Ex-Ante Evaluation and Development Strategy

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2.6 Environment

2.6.4 Summary

The main challenges the BMW Region now faces in terms of protecting the environment and supporting biodiversity are (a) arresting and reversing the deterioration in the quality of rivers and lakes due to excessive inputs of nutrients; (b) better management of and reducing solid waste; (c) protecting the urban environment from degradation due to population, transport and other factors; (d) protecting the countryside, coastal and marine areas, and their flora and fauna; (e) protecting and maintaining environmentally sensitive areas; (f) supporting the achievement of national commitments in respect of greenhouse gasses and other emissions; and (g) managing land use strategically.

To address these challenges, the protection and improvement of the environment, incorporating both EU policies and National policies in relation to sustainable development, will be integrated into the implementation of the Operational Programme for the BMW Region, in particular through institutional arrangements, the use of environmental criteria in project selection criteria and the implementation of project level EIA’s, where appropriate.

In accordance with Article 18.2(a) and 41.2, the expected impacts on the environment of the Priorities of the Programme are set out in the individual chapters dealing with the various Priorities.

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