UNDP helps Albania tackle environmental hotspots

TIRANA, March 3 – The Albanian Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Water Administration and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) signed two projects to tackle the issue of environmental hotpots in Albania. These projects are to be implemented within a broader framework of the One UN Program.
Several studies on environmental hotspots, conducted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) conclude that they are a serious concern and immediate action is required in order to protect human health and the environment.
The National Environmental Action Plan for Albania (2002) reported that there are an estimated 3,100 tons of chemicals in the public economy sector and 1,000 tons of pesticides in the agricultural sector.
Many are obsolete stocks and represent different levels of risk for public health and the environment and need to be effectively managed.
The project “Identification and prioritization of ‘environmental hotspots in Albania”, financed by the Dutch Government with $1.3 million dollars, foresees the identification and in-depth assessment of environmental hotspots in Albania as well as the creation of a database, and capacity building for the environmental administration to further identify and monitor hotspots and plan remedial actions.
“I appreciate the contribution of the donors for the rehabilitation of this very important area for a stable economic, tourist and environmental development of the country and the creation of a database that will help eliminate hot spots from the map of Albania,” said Minister Lufter Xhuveli.
The second project on “Strengthening capacities in Western Balkan countries to mitigate environmental problems through remediation of high priority hotspots” is part of a regional program and covers nine hotspots in the Western Balkans region. The area to be rehabilitated in Albania is the Bajza railway station near Shkodra Lake where expired pesticides and industrial chemicals have been stored.
Through this joint project, the Government and UNDP aim to achieve environmentally sustainable development in Albania by integrating the principles of sustainable development into national and local policies and programs and observing the commitments of the Albanian Government within the EU accession process.
“Human development is at the center of what UNDP does in the country,” said UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative G