Georgia joins UN’s zero waste initiative
Solomon Pavliashvili, the Deputy Minister of Environment of Georgia, on Thursday joined an event in the United Nations General Assembly Hall that marked the first-ever International Day of Zero Waste. Photo: Ministry of Environmental Protection
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Solomon Pavliashvili, the Deputy Minister of Environment of Georgia, on Thursday joined an event in the United Nations General Assembly Hall that marked the first-ever International Day of Zero Waste, in support of the initiative on behalf of Georgia.
The Georgian Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture cited Pavliashvili as saying the implementation of the zero waste approach was “one of the main priorities for the development of the circular economy” in the country.
By supporting the zero waste initiative, our country joins the international community's statement to more actively deal with the triple crisis of the planet - loss of biodiversity, climate change and pollution. The zero-waste approach creates a new opportunity for the business to support the introduction of zero-waste and circular production", he said.
Pavliashvili also spoke about the need for joint programmes and projects to implement zero-waste production, with the parties at the meeting agreeing on a "specific action plan”, the Ministry said. The Georgian official also said her country would be an “active participant” in the work.
The General Assembly passed the resolution on the declaration of March 30 as International Day of Zero Waste in December, with the motion proposed by Turkey and supported by 105 countries.
Illegal forest felling, waste management violations and breaches of laws on minerals were among environmental infringements identified by state supervision across Georgia over the past year, the Environmental Protection Ministry said on Friday.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has allocated €19 million for better waste management and disposal in western Georgia’s Black Sea region of Adjara, the Bank said on Monday.
Improving hazardous and plastic waste management are among four new strategic objectives of the 2016-2030 National Waste Management Strategy and Action Plan, the Environment Ministry announced on Monday.
Several members of parliament have initiated amendments to the code of waste management, according to which the individuals who deliberately burn municipal waste, including leaves, garden/park waste, domestic waste in the open air or inside an inappropriate burning device, will be fined by 500 GEL ($178).
Strengthening the cooperation within the framework of the European Union’s Eastern Partnership was discussed on Friday in Brussels in a meeting involving the Georgian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Teimuraz Janjalia and representatives of the European External Action Service, the European Commission and the countries of the Eastern Partnership.
The Ministry of Agriculture of Georgia on Wednesday said authorities were working to prepare a national guide for transition to the circular economy - a model of production and consumption which involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products as long as possible.