Co-organised by the European Environment Bureau and Coastwatch

Public Seminar FRIDAY 26^th February 2010

Kindly hosted by the EC representation in Ireland in the

EP conference room, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2

This Public Seminar is part of an EEB Law-group meeting

Dublin 26-27 February 2010

Programme Overleaf

Aims of the Seminar:

• To pool expertise and experience in environmental planning and nature law with view to improving legislation and practise from EU to local level.
• To seek full informed public participation and access to justice on planning, nature protection, management and restoration of habitats..

This international seminar with participants from ten European countries brings together environmental lawyers, representatives of agencies which are tasked with implementing and enforcing the law and members of environmental groups and citizens who have experience and interest in nature protection and wise use of natural resources they depend on. Participants will work jointly on examining the law and practise to foster  wiser planning, better protection of nature and sustainable use of natural resources.

The seminar starts with the Environment Minister’s address and then covers linked areas:

The first session looks at Nature protection and the public’s role in that regard. Legislation and practise, especially enforcement are examined. Best practise examples will be collected.

The second session covers the relatively new SEA process and how nature protection is handled at strategic level.

The third session is seeking to contribute to the forthcoming E. Commission evaluation of the EIA Directive. (2009 Commission report available)  We are asking: What input can we give, what improvements do we want to ask for and why? Are we in favour of a revision of the directive or can we make progress with better guidance documents and better monitoring? Focus is on better nature protection

The fourth session deals with the Aarhus Convention and other mechanisms for public participation in environmental matters from international to level.

Contacts: Ireland

Karin Dubsky Coastwatch, Civil Eng, TCD Dublin 2 kdub...@coastwatch.org , m ++ 353 (0) 86 8111 684

Contact Brussels

Regina Schneider EEB regi...@eeb.org T ++32 2 289 10 95; Fax: ++32 2 289 10 99

There are no conference fees but registration is essential

For those from Ireland please register with Coastwatch. From abroad, please register with the EEB. Registration forms from either of the above

Programme Fri 26^th Feb 2010

9:00 am Registration Conf. Room EP – enter from Molesworth Street at Dawson Street corner

9.25 am Welcome Eddie Mc Veigh, Head of Political Section, EC representation Ireland

9.30 am Address John Gormley TD, Minister for the Environment and Local Government

9.45 Session I: Implementation and Enforcement of Habitats and Birds Directive

Chair and introduction: The importance of good enforcement, the tools we have to improve it

John Hontelez, Secretary General, EEB

Prevent or halt damage of a protected habitat; with reference to public participation and access to justice.

• Some Irish examples. Karin Dubsky, national coordinator Coastwatch and William Walsh ACEO ERFB
• The right of access to justice for Nature in other countries tbc

Discussion

11.00 am – Coffee Break

11.20 Session II: Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA) and Nature Protection

Strategic Environmental Assessment – a Mechanism for Mainstreaming Environmental Considerations Dr. Micheál Lehane Programme Manager  Office of Environmental Assessment, EPA , Tadhg O’Mahony Senior Scientific Officer SEA Section OEA, EPA.
Learning from the recent cross-border SEA for Lough Foyle tbc

Discussion

12.45.pm Lunch Break

2.00 pm Session III Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive

“Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive – Room for Improvement?”

Aine Ryall, Faculty of Law, University College Cork

• Case study: Evaluation of an Irish road EIA and changes needed – Tim Ryan, An Taisce
• EIA and Compensatory measures with special reference to habitat banking – Dr Patrick Buck Assistant CEO, South Western Regional Fisheries Board

Discussion

3.20 pm  Coffee

3.35 pm Session IV: The Aarhus Convention and related issues

Chair: Michael Ewing, Coordinator IEN and Environment Pillar

• Access to Justice – what are the chances to get it? John Hontelez, Sec. General, EEB

• Implementation of the Aarhus Convention, EEB Survey of 2007 – up-date and planned activities Mara Silina, Public Participation Campaign Coordinator, EEB

• Existing compliance mechanisms in UNECE – Aarhus, Espoo and Water and Health protocol –an overview and comparison of the 3 mechanisms. Magdalena Bar, Vice-President, Centrum Prawa Ekologicznego/Environmental Law Center

4.45 Close of public seminar – Karin Dubsky, Coastwatch

(Room is cleared as EEB law group stay on for follow up meeting)