NOVIKOVA Tatiana - EESC European Economic and Social

Tatiana Novikova
Belarusian Antinuclear Campaign
NGO Ecohome
http://www.atomby.net
Belarus is the part of Aarhus
convention
Belarus signed the Convention on Dec 16,
1998; a decision to approve the
Convention was taken on Dec 14, 1999
(Decree of the President of the Republic of
Belarus No.726).
Belarus in nuclear safety context
Belarus suffered more than others from the consequences
of the Chernobyl:
66% of its territory is contaminated by Cs-137;
10% - by Sr-90;
The number of cases of thyroid cancer after the Chernobyl
increased in 33.6 times (children), and in 2.5-7 times
(adults) www.chernobyl.gov.by
Officially considered, that in Belarus affected by Chernobyl
180,000 people.
Additional radiation risk is not acceptable for
population of Belarus (Dr. Ivan Nikitchenko,
Independent Environmental Expertize of Belarusian NPP
project, www.atomby.net)
Aarhus convention – problems in
Belarus
Problems in decision-making proсess, related
with NPP in Belarus
◦ “Political final decision” to construct Belarusian
NPP was taken 2008 without any consultations
with public and citizens;
◦ Lack of information about prepared decisions;
◦ No public participation in decision-making;
◦ Fake “public hearing” in Ostrovets in October
2009;
◦ Harassement of antinuclear activists by
Belarusian powers.
Inhabitants of Belarus do not
agree with NPP construction
Aarhus convention – problems in
Belarus
Public awareness:
◦ Lack of experience with the Conventions;
◦ Need to know how use them;
◦ Lack of experienced layer assistance.
Political and administrative pressure to antinuclear
movement in Belarus.
Harassements of the antinuclear
activists by Belarusian powers
2009-2012 antinuclear activists was fired, detained,
arrested, searched, deported from Belarus.
Aarhus convention, Belarusian
civil society and NPP construction
Belarusian antinuclear campaign since 2007 has
achieved:
◦ Rise of awareness of Belarusian society on the
NPP construction;
◦ Public participation in official discussions on the
Belarusian NPP EIA;
◦ Discovering the violations during the NPP
planning and construction in Belarus;
◦ Initiating expert critic of Belarusian NPP
project;
◦ Compliance to ACCC.
Using Aarhus convention
Ecohome and Belarusian antinuclear campaign
organized:
Expert critic of official Belarus NPP EIA (2009,
September) and Civil Society participation in the
public hearings on EIA in Ostrovets (9, October,
2009).
Public Environmental Expertize of Belarusian NPP was
made and presented to official institutions 22 march
2010.
Information inquiries to Belarusian responsible
institutions about NPP construction information.
Independent expert review and information on NPP
project.
Public expertize of Belarusian NPP
project findings
NPP construction in Belarus is undesirable:
The project AES-2006 is experimental and its
safety is not proven;
The risk of additional radiation impact to
Belarusian population is not acceptable;
The problem of Nuclear spent fuel disposals and
NSF transporting is not solved;
The problem in Belarusian legislation are so
deep.
Aarhus convention: complaint
◦ Complaint to the Aarhus Convention
Compliance Committee (ACCC) with
“European Ecoforum”, “Oekoburo”
Austria, initiated by Belarusian
antinuclear campaign;
◦ AMICUS MEMORANDUM SUBMITTED
WITH REGARD TO COMMUNICATION
ACCC/C/2009/37 by European ECO
Forum December, 2009.
Aarhus convention: compliant
The European Ecoforum compliance was
focused on two issues:
(a) inadequate legislation on public
participation in decision-making on
nuclear issues recently introduced in
Belarus and
(b) inadequate access to information
and public participation in the
decision-making related to authorization
of the nuclear power plant construction in
Belarus.
Aarhus convention: compliant
Aarhus convention: compliant
Aarhus ACCC findings and
recommendations on NPP
construction in Belarus
Were taken 29, June 2011 by ACCC.
ACCC recognized that Belarus violated
Aarhus convention and made its
recommendations for Belarus.
The Next Meeting of Parties (2014,
Netherlands) will adopt ACCC findings and
recommendations on NPP construction in
Belarus.
Aarhus ACCC findings and
recommendations on NPP
construction in Belarus
Aarhus ACCC findings on NPP
construction in Belarus
A. Main findings with regard to non-compliance
89. In relation to the NPP, the Committee finds that the
Party concerned:
(a) By restricting access to the full version of the EIA
Report to the premises of the Directorate of the NPP in
Minsk only and by not allowing any copies to be made, it
failed to comply with article 6, paragraph 6, and article 4,
paragraph 1 (b), of the Convention (para. 69);
(b) By not duly informing the public that, in addition to the
publicly available 100-page EIA report, there was a full
version of the EIA Report (more than 1,000 pages long), it
failed to comply with article 6, paragraph 2 (d) (vi), of the
Convention (para. 74);
Aarhus ACCC findings on NPP
construction in Belarus
A. Main findings with regard to non-compliance
89. In relation to the NPP, the Committee finds that the
Party concerned:
(c) By providing for public participation only at the stage of
the EIA for the NPP, with one hearing on 9 October 2009,
and effectively reducing the public’s input to only
commenting on how the environmental impact could be
mitigated, and precluding the public from having any input
on the decision on whether the NPP installation should be
at the selected site in the first place (since the decision had
already been taken), it failed to comply with article 6,
paragraph 4, of the Convention (para. 78);
Aarhus ACCC finding on NPP
construction in Belarus
A. Main findings with regard to non-compliance
89. In relation to the NPP, the Committee finds that the
Party concerned:
(d) By not informing the public in due time of the
possibility of examining the full EIA Report, it failed to
comply with article 6, paragraph 6, of the Convention
(para. 80);
(e) By limiting the possibility for members of the public to
submit comments, it failed to comply with article 6,
paragraph 7, of the Convention (para. 85).
Aarhus ACCC finding on NPP
construction in Belarus
A. Main findings with regard to non-compliance
89. In relation to the NPP, the Committee finds that the
Party concerned:
(d) By not informing the public in due time of the
possibility of examining the full EIA Report, it failed to
comply with article 6, paragraph 6, of the Convention
(para. 80);
(e) By limiting the possibility for members of the public to
submit comments, it failed to comply with article 6,
paragraph 7, of the Convention (para. 85).
NPP construction and Aarhus
convention in Belarus – actual
problems
Despite of ACCC decision and recommendations,
Belarus continue violating AC:
- by hiding information on the prepared
and taken decisions on NPP construction in Belarus:
intergovenmental agreements with Russia and
contracts;
- by ignoring public opinion and protests;
- by organizing repressions and
harassments of the antinuclear activists;
- by totally excluding the public and civil
society from decision-making on NPP in Belarus.
NPP construction and nuclear safety
Belarus continue violate legislation and technical
regulations:
- by constructing NPP reactor building
foundation without design (project) documentation
for the entire NPP and before adoption this
documentation under national legislation;
- by constructing its NPP during the investigation
at Espoo Committee of Implementation on the case
of Belrusian NPP;
- by not resolving the problem with
National Regulator – Ministry of Emergency
Situation.
NPP construction and nuclear safety
Ostrovetskaya site, August 2012
NPP construction and Aarhus
convention in Belarus – prospective
AC helps to civil society make the steps toward
democratization in the country;
ACCC decisions help campaigning and bring good
media-impact;
ACCC decisions give good reason for further
work with the legislation, giving the background
for the further antinuclear work;
ACCC decisions make the national and
international reputation of the project.
Nuclear safety in Belarus
what does it mean?
To
solve problems with Chernobyl
consequences;
To
cancel NPP construction in
Ostrovets.
Tatiana Novikova
atomby.net@gmail.com
Belarus Antinuclear Campaign
NGO Ecohome
http://www.atomby.net
Using Aarhus conventions
can be significant part of an
antinuclear campaign