No. 8E 1996
Since 1989, the Norwegian Pollution Control Authority (SFT) has carried out a series of assignments for the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) in developing countries. It has provided assistance for both project planning and assessment and institutional cooperation. SFT’s experts cooperate with experts in similar institutions abroad to build up environmental management systems. Our main partner countries are Zambia, Vietnam and the Palestinian Territories.
SFT and NORAD face considerable challenges in their efforts to promote environmental projects in developing countries. NORAD have a budget of approximately NOK 200 million a year which partially can be used to strengthen recipient countries’ ability and willingness to introduce practical environmental measures and to help the authorities of developing countries to introduce and enforce suitable regulations for existing and new industry.
In recent years, SFT has carried out a series of individual assignments for NORAD in the form of project assessment and project planning. This has brought SFT into contact with the environmental authorities of many different countries. In some countries which require the assistance that SFT can help to provide, we have offered institutional cooperation.
Several of SFT’s experts are taking part in a NORAD project to structure and strengthen environmental aid. The project is intended to develop effective routines and systems for environmental aid so that the best expertise from various Norwegian institutions, consultancy firms and commercial enterprises can be utilized in development cooperation.
Since 1995, SFT has been helping the Environmental Council of Zambia (ECZ) to regulate industrial air pollution and subsequently to develop plans for aid to combat other types of industrial pollution. This effort consists of:
ECZ will be responsible for the programme and SFT will act in an advisory capacity. The programme has an initial time-frame of three years and the total budget is approximately NOK 15 million. Preparation of the programme is nearly completed.
As part of the cooperation between Vietnam and Norway, SFT has helped to prepare a proposal for a programme of cooperation between PetroVietnam and the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate. The purpose is primarily to integrate environmental protection in all planning in the petroleum sector. Under this agreement, a separate agreement will be entered into between SFT and PetroVietnam.
PetroVietnam has the combined role of state oil company and government petroleum authority. SFT has been out in the field to find out more about the Vietnamese natural environment and the environmental data that is available. SFT has also participated in the planning of a new project that will include:
The first part of the project is already under way and work on the others will begin when the framework agreement on the cooperation programme has been signed.
On the basis of the cooperation agreement between the Norwegian Government and the Palestinian authorities, the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Administration (NVE) and the Palestinian Water Authority (PWA) have entered into an agreement concerning institutional development. The purpose of this cooperation is to enable PWA to monitor and regulate water resources in the Palestinian territories. The agreement covers a period of three-and-a-half years and the total budget is NOK 14 million. An agreement has also been signed between NVE and SFT concerning assistance from SFT in the following areas:
The project is currently at the planning stage. Our joint efforts will be based on detailed half-yearly programmes. Progress has been delayed due to the changed political situation after the Israeli election.
SFT has participated in the preparation of a proposal for an environmental agreement with Zimbabwe, with particular focus on the possibilities for cooperation in the field of pollution. The proposed programme includes institutional cooperation relating to the regulation of industrial pollution and waste treatment.
SFT has helped to prepare a plan for a cleaner production programme in Indonesia. Funding for this programme was provided as a gift from Norway during the Prime Minister’s visit to Indonesia in autumn 1995.
SFT has headed the planning of a Cleaner Production programme targeting the tanning industry in the state of Punjab in Pakistan. The assignment was a consequence of discussions between NORAD and the Pakistani authorities. The extensive tanning industry in Pakistan has led to serious water pollution and waste problems.
In Namibia SFT has participated in a project to build up a national management system to deal with maritime accidents and accidents arising from petroleum activities. An emergency plan for Namibia’s Action Committee has been prepared and SFT has assisted in oil protection exercises.
On the basis of a request from the authorities in China, SFT has participated in a feasibility study on waste treatment in Haikou, the capital of Hainan province. The purpose of the project is to develop expertise in the field of waste treatment, i.e. strategies, organisation and evaluation of the main solutions. Cooperation takes place at local government level. The feasibility study has now been completed and Norwegian consultants specialising in waste treatment will follow up the project in cooperation with their Chinese clients.
Requests from developing countries for development assistance are handled by NORAD and/or the Ministry of the Environment. Professional evaluation of the project proposals is carried out in SFT.
In cases where SFT has insufficient expertise, other institutions and consultants are asked to assess projects. Development assignments are organised as separate projects and involve people from various departments within SFT. This ensures that the assistance that is provided is based on a broad range of professional expertise.
In order to ensure that Norwegian environmental aid is effective, it is important to analyse the causes of environmental problems in individual partner countries. If environmental improvements are to be achieved, there must be a framework of institutions, laws and regulations. Most of SFT’s projects are directly related to the development of organisations and systems which can set standards, carry out pollution control measures and monitor the environmental situation. Projects normally follow an improvement strategy which is based on implementing the simplest measures first and then solving the more difficult and expensive tasks at a pace which is adapted to the planning and financial capacity of industrial enterprises.
The Norwegian State Pollution
Control Authority (SFT)
P. O. Box 8100 Dep.
0032 Oslo
Norway
Telephone: +47 22 57 34 00
The Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD)
P. O. Box 8034 Dep.
0030 Oslo
Norway
Telephone: +47 22 31 44 00
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