A new report documenting the impact of the projects funded by the Slovak environmental NGO fund of the EEA and Norway Grants was published on 7 October 2010. The report, developed by fund intermediary Nadacia Ekopolis, provides detailed descriptions of all the supported projects, and documents their achievements and results.
In Slovakia, environmental NGOs often face difficulties due to limited financial resources. For that reason, the support from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway has been a very welcome and sought after source of funding for environmental NGOs, and imperative for the successful implementation of their projects, the report says.
In total, 34 NGO projects in the field of environmental protection and sustainable development were awarded grants. The focus of the supported projects includes energy safety, energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources, waste management, food safety, protection of endangered species, habitats and biodiversity, promoting bicycling as an environmentally friendly means of transportation, and environmental education and awareness-raising.
The projects have had a number of tangible results, benefiting both the environment and local residents:
- waste separation schemes have been introduced at 36 schools in the Liptovsky Mikulas region;
- illegally deposited waste has been removed from Slovakian nature reserves;
- 50,000 trees have been planted in the Dunajske Iuhy region in order to protect threatened forest biotopes;
- a solar system has been installed at a hospice in Palarikovo;
- healthy school gardens have been built in several villages;
- bike trails have been built in several Slovak towns;
- the running of an animal rescue station has been professionalised; and
- 200 containers for separated waste collection have been distributed in the Liptovsky Mikulas town.
In addition to the results of the individual projects, the report also notes the increased capacity of environmental NGOs to take part in public debate, propose and carry out innovative approaches to environmental issues, and develop partnerships with entities from other sectors.
Click here to download the report.
Photo: With support from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, the organisation Friends of the Earth has taught more than 600 school children in Eastern Slovakia how to recycle. Photo archive of the Ekopolis Foundation.