Slovenian Council for Environmental Protection (CEPRS)

Svet za varstvo okolja Republike Slovenije

Svet za varstvo okolja Republike Slovenije (CEPRS) Slovenska 56 SL-1000 Ljubljana Slovenia Tel. +386 1 430 60 70 Fax +386 1 430 60 75 svo@svo-rs.si www.gov.si/svo

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Current an Future Activities

Present and Future Priority Fields

• Long distance learning on environmental issues;
• Assessment of the implementation of measures in cross-cutting areas of the three global conventions (Convention on Climate Change, Convention on Biological Diversity, Convention to Combat Desertification and Land Degradation);
• State Development Plan 2007 – 2013;
• Problems and perspectives of water management in Slovenia;
• Possible solutions for implementation of 3 x 20 % EU policy in Slovenia (20% less emissions of GHG, 20 % more efficient use of energy and raising the renewable energy to near 20 % of primary energy); 
• Land use conflicts between soil sealing and agriculture; 
• Environment and Sustainable Development of Slovenia (SD strategy); 
• Waste management;
• Polluted areas in Slovenia and human health;
• Environmental education and science;

Consideration of legislation related to environmental protection and sustainable development:

• Law on the Triglav national park;
• Law Amending the Law on protection against ionizing radiation and nuclear safety; 
• Act on Climate change;
• Law amending the Law on the protection of the environment;
• Law amending the Law on management of genitically modified organisms;

Other activities:

• Cooperation with the EEAC;
• Cooperation with NGOs
• Participation on the 'Student arena 2009'; 
• Partnership in the International Summer School 2009 'Environmental and resource management'; 
• Participation in the meetings of working bodies of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia;
• Participation at the 17th EEAC Annual Conference 'Sustainable infrastructure for Europe': Council member Dr. Peter Novak chairs the workshop 'Energy Infrastructure'. 

Background and Mission

Establishment

The Council for Environmental Protection of the Republic of Slovenia was founded on 30 November 1993 by the National Assembly in accordance with the 90th article of the Law on Environmental Protection.

Mission

The CEPRS monitors the quality and the protection of the environment in Slovenia, assures the connection and inclusion of Slovenia in global environmental actions elsewhere, and influence the events in Slovenia through its statements, recommendations and suggestions.

Council Members

The CEPRS has eleven Council Members who are elected by the Parliament on the advice of the Universities, Academies, NGOs, Professional Associations, and Political Parties.

Chair Franc Lobnik	Environmental and Resource Management
Vice-chair Dr. Vida Hudnik	Applied Chemistry, Physics
Niko Jurca	Spatial Planning
Prof. Dr. Avgustin Lah	Member of the Secretariat. Geography, Sociology and Human Resources
Prof. Dr. Janez Marušič	Landscape Architecture
Prof. Dr. Dušan Mlinšek	Forestry
Prof. Dr. Peter Novak	Member of the Secretariat. Sustainable resource management, traffic and global changes
Prof. Dr. Vilibald Premzl	Member of the Secretariat. Architecture and urban planning
Dr. Janez Sušnik	Nuclear energy and radioactive waste material
Prof. Dr. Mihael Tomšič	Sustainable use of energy

The Council has a five-member executive committee which is responsible to accomplish all resolutions, decisions and conclusions adopted on Council meetings.

Staff Members

There is currently around one staff. The CEPRS has an independent full-time secretariat. The Council has standing orders, office space, and other amenities that enable intensive work on the aforementioned issues.

Work style

Tasks of the Council

According to the 91st article of the Law on Environmental Protection the Council should:

• monitor the quality and the protection of the environment in Slovenia;
• assure the connection and inclusion of Slovenia in global environmental actions elsewhere and
• influence the events in Slovenia through its statements, recommendations and suggestions.

The primary role of the Council is to contribute to policy development in the longer term by providing an authoritative factual basis for policy making and debate, and by setting new policy agendas and priorities. This requires consideration of the economic, ethical and social aspects of an issue as well as the scientific and technological aspects.

It gives advice on matters, both national and international, concerning the pollution of the environment; on the adequacy of research in this field; and the future possibilities of danger to the environment. Within this remit the Council has freedom to consider and advise on any matter it chooses. The members of the Council are experts and researchers in various fields of science, which enables comprehensive estimations of phenomena and conditions of the environment from the viewpoint of protection of national natural wealth and its sustainable management.

The public must be informed about the estimations of environmental conditions, national environmental policies, reconciliation of Slovenia's developmental interests with environmental protection, environmental regulations, and other issues that are connected with environmental protection.

Type of Advice

The CEPRS operates professionally and independently; it is neither a governmental nor an executive agency, but it can lead discussions with these agencies or project councils and other institutions. It expects constructive co-operation from everybody involved in environmental issues. The views and evaluations given by the Council can only be of a professional nature; political evaluations and decisions are the responsibility of the Parliament, Government and other political bodies.

The Council always invites different experts and non-governmental representatives from the fields that are placed on the agenda to attend its meetings and contribute to discussions. It wants to allow easy public access to information. The statements, opinions and recommendations of the Council are intended for anybody who is personally or professionally responsible for environmental conditions or is affected by them.

The Council's advice is mainly the outcome of CEPRS meetings in the form of advice (CEPRS meetings or participation on the Parliament commissions meetings), reports and publications.

Occasional news releases are issued on matters the Council considers of special importance or which arise out of its meetings and studies.

Working Groups

The following Working Groups are currently active:

• Polluted areas in Slovenia (May);
• Long distance learning on environmental issues (June);
• Environment and sustainable development of Slovenia (SD Strategy, (September);
• Waste management (October).

Activities in the EEAC network

The CEPRS joined EEAC in 2001. 

It is an active member of the Working Group Energy and an observer to the Working Group Agriculture. 

Through 2003 and 2004 Prof. Franc Lobnik chaired the EEAC Steering Committee. 

The CEPRS hosted a special meeting of the EEAC Steering Committee, Councils and other actors from accession countries in October  2000 in Bled, Slovenia.

List of Selected Publications

• Development of an environmental kind of products and services with higher added value (June 2008);
• Bridging the gap conference, 'From words to deeds' (May 2008);
• Possible solutions for implementation of 3 x 20 % EU policy in Slovenia (June 2007);
• Problems and perspectives of water management in Slovenia (March 2007);
• Advice on Assessment of Implementation of the Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Convention on Biological Diversity and UN Convention to Combat Desertification and Land Degradation in Slovenia (January 2006);
• National Environmental Program, (January 2005);
• Proposal on modification on Spatial Planning Legislation (January 2005);
• Statement and proposals about Possible Sites for the Low and Intermediate Low Radioactive Waste Repository(January 2005);
• Others: Collection Usklajeno in Sonaravno:
•  1. Nature and Environment (1998);
•  2. Water - rivers and lakes (1998);
•  3. Towns and Urbanization (1999);
•  4. Health and Environment (2000);
•  5. Energy and Environment (2000);
•  6. Tourism and Environment (2001);
•  7. Traffic and Environment (2002);
•  8. Environmental Phenomena and Concepts (2002);
•  9. Environmental Education for Better Tomorrow (2002);
• 10. Slovenian Alps and Alpine Convention (2003);
• 11. Sustainable Development of Slovenia (2004).

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Last updated: 10 June 2009