Environment Group

Minutes of the Annual Meeting of the North Sea Commission Environment Group held at Varberg, Halland, Sweden, October 5, 2001

Present:

1. Opening of meeting.
The chair welcomed all participants. She noted that, like in 1999 and 2000, the NSCEG AGM had representation from all NSC countries, this time including for the first time a politician from The Netherlands.

2. Apologies
Aarhus Amt Jørgen Erik Larsen
Aberdeenshire Council Linda Mathieson
Östfold fylkeskommune Torhild Kongsness

3. Adoption of Agenda
The Agenda was adopted with items 7 and 8 changing place.

4. Minutes of last meeting.
The Minutes of last meeting (Inverurie, September 22, 2000, distributed by e-mail Nov. 20, 2000) were agreed as a true record.

5. Matters arising.
No comments were made as a result of last year´s Minutes.

6. Annual Report 2000-2001.
The Annual Report, distributed with the papers for the NSCEG Conference 2001, was approved.

The co-ordinator commented that the 2001 review of the Porsgrunn Challenge, the Sustainability Questionnaire 2001, had been omitted by mistake. This was, however, covered under item 8 on the agenda.

7. Implementation of NSCEG Work Programme 2001.
The Work Programme was distributed and reports and comments were made on the items which were not covered in the Annual Report.

7.1 Sustainability indicators; Gordon S had received four examples of indicators from member regions (Fryslân, Nordjylland, Suffolk, Västra Götaland). He will add information about the work done by the Scottish Executive and then distribute the info among NSCEG members.
Action: GS

7.2 Fish stocks conference; the co-ordinator presented the report of NSC Fisheries Group co-ordinator Ann Bell from the "Conference on Predation and Technical Interactions on Fish Stocks in the North Sea – and future management" held in Ringkjöbing, Denmark, on September 13-14.

7.3 Agenda 21 network; Gordon S reported that there has still not been any initial meeting of this network. However, there are plans to introduce an Agenda 21 page on the NSC website.
Action: GS + NSC

7.4 Coastal Zone Management; Gordon S reported that a project proposal for Interreg IIIB has been developed by Highland Council.

8. Implementation of Porsgrunn Challenge, Reports and conclusions on new Sustainability Questionnaire
The report on the Sustainability Questionnaire 2001, prepared by consultant Jonathan Young, was distributed with the papers for NSCEG Conf. 2001 and presented by the co-ordinator. The meeting was invited to adopt the conclusions of the report (attached).

The report was adopted with the exception of Recommendation 11, which was re-phrased as follows: "The NSCEG should actively follow ongoing work to develop sustainability indicators for regions."

The recommendations of the report should – if possible – be incorporated in the Work Programme 2002.
Action: Per H

9. Conference 2001, evaluation
9.1 Theme + speakers;
The theme was found to be very topical and had generated good discussions in the workshops.
The speakers were found to have given entertaining and good presentations, with a particular mentioning of the introduction by Mr. Paludan.

9.2 Workshops;
Workshop A, Political Visioning, was considered very active and interesting. The meeting stressed that the contents of the concluding discussion of the conference must reach the NSC Executive Committee, for future action.
Action: GMH

Various ways of promoting an integrated view on rural development were discussed, including the arranging of a specific conference on this theme – or to have rural development as a theme for a General Assembly.

One important aspect should be NSC´s possibilities of influencing the revision of the EU Common Agricultural Policy.

The other four workshops were well attended and resulted in a lively exchange of experience and project ideas – discussions which were taken further in smaller groups the next day, when special time had been set aside "for groups & information networks".

(For further info on workshops and the concluding discussion, see Conference Report 2001 on the NSC website.)

9.3 Arrangements;
The arrangements were found to be excellent, including the dinners with study visits.

10. Projects - reports & new ideas, applications for Interreg IIIB.
Lars Haukvik informed that the Green Purchasing project will have an Interreg IIIB application ready for next summer. Västra Götaland is lead partner and nine interested partners will be invited to an initial meeting in early 2002, probably in Göteborg.

Hans v Meerendonk presented two new project ideas: Colchester, England, wants to develop its harbour. Van Hall Institute in Fryslân wants to work on separation of sewage.

Bjarne Färjhage presented ideas for reduction of pollution from shipping.

Graham King presented ideas for restoration of agricultural landscapes, leaving roadsides aside.

11. NSCEG Work Programme 2002.
The co-ordinator will prepare a Work Programme based on decisions and discussions at the Annual Meeting. The PWG will decide on the Work Programme. It should be drafted to facilitate future Annual Reports and monitoring of achievements.

It should include a.o. NSC observership at the 5th North Sea Conference for Environmental Ministers in March in Bergen, Norway.

12. Annual Meeting + Conference 2002.
12.1 Host; Jo B conveyed an informal invitation from Euregio Scheldemond to host the next conference. This offer was welcomed by the meeting. The invitation would be made formal shortly.

12.2 Time; September – October was preferred. Care should be taken not to coincide with the CPMR General Assembly.

12.3 Theme(s); Alternatives such as "Climate Change" and "Energy" remain interesting from earlier discussions. Jo B pointed out the importance of choosing a theme which would engage the hosting region. The meeting agreed that finding the right theme will be a process for the host to suggest 3-4 themes and for the PWG to decide.
Action: JB + PWG

12.4 Arrangements; The co-ordinator presented a proposal from Mr. Budde of Niedersachsen and member of (former) Interreg IIC Steering Committee: arrange a meeting for presentation and exchange of experience for new Interreg IIIB projects in connection with the NSCEG Conference 2002. Advantages would be to attract lots of participants active in projects – as well as representatives from the various organs of the EU. This could possibly be financed with Technical Assistance funds from the Interreg secretariat. The co-ordinator will investigate this proposal further.
Action: Per H

13. Reports.
12.1; NSC General Assembly: the co-ordinator distributed information about the environmental study tour undertaken at the General Assembly (available on the NSC website).

12.2 ENCORE 2001; Kristina J reported on this conference of "regional environmental ministers of Europe", held in Austria on September 26-27. Themes were "sustainable economy" and "environment & enlargement".The European Commission expressed the need for improved input from regions (via ENCORE) at an early stage in the development of EU policy and legislation.

12.3 Others;
CPMR General Assembly; Gunn Marit H reported that the three resolutions with environmental content from the NSC General Assembly 2001 (see NSC website) had all been adopted (with one slight change) by the CPMR in Portugal in September. The General Assembly had had a very high profile, with participation of both the Portuguese President and a European Commissioner.

CONSSO; Henrik J had attended this year´s meeting (preparing the 5th North Sea Conference). The co-ordinator had prepared some input from the NSC to the draft ministerial declaration for 2002. The topics of NSC resolutions had been covered also by other parties. Possible future fields where regional input is needed could be spatial planning.

The Danish government will invite Danish regions to join the national delegation to the 5NSC – now is the time for regions in other countries to put pressure on their governments to do the same! Another issue of great interest to the NSC is if there is to be any further North Sea Conferences for Environmental Ministers at all. There is now a Danish-Swedish proposal to hold a conference on spatial planning.
Action: ALL

CPMR Intercom Group on the Environment; Lars H reported from a constituting meeting of this group in Brussels on June 26. The Intercom Group needs input and more members from the NSCEG! Ideas for topics for this group to work with are being developed during the later part of 2001.

(Note: this Intercom Group has another meeting on November 16 in Brussels to discuss a.o. the European Commission´s White Paper on Governance and its implications for environmental issues.)

14. Any Other Competent Business
Jo B asked about the progress on the joint conference on Sustainable Transports. Gordon S, who along with Sverre Fosse represents the NSCEG in the "task force" preparing this conference, informed that proposals for presentations of good examples at the conference should be supplied to the task force by mid-October. A meeting on November 9th will select examples among the ones provided by then.

Minutes by
Per Hörberg
NSCEG co-ordinator
011108