Strategic Moves - Regional Environmental Center for Central and ...

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C H A P T E R 1
T H E R O L E O F T H E P R I O R I T Y E N V I R O N M E N TA L I N V E S T M E N T P R O G R A M M E F O R S E E
S T R AT E G I C M O V E S
and to provide opportunity for direct dialogue and the exchange of information between
project proponents, donors, financial institutions and relevant authorities.
The updating of the lists of priority environmental investment projects was intensified
during this period, being carried out twice annually in order to create a living,
up-to-date document for the benefit of the countries and of the regional
cooperation framework using the lists.
The PEIP team continued their mission to SEE countries to promote the PEIP
lists and to identify synergies between IFIs, regional cooperation facilities and donors.
Two manuals were produced, targeted at waste and water utility companies in
the SEE region.
Publications within the PEIP
The present book follows a number of other publications produced within the
framework of the PEIP:
Developing a Priority Environmental Investment Programme for South Eastern
Europe (2003) — This report introduced the PEIP methodology and presented the
results of PEIP development up to 2003, including SEE regional environmental
priorities and a list of priority environmental projects for the SEE region. The report
lists conclusions and future actions needed to implement the PEIP.
Targeting the Environmental Investment Challenge in South Eastern Europe
(2005) — This publication comprises a comprehensive analysis of the situation in
terms of environmental infrastructure in the SEE region up to December 2005. It
explores the developments in environmental infrastructure investment projects in
the air, water and waste sectors and provides recommendations for the way forward.
In 2009, two manuals were developed targeted at water and waste service utilities
in SEE countries: Strategies for Reform: A Manual for Water Utilities in South
Eastern Europe (April 2009); and Speeding up Investments in the Waste Sector: A
Manual for Waste Utilities in South Eastern Europe (August 2009). The manuals are
based on the premise that the capacity of the utilities is the main bottleneck to investments
in water and waste infrastructure, rather than the availability of funding.
The manuals cover the institutional reform of the water and waste utilities as well
as organisational reform, starting with better strategic planning and focusing on
the topics of human resources management and options for cost savings. The other
side of the equation is also tackled through a discussion of methods for enhancing
revenues through suitable tariff designs.
A list of other relevant REC publications in the area of environmental infrastructure
investments and financing is provided in Annex 4.
The role of the PEIP
During the implementation of the programme there have been significant developments
in the area of environmental investments in SEE countries. At the start
of the programme, countries lacked experience in strategic planning and in priori-