Second Environmental Performance Review of Albania

Chapter 3: Information, public participation and education39One of the problems affecting the quality, format andtimeliness of data delivered is the fragmentation ofthe monitoring process. The various institutionscarrying out monitoring activities as NRCs deliverthe data to EFA or directly to EEA but, due to limitedcontractual arrangements, do not feel responsible forensuring further data verification and validation, ordo not have the time to do so. In practice, theseannual contracts affect the continuity of data deliveryand quality of data delivered, and hamper majorprogress in building capacity within the responsiblenational specialist institutions.Under various EU funding instruments (PHARE,CARDS, and, currently, IPA), EIONET Albania hasbeen invited to attend regular thematic workshopsand training sessions organized annually by EEA toupdate its knowledge and broaden its expertise.Albania’s overall participation over recent years issummarized in table 3.2 and figure 3.1 presents abreakdown of this participation by topic.If MoEFWA and EIONET Albania make moretargeted demands according to their specific needs inthe area of data processing and validation, andincrease their participation in EEA/ETC thematicevents (Figure 3.1), it will assist in steering and betterfocusing the support EEA will continue to provide inthe future.A first emission inventory compliant withCORINAIR (Core Inventory Air Emissions) wascompleted under the StEMA project in 2007, alongwith a preliminary emission inventory for water.Under the CEMSA project these inventories areexpected to be updated and extended, although thereare severe data collection issues to be dealt with. Theengagement of MoEFWA is essential in overcomingthese difficulties. It is planned to develop a functionalPRTR system – in which a number of pilotcompanies will be trained on reporting in compliancewith the provisions of the PRTR Protocol to theAarhus Convention and an IT system to besubsequently developed within EFA.This activity will also translate into practice theprovisions of article 31 of the 2011 Law onEnvironmental Protection which envisages that an“Environmental Pollutant Release and TransferRegister shall be administered by EFA. Furthermoreeach operator of activities shall record, update andreport annually on the implementation of this articleto the Environment and Forest Agency”.Another example of increased quality and validationof data collected is represented by the legalarrangements covering Albania’s transboundarylakes, Ohrid, Prespa and Skhodra. All are monitoredby all riparian countries with modern equipment,assisted by a large number of projects and initiatives.Where transboundary environmental factors aremeasured according to the requirements of bilateral,regional or international agreements, validation of thedata collected is complemented by an additional levelof control by the specialized bodies supporting sucharrangements.An additional line of cooperation enhancing thequality of data collected will be the involvement ofNGOs and the local population using localknowledge and expertise or project results. There is asubstantial amount of expertise scattered throughoutthe community which is not sufficiently used or issimply overlooked at present. With localcommunities gaining an increasing role in themanagement of resources (such as forests as a resultof restitution), it is expected that their role invalidating or adding additional information totraditional measurement practices will not beneglected.3.2 Data reporting and analysis, reliability ofdata and use of environmental indicatorsInformation flowsAn environmental information management system(EIMS) still does not exist in Albania. In legal terms,the purpose, structure and functioning of the systemis extensively developed in article 44 of the 2011Law on Environmental Protection. EFA is the bodyresponsible for administering the EIMS and it is theobligation of all public authorities to cooperate withEFA for the proper functioning of the system.The Law also states that all tools, methodology andprocedures for the exchange of information as thebasis for the proper functioning of the system shall beendorsed by the Government, probably throughsecondary legislation. Another important provisionrelates to the content of the EIMS, which must coverdata and information on environmental status,pressures, environmental impacts and publicresponses – in fact the entire DPSIR chain.For data on forestry and protected areas, a project isin place to support the creation of a dedicateddatabase with a GIS interface. For air and water, twodatabases are already developed and are currently ina fine-tuning phase. It is expected that an integrateddatabase also including soil and biodiversity will bebuilt by the end of the CEMSA project.