and fair presentation of financial statements
that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error;
selecting and applying appropriate accounting policies; and making accounting
estimates that are reasonable in the circumstances.
Auditor’s Responsibility Our responsibility is to express an opinion
on these financial statements based on our audit. We conducted our audit
in accordance with International Standards on Auditing. Those standards
require that we comply with ethical requirements and plan and perform
the audit to obtain reasonable assurance whether the financial statements
are free from material misstatement.
An audit involves performing procedures to obtain audit evidence about
the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. The procedures
selected depend on the auditor's judgment, including the assessment
of the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due
to fraud or error. In making those risk assessments, the auditor considers
internal control relevant to the entity's preparation and fair presentation
of the financial statements in order to design audit procedures that are
appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing
an opinion on the effectiveness of the entity's internal control. An audit also
includes evaluating the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the
reasonableness of accounting estimates made by management, as well as
evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements.
We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient
and appropriate to provide a basis for our audit opinion.
Opinion In our opinion, the financial statements give a true and fair view
of the financial position of the Regional Environmental Center for Central
and Eastern Europe as of 31 December 2009, and of its financial performance
and its cash flows for the year then ended in accordance with International
Financial Reporting Standards.
Without qualifying our opinion we draw attention to the fact that we have not
audited note 16 on restricted funds, consequently we do not express an
opinion regarding note 16 to the financial statements.
ERNST & YOUNG Budapest, Hungary •
April 30, 2010
16
A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 0 9 TWENTY AND counting ...

Compendium of REC projects
Largest-budget projects (in descending order)
Government, civil society, business
and other stakeholders meet
at the World Summit for Sustainable
Development in Johannesburg
to re-examine the global action plan
adopted in Rio 10 years earlier.
17
PROJECT NAME DONOR/ COUNTRY/
CLIENT ORGANISATION ORGANISATION
SECTOR: Supporting Civil Society Organisations in SEE SIDA Sweden
Enhancing the Attractiveness and Quality of the Urban Environment Central Europe Programme European Commission
Local Environmental Action Planning for Sustainability SIDA Sweden
in the Western Balkans
Education for Sustainable Development in the Western Balkans Ministry of Foreign Affairs Finland
Capacity Building in the Field of Environment CFCU/Ministry of Finance European Commission/
Turkey
Training and Master Courses on Sustainable Development in Albania, Ministry for the Environment, Italy
the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Romania and Serbia Land and Sea
Green Pack in the Western Balkans Ministry of Foreign Affairs The Netherlands
Trust Fund 2: Supporting Environmental Projects to Improve Netherlands Embassy in Tirana The Netherlands
Living Conditions for Communities
Support to the Implementation of the Multi-annual Work Programme DG Enlargement European Commission
of the Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Network
for Accession 2006-2009
Sustainable Development: National and Local Action Ministry of Foreign Affairs The Netherlands
Wetlands Butterflies Protection DG Environment E4 Life Unit European Commission
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services for Local Sustainable ECNC Finland
Development in the Western Balkans
Facilitating a Turkish Business Initiative on Climate Change Ministry of Foreign Affairs United Kingdom
CIVITAS VANGUARD – Advancing Sustainable Urban Transport DG Energy and Transport European Commission
in an Enlarged Europe through CIVITAS
Enhancing Cross-border Cooperation in the Drina River Basin Ministry of Foreign Affairs Norway
Course for Local Sustainability and Action II Ministry for the Environment, Italy
Land and Sea
CIVITAS ELAN: Cleaner and Better Transport in Cities Municipality of Ljubljana European Commission
Regions for Sustainable Change INTERREG IVC European Commission
Communication Strategy for Environment and Health Roadmap Ministry for the Environment, Italy
towards the Fifth Environment and Health Ministerial Conference Land and Sea
The European Union ratifies
the Kyoto Protocol, bringing
industrial countries closer
to binding reductions
of greenhouse gas emissions.
The Priority Environmental
Investment Programme for
South Eastern Europe begins
identifying hotspots in the air,
water and waste sectors.
The Green Pack is launched
in both Hungary and Bulgaria,
and the English-language version
proves a success at the Kiev
Ministerial Conference.
The Fifth Ministerial Conference
“Environment for Europe” is held
in Kiev. The ministerial declaration
encourages the REC to continue
contributing to multi-stakeholder
cooperation.
The REC provides legal support
to establish the International
Commission for the Sava River.
A project is launched on building
capacities for preparing greenhouse
gas inventories in selected CEE
and EECCA countries.
A heat wave results in one
of the hottest summers on record
in Europe.
A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 0 9 TWENTY AND counting ...

Compendium of REC projects
Selected projects
The REC country office
in Turkey opens.
The REC launches its
Course for Sustainability.
At the Fourth Ministerial
Conference on Environment
and Health, Budapest,
the REC is invited to support
the Children’s Environment
and Health Action Plan.
DONOR/CLIENT ORGANISATION
ALBANIA
Ministry of Environment,
Forest and Water Administration
AUSTRIA
Austrian Development Agency
BELGIUM
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
Municipality Sokolac
PROJECT NAME
Design and Implementation of a Public Awareness Strategy
for the National Rural Development Project
Macedonian Green Pack Junior
Combating Illegal Logging in South Eastern Europe
Development of a Local Environmental Action Plan
for the Municipality of Sokolac
The European Union expands
from 15 to 25 countries.
Eight of the new members are
in the REC’s beneficiary region.
The REC introduces its internal
Topic Area system.
At the REC’s 15th Anniversary
Ministerial General Assembly,
the REC’s strategy for 2006 to 2010
is adopted.
The Framework Agreement
on the Sava River Basin enters
into force and the Sava Commission
is formally established with
the support of the REC.
The REC hosts the first global
conference on strategic
environmental assessment with
the International Association
for Impact Assessment.
BULGARIA
Ministry of Regional Development
and Public Works
CANADA
UNDP Slovakia
UNDP Slovakia
UNDP Slovakia
UNDP Slovakia
ITALY
Liguria Region
Marche Regional Government
Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea
Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea
Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea
Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea
Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea
Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea
Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea
JAPAN
Embassy of Japan in Hungary
Embassy of Japan in Hungary
Regions for Sustainable Change
Combating Illegal Logging in Ukraine
Promotion and Development of the Governance Principles for Foreign
Direct Investment in Hazardous Activities
Support to the Environment and Security Initiative
Timok River Forum
Regions for Sustainable Change
Regions for Sustainable Change
Beyond Piloting Green Pack Albania in the Basic Education System
Contribution of the Executive Director of the REC
to International Environmental Processes
Course for Sustainability in the Russian Federation
Improving Indoor Air Quality in European Schools
Improving Indoor Air Quality in European Schools: Follow-up
Roadmap towards the Fifth Environment and Health Ministerial Conference:
Side Event Preparation
Young Energy Savers Awareness Campaign
Adaptation to the Impacts of Climate Change in the South of Europe: Capacity-
Building Needs
Building Capacities in CEE and Turkey to Support the post-Kyoto Climate Regime
THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
Ministry of the Environment
Technical Assistance for Issuing Concessions for Integrated Waste Management
and Physical Planning
in Four Macedonian Regions
18
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Compendium of REC projects
DONOR/CLIENT ORGANISATION
PROJECT NAME
19
MALTA
Malta Environment and Planning Authority
THE NETHERLANDS
Ameco Environmental Services
Regions for Sustainable Change
Sustainable Kosovo: Raising Environmental Awareness through a
Critical, Vital and Multi-ethnic Environmental Movement
Development of the REC’s Internal Financial System
Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning
and the Environment
Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning TransMarkets SEE: Towards the Creation of Markets for High-Efficiency
and the Environment
Household Appliances in the West Balkan Countries
Wageningen University Sustainable Sibenik-Knin 2030
NORWAY
Ministry of Environment
Contribution to REC Activities
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Compiling a Water Polluters Cadastre in Kosovo (as defined under UNSCR 1244)
POLAND
Municipality of Wroclaw
National Fund for Environmental Protection
SLOVAKIA
Ministry of Environment
Regions for Sustainable Change
Kyoto in the Home
LIFE+: European Capital for Nature and Biodiversity
The Supporting Environmental
Civil Society Organisations in
South Eastern Europe (SECTOR)
programme begins.
In the framework of the Danube
Regional Project, 62 NGOs
receive support to reduce nutrient
and toxic pollution.
The Stern Review on the
Economics of Climate Change,
a 700-page review, is produced
for the British Government.
As the secretariat of the REReP
Task Force, the REC published
Environmental Snapshot
of South Eastern Europe:
REReP Country Profiles.
SLOVENIA
Ministry of Environment
Ministry of Environment
SPAIN
Ministry of Environment
Spanish Agency for International Cooperation
SWEDEN
Swedish International Development
Cooperation Agency
UNITED KINGDOM
Cornwall County Council
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
AGIMUS Germany
AIRPARIF, France
Ambiente Italia
ARCADIS Belgium
Austrian Society for Systems Engineering
and Automation
Process Design for Public Participation in Spatial Planning in the Preparation
of State Spatial Plans
Technical Assistance to the Ministry of Public Administration
Regions for Sustainable Change, La Rioja
Support to Environmental Remediation and Community Rehabilitation
after the Ammunitions Depot Explosions in Gerdec, Albania
Supporting Environmental Civil Society in Serbia
Regions for Sustainable Change
Promoting and Supporting the Implementation of Biogas Polygeneration:
A Systematic Approach towards Sustainable Energy Consumption in Romania
Common Information for European Air
Certification for Hydro: Improving Clean Energy
Identification of Obstacles for Applicants Submitting Proposals for Life+ Funding
Towards Zero Waste in Industrial Networks (ZeroWIN)
Experts from 15 countries discuss
global conditions for achieving
sustainable development at
a REC-organised session of the Third
World Science Forum “Investing
in Knowledge for Sustainability”.
At the Sixth Ministerial Conference
“Environment for Europe”
in Belgrade the REC contributes
six category I and II documents
and other background papers.
REC representatives hold side
events at the international
conference on climate change
in Bali, Indonesia.
A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 0 9 TWENTY AND counting ...

The implementation of the
Carpathian Convention is
supported by the REC through
the publication of a handbook
targeted at local authorities.
DONOR/CLIENT ORGANISATION
PROJECT NAME
Compendium of REC projects
The REC gives a presentation
on its work to members
of the European Parliament.
The retrofitted REC Conference
Center opens. It employs the latest
technological solutions and aims
for zero carbon emissions.
Building for the future in Szentendre
REC’s executive director chairs
the Environment and Security
Initiative, which supports countries
in the region to manage
environmental risks.
The 14th Conference of the Parties
to the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change
takes place in Poznan, Poland
Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia
add sites to the Natura 2000
network of protected areas.
The REC becomes the secretariat
of the EU’s CIVITAS Initiative.
Baltic Environmental Forum
Baltic Environmental Forum
Baltic Environmental Forum
Baltic Environmental Forum
Baltic Environmental Forum
Baltic Environmental Forum
Business Solutions Europa
DHV Consultants
Dialogik
Ecologic: Institute for International
and European Environmental Policy
EnerGia-Da-Italy
EC Delegation, Albania
European Platform on Mobility Management
FGM - AMOR
German Environmental Aid
Hungarian National Development Agency
ICLEI (Local Governments for Sustainability)
European Secretariat
Istituto Studi Integrazione Sistemi
IVN, Association for Environmental Education
Municipality of Athens Development Agency
Rupprecht Consult –
Forschung & Beratung GmbH
Slovenian Government Office
for European Affairs
Slovenian Institute for Nature Conservation
Town and Country Planning Association,
London
UNEP/Wuppertal CSCP
University of Economics, Vienna
Warsaw University of Life Sciences
Intelligent Energy-Saving Measures for Municipal Housing
in Central and Eastern European Countries (INTENSE), Croatia
Intelligent Energy-Saving Measures for Municipal Housing
in Central and Eastern European Countries (INTENSE), Czech Republic
Intelligent Energy-Saving Measures for Municipal Housing
in Central and Eastern European Countries (INTENSE), Hungary
Intelligent Energy-Saving Measures for Municipal Housing
in Central and Eastern European Countries (INTENSE), Romania
Intelligent Energy-Saving Measures for Municipal Housing
in Central and Eastern European Countries (INTENSE), Slovakia
Intelligent Energy-Saving Measures for Municipal Housing
in Central and Eastern European Countries (INTENSE), Slovenia
Young Energy Savers Awareness Campaign
Danube-Black Sea (DABLAS) Task Force Secretariat
Civil Society for Sustainability
Case Studies on Policy Instruments for Adaptation to the Effects
of Climate Change in 20 EU Cities
Universities and Students for Energy Efficiency
Contribution to Information Use for Improving Environmental Awareness
EPOMM PLUS: Partners Learning Urban Sustainability
PARAMOUNT: Large-Scale Dissemination for Clean Urban Transport
LIFE+: European Capital for Nature and Biodiversity
Promotion of Sustainable Behavioural Patterns
through Large Retail Companies (PROMO SCP)
Local Government Climate Roadmap
CATALIST CIVITAS: Dissemination and Best Practice Transfer Action
Schools for Sustainable Energy Use
South Eastern European Mobility Management Scheme
Attaining Energy-Efficient Mobility in an Ageing Society (AENEAS)
Technical Assistance, European Environment Agency
Managing Natural Assets and Protected Areas
as Sustainable Regional Development Opportunities
Green and Blue Space Strategies for Climate Change Adaptation in Urban Areas
Deliberative Process on Sustainable Consumption and Production
EASY-ECO: Evaluation of Sustainability – European Conferences
and Training Courses
Elaboration of Restoration Measures for Kampiniski National Park
20
A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 0 9 TWENTY AND counting ...

Compendium of REC projects
DONOR/CLIENT ORGANISATION
PROJECT NAME
EEA FINANCIAL MECHANISM (NORWAY, ICELAND, LIECHTENSTEIN)
Foundation for Local Government Reform, Education for Natura 2000 in Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Ministry of Environment of Latvia
Environmental Communication Instruments for Environmental Policy Integration
UNITED NATIONS
Division of Technology, Industry and Economics
UNDP/Ecological University of Bucharest
UNDP Kosovo
UNDP Macedonia
UNEP Regional Office for Europe
UNEP Regional Office for Europe
United Nations Office for Project Services
Improving Fuel Quality in Montenegro, Phase I
National Communication, Education and Public Awareness Strategy and Action Plan
Public Awareness Campaign
Technical Task Team for the Collection, Assessment and Evaluation
of National Information in Support of the Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis
and Development of a Strategic Action Programme in the Prespa Lakes Basin
Cleaner Fleet Management Training for Poland and Slovenia
and Fuel and Vehicle Research
Sub-regional Cooperation and Coordination Framework and Mechanism
for Cleaner Fuels and Vehicles in South East Europe
Green Pack Junior Bulgaria
The REC’s website is fully
redesigned with the addition
of new user-friendly features.
Green Horizon, the REC’s quarterly
magazine, is relaunched
as Green Horizon Online.
The REC’s executive director makes
a statement at the 15th Conference
of the Parties to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate
Change in Copenhagen.
21
OTHER ORGANISATIONS
Conference Participants /
Multiple Small Donors
Cornwall Development Company
European Bank for
Reconstruction and Development
LaMoRo
Mitsubishi Corporation, UK
Ramsar Convention Secretariat
Regional Management Burgenland Ltd.
Soros Foundation, Albania
Soros Foundation, Estonia
Soros Foundation,
Kosovo (as defined under UNSCR 1244)
University of Debrecen
World Wide Fund for Nature,
Mediterranean Programme
World Wide Fund for Nature,
Mediterranean Programme
EU Business Awards for the Environment, Turkey Programme
Regions for Sustainable Change
Assistance to the Environmental Monitoring and Advisory Group
for Skopje By-Pass
Regions for Sustainable Change
Osogovo, Ograjden and Belasitsa for Kids
Natural Resources and Ramsar Status Approach for Authorities,
Management Institutions and Other Parties of Skadar Lake
Regions for Sustainable Change
Monitoring Local Strategies
Assistance to Environmental Management through Training
and an Interactive Website
Bjeshket e Nemuna National Park
Regions for Sustainable Change
Protection of Priority Wetlands for Bird Migrations in the Dinaric Arc Ecoregion
Support for the Creation and Promotion of Sustainable Tourism Initiatives
in Bosnia and Herzegovina
The REC’s statement to the plenary session
Seminars are delivered in SEE,
the Visegrad countries and the
Black Sea region and Turkey as part
of the Course for Sustainability.
Celebrations are held to mark
the 20th anniversary
of the foundation of the REC.
With its launch in the Western
Balkans, the REC’s flagship
educational toolkit, the Green Pack,
is now available in 20 languages
in 15 countries.
A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 0 9 TWENTY AND counting ...

Spot the subtle differences between two apparently identical images.
In its first two decades, the REC has been instrumental in bringing
about significant changes in its beneficiary area. The REC was established
as the region took its first steps towards democracy, freedom and opportunity,
and its initial work was in countries facing years of environmental neglect.
As the REC celebrates its 20th anniversary, the needs of its beneficiaries
have changed. Many have joined the EU or are working towards accession,
and the organisation is spreading its focus as it contributes to global processes
on climate change mitgation and the promotion of renewable energy sources.
22
A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 0 9 TWENTY AND counting ...

23
A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 0 9 TWENTY AND counting ...

Board of directors
Board of directors as of January 1, 2010
Jaakko Henttonen
Director • Northern Dimension Environmental Partnership Support Fund •
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
Ferruh Erturk
Professor • Yildiz University • Turkey
Andrzej Kassenberg
President • Institute for Sustainable Development • Poland
Melinda L. Kimble
Senior Vice President • UN Foundation • USA
Adriaan Oudeman
Coordinator • Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and Environment • The Netherlands
24
Jin Sato
Associate Professor • University of Tokyo • Japan
Sinisa Stankovic
Deputy Minister • Ministry for Spatial Planning and Environment • Montenegro
Istvan Teplan
Director General • Government Centre for Public Administration
and Human Resource Services • Hungary
A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 0 9 TWENTY AND counting ...

General assembly
General Assembly as of April 1, 2010
25
PRESIDENT OF THE
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Corrado Clini
Director General •
Ministry for the
Environment, Land and Sea •
Italy
ALBANIA
Pellumb Abeshi
General Secretary •
Ministry of Environment,
Forestry and Water Administration
AUSTRIA
Gerhard Omersu
International Environmental Affairs
Department •
Federal Ministry
of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment
and Water Management
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
Reuf Hadzibegic
Head of Unit for Energy and Environment
Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic •
Relations
BULGARIA
Detelina Agnes Peicheva
Senior Expert •
Ministry of Environment
and Waters
CANADA
Agnes Pust
Political and Public Affairs Counsellor
Embassy of Canada in Hungary •
CROATIA
Marijana Mance Kowalsky
Head of Division •
Ministry of
Environmental Protection, Physical
Planning and Construction
CZECH REPUBLIC
Iveta Spaltova
Head of International Organisations Unit •
Ministry of the Environment
DENMARK
Thomas Becker
Deputy Permanent Secretary •
Ministry of
the Environment
ESTONIA
Allan Gromov
Deputy Secretary General •
Ministry
of the Environment
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Timo Makela
Head of Unit
FINLAND
Ann-Britt Ylinen
Director for Bilateral and Regional
Cooperation •
Ministry of the Environment
GERMANY
Hans-Joachim Hermann
Senior Expert •
Federal Environmental
Agency
HUNGARY
Kalman Kovacs
Member of Parliament
ITALY
Corrado Clini
Director General •
Ministry for the
Environment, Land and Sea
JAPAN
Yuyi Amamiya
First Counsellor •
Embassy of Japan
in Hungary
LATVIA
Andris Eglajs
Deputy State Secretary •
Ministry of
the Environment
LITHUANIA
Jolita Meilune
Chief Desk Officer •
Ministry of
the Environment
FORMER YUGOSLAV
REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
Daniela Stefkova
Head of Unit •
Ministry of Environment
and Physical Planning
MALTA
George Pullicino
Minister •
Ministry for Rural Affairs
and the Environment
MONTENEGRO
Sinisa Stankovic
Deputy Minister •
Ministry for Spatial
Planning and Environment
THE NETHERLANDS
Adriaan Oudeman
Policy Coordinator •
Ministry of Housing,
Spatial Planning and Environment
NORWAY
Jon Opem
Senior Specialist •
Ministry of the Environment
POLAND
Ewa Siddique-Olesiejuk
Senior Specialist •
Ministry of
the Environment
ROMANIA
Marton Kelemen
Senior Advisor •
Ministry of Environment
and Water Management
SERBIA
Nebojsa Pokimica
Assistant Minister •
Ministry of
Environmental Protection
SLOVAKIA
Kamil Vilinovic
Director General •
Ministry of
the Environment
SLOVENIA
Robert Kojc
Undersecretary •
Ministry of the
Environment and Spatial Planning
SWITZERLAND
Martine Rohn-Brossard
Senior Advisor •
International Affairs Division
•
Federal Department for the Environment
TURKEY
Cengiz Taylan Baykara
Head of Department •
Ministry of
Environment and Forestry
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Anna Phillips
Program Manager for Central and Eastern
Europe •
US Environmental Protection
Agency
CO-OPTED MEMBERS
Bedrich Moldan
Director •
Environmental Center •
Charles
University, Prague •
Czech Republic
Jernej Stritih
Chairman of the Board •
Oikos Inc.,
Environmental Consulting •
Slovenia
Stanislaw Sitnicki
Vice President •
Ekofund •
Poland
Don't just
count your years,
make your
years count.
GEORGE MEREDITH
A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 0 9 TWENTY AND counting ...

SENIOR MANAGEMENT
Marta Szigeti Bonifert •
Executive
Director
Zoltan Erdelyi •
Deputy Executive
Director for Operations/Regional
Financial Operations Manager for
Implementation of Special Programmes
Gordana Kozuharova •
Regional
Director for South Eastern Europe
Radoje Lausevic •
Deputy Executive
Director for Environmental Programmes
Kenty Richardson •
Head of the
Executive Director’s Office
Sibel Sezer •
Regional Director for
Turkey and the Black Sea Region
Otto Szabo •
Regional Director for
Central and Eastern Europe
HEAD OFFICE STAFF
Dora Almassy •
Ferenc Andras •
Raquel
Asencios Angulo •
Gamze Aydemir
Judit Balint •
Ellen Baltzar •
Janos Banga •
• Viktoria Barcza • Tricia Barna • Zsolt
Bauer •
Tamas Becker •
Andras Bene
Olta Cibuku •
Mihail Dimovski •
Ilone •
Docze •
Eva Dunszt •
Brendan Duprey
Tsvetelina Filipova •
Apollonia Gabeli • •
Raisa Gerasina •
Andras Got
Angelika Halasz •
Istvan Hegyi •
Gabor
Heves •
Rachel Hideg •
Nora Hunyady •
Jovanka Ignjatovic •
Zsuzsa Ivanyi
Katalin Ivesne Nagy •
Nathan Johnson •
Tamas Kallay •
Christelle Kapoen • •
Ariadne Abigel Kemele-Vandlik •
Maria
Khovanskaia •
Mozes Kiss •
Anita Kocic
• Imola Koszta • Sylvia Magyar • Miriam
Markus-Johansson •
Marco Mattiello •
Bruno Mesquita •
Csaba Mezei •
Kliment
Mindjov •
Daniel Mirea •
Cecile Monnier
• Karoly Mozes • Zoltan Nagy • Aniko
Nemeth •
Zsolt Nagypal •
Tamara Nikolic
• Szilvia Pandi Szegedi • Eva Peto •
Entela Pinguli •
Ana Popovic •
Kenty
Provansal •
Matthias Puhringer •
Hajnalka
Rab •
Gabor Rehak •
Stefania Romano
Dusan Sevic •
Jerome Simpson • •
Aleksandra-Sasa Solujic •
Greg Spencer
Slavica Stavrik •
Srdjan Susic •
Csaba •
Szabo Magdolna Szabo •
Orsolya
Szalasi Zsofia Szentklaray •
Jozsef
Szlezak •
Laszlo Tar •
Kaidi Tingas
Brendan Togher •
Magdolna Toth Nagy • •
Zsuzsa Tovolgyi •
Venelina Varbova •
Erika Varga •
Ruslan Zhechkov
INTERNS
Monika Arnaudova •
Krisztina Bako
Emma Brewin •
Sandra Gentizon • •
Fabien Jeanneret Zsuzsanna Keri
Elena Kholodova •
Peter Kiss-Parciu Zsuzsanna Kovacs •
Nga La Thi •
Balazs •
Matai •
Richard Paksi •
Erzsebet
Ruzicska •
Abinaya Rajan •
Peter
Varga •
Shannon White •
Marija Zivic
COUNTRY OFFICE STAFF
ALBANIA
Mihallaq Qirjo •
Country Office Director
Diana Bejko Eduart Cani •
Albert Milo
Daniela Ruci •
Jula Selmani •
Genta Sema •
• Doreida Trenova •
Denis Xhelili
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
Jasna Draganic •
Country Office Director
Andrea Bevanda •
Viktor Bjelic •
Zoran
Mateljak •
Enisa Pulic •
Lejla Pulic •
Tatjana Radakovic •
Sunita Selak •
Inka
Sehovic •
Djordje Vojinovic
BULGARIA
Gerassim Evtimov Gerassimov •
Country
Office Director
Julia Dencheva •
Vesselin Drobenov
CROATIA
Irena Brnada •
Country Office Director
Maja Knepr Segina •
Suncica Kopjarevic
Juric •
Bojan Sliskovic •
Nikica Vilicic
CZECH REPUBLIC
Zuzana Boukalova •
Country Office Director
Filip Cejka
ESTONIA
Anne Kivinukk •
Country Office Director
Maiken Staak
HUNGARY
Eva Csobod •
Country Office Director
Cecilia Fuzi •
Mariann Hajdu •
Julia
Schuchmann •
Peter Szuppinger
LATVIA
Erika Lagzdina •
Country Office Director
LITHUANIA
Otto Szabo •
Acting Country Office Director
THE FORMER YUGOSLAV
REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
Katarina Stojkovska •
Country Office
Director
Dejan Kovacevic •
Milena Manova
Marina Ordzanova •
Ana Petrovska Kornelija Radovanovic •
Daniela Simova •
Valentina Varelova •
MONTENEGRO
Srna Sudar Vilotic •
Country Office Director
Sanja Popovac •
Mira Puric
POLAND
Michal Miazga •
Country Office Director
Dariusz Gatkowski •
Ewa Truszkowska
ROMANIA
Lucian Ionescu •
Country Office Director
Bogdan-Constantin Barbu •
Magdalena
Chitu Burlacu •
Steluta Dumitru •
Wioletta Szymanska
SERBIA
Jovan Pavlovic •
Country Office Director
Ivana Tomasevic •
Zorica Korac •
• Jasmina Marinkovic • Damir Oravec •
Tihomir Rekic
Zvezdana Lipovac •
Aleksandar Maksimovic
Eszter Mogyorosy
SLOVAKIA
Vladimir Hudek •
Country Office Director
Alexandra Dubnickova •
Lenka Holecova •
Zuzana Hudekova •
Michal Tvrdon
SLOVENIA
Milena Marega •
Country Office Director
Andrej Klemenc •
Blanka Koron •
Mateja
Sepec •
Tatjana Studen •
Nina Urataric
TURKEY
Sibel Sezer •
Country Office Director
Pinar Akpinar •
Gulnaz Aksahin •
Yesim
Caglayan •
Serhan Demirci •
Gonul Erturer
Ahmet Eren Ozturk •
Derya Ceylan
Keskingil •
Kerem Okumus •
Nurettin
Ozbagdatli •
Gulcin Ozsoy •
Hande
Gulten Ozut •
Rifat Unal Sayman •
Songul
Sokulmez •
Doruk Tuncer •
Sinan Yimaz
REC OFFICE KOSOVO
MAKING WAVES
Head office staff
afloat in June 2010
(AS DEFINED BY UNSCR 1244)
Zeqir Veselaj •
REC Office Director
Naim Arifaj •
Firdeze Bekteshi •
Fitore
Ferizi •
Shqipe Neziri •
Ardita Zekiri
26
A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 0 9 TWENTY AND counting ...

Press out the playing pieces from the front cover of the Annual Report
and move them step by step along the board. You will land on events of major
global and regional significance as well as important moments in the life
of the REC. Landmarks such as the adoption of the Environmental Action
Programme for Central and Eastern Europe and the passing of the Aarhus
Convention have inspired the REC’s work, and the organisation has evolved
and grown to meet the challenges they bring.
Year by year it has been involved in an increasing number of local initiatives,
regional programmes and major international processes. Now with two decades
of accumulated expertise and experience, it is ideally positioned to contribute
to the preservation of the region’s natural resources and to transfer the skills
and technical assistance needed to solve critical environmental problems.

staff, interns and publications
REC PUBLICATIONS 2009
BOOKS AND OTHER PRINT PUBLICATIONS
A Decade’s Difference: The Regional Environmental
Reconstruction Programme for South Eastern Europe (REReP)
237 pages •
ISBN: 978-963-9638-44-0
AENEAS brochures
(Basque, Danish, English, French, German, Polish, Spanish)
8 pages each
Annual Report 2008: Blueprint for the Future
30 pages
Curacao factsheets
33 versions •
2 pages each
Healing the Waters
12 pages
Improving the Climate Resilience
of Cohesion Policy Funding Programmes
(Report for the European Network of Environmental Authorities)
102 pages
Organisational Viability Toolkit
(Albanian, Bosnian, English and Serbian)
134 pages each •
ISBN: 978-963-9638-43-3
Signpost (RSC newsletter) •
issue 1
(Bulgarian, English, German, Hungarian, Italian, Spanish)
4 pages each
Speeding up Investments in the Waste Sector:
A Manual for Waste Utilities in South Eastern Europe
(English and Macedonian)
100 pages •
ISBN: 978-963-9638-42-6
Strategic Moves: Eight Years of Environmental Infrastructure
Investment Planning in SEE
252 pages •
ISBN: 978-963-9638-45-7
Strategies for Public Transport in Cities
(Bulgarian, Czech, English, Hungarian, Polish, Romanian,
Russian, Slovak)
12 pages each
Strategies for Reform: A Manual for Water Utilities
in South Eastern Europe
(English, Albanian, Macedonian and Serbian)
70 pages •
ISBN 978-963-9638-39-6
The REC’s Contribution to Combating Climate Change
4 pages
CD ROMS, MULTI-MEDIA MATERIALS
AND WEBSITES
AENEAS Good Practice Exchange Ring
60 web pages •
www.aeneas-project.eu/gper/search.php
Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Network for
Accession, project website
70 pages •
www.ecena.org
Green Horizon Online
250 pages •
www.greenhorizon-online.com/
Green Pack Kosovo (as defined by UNSCR 1244)
(Albanian)
213 pages •
ISBN 978-963-9638-40-2
Green Pack Montenegro
225 pages •
ISBN 978-86-909417-4-2
Green Pack Russian Komi
300 pages •
ISBN 978-963-9638-41-9
Green Pack Serbia
225 pages •
ISBN 978-963-9638-46-4
Green Pack Ukraine
255 pages •
ISBN 978-966-8571-81-7
REC website
160 pages •
www.rec.org
Regions for Sustainable Change
15 pages •
www.rscproject.org/
The Regional Environmental Center
for Central and Eastern Europe (REC)
is an international organisation with a
mission to assist in solving environmental
problems. The REC fulfils this mission by
promoting cooperation among governments,
non-governmental organisations,
businesses and other environmental
stakeholders, and by supporting the free
exchange of information and public participation
in environmental decision making.
The REC was established in 1990 by the
United States, the European Commission
and Hungary. Today, the REC is legally
based on a charter signed by the governments
of 29 countries and the European
Commission. The REC has its head office
in Szentendre, Hungary, and country
offices and field offices in 17 beneficiary
countries: Albania, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the
Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia,
Lithuania, the former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland,
Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and
Turkey.
The REC actively participates in key global,
regional and local processes and contributes
to environmental and sustainability
solutions within and beyond its country
office network, transferring transitional
knowledge and experience to countries
and regions.
Recent donors are the European
Commission and the governments of
Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia,
the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland,
Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Latvia,
the former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia, Malta, Montenegro, the
Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Serbia,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the
United States, as well as other intergovernmental
and private institutions.
Text Zsolt Bauer • Rachel Hideg design Sylvia Magyar Proofreading Kristin Faurest
illustrations Laszlo Falvay number games Krisztina Andre
photographs Zsolt Bauer (21) • iStock (3, 8, 9, 13, 15, 23) • Nathan Johnson (11) • Gabor Kardos (4, 6, 20, 26) • Hadley Kincade (10)
REC Albania (12) • REC Archives (7, 9, 11, 16) • REC BiH (11) • REC REC Bulgaria (12) • Reuters (13)
printing Typonova Kft • Hungary
This and all REC publications are printed on recycled paper or paper produced without the use of chlorine or chlorine-based chemicals.
For further information about REC Publishing and to download the latest publications, please visit http://publishing.rec.org.
A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 0 9 TWENTY AND counting ...

country and field offices
ALBANIA
Rr. Ismail Qemali No. 27
Tirana
Tel/Fax: (355-4) 223-2928
E-mail: rec.albania@rec.org
BOSNIA AND
HERZEGOVINA
Dervisa Numica 6/III
71000 Sarajevo
Tel/Fax: (387-33) 713-110,
713-111 •
713-131
E-mail: info@rec.org.ba
BULGARIA
42 Tzar Simeon Str. •
Entr. A
Ap. 2 •
1202 Sofia
Tel: (359-2) 983-4817
Fax: (359-2) 983-5217
E-mail: rec-bulgaria@rec.org
CROATIA
Djordjiceva 8a
10000 Zagreb
Tel: (385-1) 481-0774
Fax: (385-1) 481-0844
E-mail: rec@rec-croatia.hr
CZECH REPUBLIC
Senovazna 2 •
11000 Prague
Tel/Fax: (420-224) 248-569
(420-725) 847-368
E-mail: CO.CzechRepublic@rec.org
ESTONIA
Narva Road 4 •
10117 Tallinn
Tel/Fax: (372-64) 61-423
E-mail: info@recestonia.ee
HUNGARY
Ady Endre ut 9-11
2000 Szentendre
Tel: (36-26) 504-076
Fax: (36-26) 302-137
E-mail: coh@rec.org
LATVIA
Peldu str. 26/28 •
r305
LV-1050 Riga
Tel/Fax: (371-6) 722-8055
E-mail: reclat@parks.lv
LITHUANIA
Svitrigailos g. 7/16 •
03110 Vilnius
Tel: (370-5) 231-0067
Tel/Fax: (370-5) 233-5451
E-mail: rec@rec.lt
FORMER YUGOSLAV
REPUBLIC OF
MACEDONIA
Str. Ilindenska 118 •
1000 Skopje
Tel: (389-2) 3090-135
3090-136 •
3088-191
Fax: (389-2) 3088-193
E-mail: rec@rec.org.mk
MONTENEGRO
Bulevar Ivana Crnojevica 16/2
81000 Podgorica
Tel: (382-20) 210-235
Fax: (382-20) 210-236
E-mail: office@recmontenegro.org
POLAND
ul. Grojecka 22/24 lok. 36
02-301 Warsaw
Tel: (48-22) 823-8459
Fax: (48-22) 822-9401
Fax: (48-22) 822-9401
E-mail: recpl@data.pl
ROMANIA
Episcop Timus 4 •
Sector 1
011612 Bucharest
Tel: (40-21) 316-7344 •
316-7345
Fax: (40-21) 316-7264
E-mail: rec@recromania.ro
SERBIA
Primorska 31 •
11000 Belgrade
Tel: (381-11) 3292-899
3292-595 •
3293-010
Fax: (381-11) 3293-020
E-mail: office@rec.rs
SLOVAKIA
Vysoka 18 •
81106 Bratislava
Tel: (421-2) 5263-2942
Fax: (421-2) 5296-4208
E-mail: rec@changenet.sk
SLOVENIA
Slovenska cesta 5 •
1000 Ljubljana
Tel: (386-1) 425-6860
Fax: (386-1) 421-0939
E-mail: rec-slovenia@guest.arnes.si
TURKEY
Ilkbahar Mah. 571. Cad.
617 Sok. No. 8
06550 Yildiz Cankaya •
Ankara
Tel: (90-312) 491-9530
Fax: (90-312) 491-9540
E-mail: info@rec.org.tr
REC OFFICE KOSOVO
(AS DEFINED BY UNSCR 1244)
Rr. Enver Maloku Nr. 28
5th floor •
PO Box 160
10000 Pristina
Tel/Fax: (381-38) 552-123
E-mail: info@kos.rec.org
BANJA LUKA
FIELD OFFICE
Slavka Rodica 1
78000 Banja Luka
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Tel/Fax: (387-51) 215-243 •
215-297
E-mail: djolev@blic.net
ISTANBUL
PROJECT OFFICE
5 Gazeteciler Sitesi •
Villalari
Nilufer Sok. A20/1 •
Blok 3
Akatlar •
Istanbul
Tel: (90-212) 324-5025 •
324-5513
Fax: (90-212) 324-5543
MOSTAR
PROJECT OFFICE
Ante Starcevica b.b.
88000 Mostar
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Tel/Fax: (387-36) 327-331
E-mail: rec-neretva@tel.net.ba
Head office
THE REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER FOR CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE
Ady Endre ut 9-11 • 2000 Szentendre • Hungary • Tel: (36-26) 504-000 • Fax: (36-26) 311-294 • www.rec.org
This publication was produced with the financial support of the Italian Trust Fund.