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The UNEP IETC in collaboration with the Regional Environment Centre in Hungary is organizing a training programme for Eastern Europe on the application of Environmental Management System (EMS) in Urban Management. A workshop for 25 selected participants will be held from 19 - 23 March 2001 at Regional Environment Centre for Central and Eastern Europe (REC) facilities. The workshop will utilize the "Train-the Trainers" Kit that was developed in February 2001 as a result of an experts meeting in Paris in August 2000. (see Background Information that follows). EMS was designed to be an effective tool to ensure the sustainable management of the environment and development. It was first adopted by private organizations, especially by business enterprises. Then its application began to gradually spread to local authorities. In as much as local governments behave like enterprises, with a special character, and are in fact big consumers with significant and enormous effects on the local economy and human health, it is necessary that local authorities adopt EMS in order to encourage good practices among its citizens and to emulate initiative for environmental consciousness among the business enterprises in the province and in towns and cities. The planned training is structured around case studies from developed countries and countries in transition. It focuses on the exchange of experiences among trainees. In addition, each trainee will be directed towards the acquisition of know-how and skills in building environmental management capabilities in their respective local governments or countries. Training content: The training programme has been designed and formatted as a series of proactive workshops, including simulations. The important elements or components of the training include the following:
Target audience: The training targets the needs of local authorities in developing countries. A limited number of senior-to-mid level managers of municipalities will be targeted as participants. It is hoped that these municipal leaders and managers will be able to facilitate the implementation of future training events on EMS in their localities. Workshop Language: English will be the language of this IETC training programme. Financial Support: Limited financial support for travel and accommodation is available to suitably qualified applicants form within Central and Eastern European and CIS Countries - subject to needs assessment and available funds. Invitation for applications: Application forms can be requested from Midori Hatta at UNEP IETC Osaka Office, 2-110 Ryokuchi koen, Tsurumi-ku, Osaka, 538-0036 Japan, Tel:+81-6-6915-4580; Fax:+81- 6-6915-0304; E-mail: ietc@unep.or.jp Deadline for Applications: 19 February 2001 Background Information Train the Trainers Resource Kit on Environmental Management System (EMS) for Local Authorities To assist and support Local Authorities develop and implement effective an EMS, UNEP IETC have developed a "Train the Trainers" Resource Kit. To expedite this UNEP DTIE hosted an Expert Meeting EMS for Local Authorities (Paris 29/8/2000). The meeting was attended by 19 high level experts in local management representing 12 countries and they discussed the pressing need for a more systematic approach to environmental problems in cities. In particular, the experts highlighted a lack of education and training tools specifically designed to enable local authorities assess the benefits, design and implement an EMS that meets their specific needs. A growing number of local authorities are facing an increasing demand for environmental quality from their citizens. However, despite some cities adopting and successfully implementing an EMS, the number of local authorities/municipalities is still very small compared to organisations in the private sector. At the meeting it was therefore concluded that UNEP with a selected number of partners (see next below) have developed a modular "train the trainer" kit (hereafter the Kit) designed to facilitate the development and implementation of an EMS at local level. The modular Kit is built on existing work, in particular the UNEP International Environmental Technology Centre (IETC) Application of Environmental Management Systems Principles to Urban Management, the UNEP / FIDIC / International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) EMS Training Resource Kit for enterprises and the work done by ICLEI on Eco-budgeting. Through an EMS, the Kit provides a series of tools to integrate sustainable development (from day to day and more international commitments such as Local Agenda 21, Climate Change Convention and other international agreements) into the various aspects and priorities of city management . The EMS adopted by the Kit is based upon ISO 14001 requirements. For those who intend to register to this standard, the Kit contains information on how to proceed. UNEP and its project partners have developed the Kit so that it is tailored to the effective needs of local authorities and at the same time is adaptable to various cultural and political situations. The Kit is targeted at the so called change agents such as: The Kit is designed in close co-operation with its users. For this reason, UNEP organised a preliminary workshop in Heidelberg, Germany with city managers and the project partners to discuss and jointly endorse its outline and content. The Kit contains:
Project Partners UNEP
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Regional Workshop on Urban
Environmental Management: Environmental Management System (EMS) Training