National Implementation Team (NIT) discussed progress of developing national environmental indicators and the State of the Environment Report (SOER) in the Republic of Moldova.  National SOER is planned to be delivered in early June next year by the Environmental Agency of Moldova with the support of NIT.

The  meeting involved 35 key stakeholders representatives of authorities, environmental experts and civil society, and explored the ways to streamline the process of environmental assessment and reporting at national level.

Meeting results:

1.  Shared progress on implementation of the Shared Environmental Information System, the UNECE’s Environmental indicator catalogue for the Eastern partnership and the list of  indicator already produced in Moldova on water and biodiversity;

2. Identified relevant institutions responsible for evaluation of environmental indicators and actions to ensure an efficient institutional cooperation;

3. Presented  tools and methodology for indicator production (indicator sheets based on UNECE available guidelines, translated and adjusted to the national context);

4.  Shared  SOER development stages, content and approval of the preliminary structure.

Participants raised a number of questions on the need to ensure convergence and alignment of the  proposed indicators with other indicators that are produced in line with other programmes, such as Green Growth catalogue of indicators to avoid confusion and reduce burden on data reporting. The meeting embarked on discussions about the linkages between the different reporting obligations and related national legislation that require to be carefully examined to maximize synergies. The importance of the information chain was pointed out as well as capacity to  use  relevant data and information sources including earth observation, usage of the national infrastructure for geo-spatial data, expert knowledge, and stories which would give comprehensive additional information for indicator-based assessments.

The Secretary of State in the field of environment and natural resources, noted that the National Report on the State of Environment based on indicators is crucial for measuring the progress of the implementation of environmental policies, but also for preventing or being able to respond in time to environmental issues.

Thus, in the next immediate period, by the end of November 2019,  the institutions responsible for presenting the data and environmental indicators evaluation will deliver to Environmental Agency the evaluation and specification sheets for each environmental indicator, assisted by ENI SEIS II East NFPs and national assistant.  

Press coverage of the event in the Republic of Moldova: the Ministry of Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment | Facebook of the Ministry | the Environmental Agency of the Republic of Moldova | Facebook of the Agency