A further 214 billion HUF for environmental protection 6 November 2007
Most urgent tasks, among others, include reducing environmental risks and creating healthy living conditions. The new environmental protection tender package wishes to provide solutions to these problems. The 32 calls representing 214 billion HUF in value and announced on 6 November support the implementation of environmental protection investments.
The country’s flood security and environmental state will visibly improve in the upcoming seven years. Thanks to investments in flood protection, the proportion of the population threatened by flooding will decrease from the current 2/3 ratio to a 1/3 ratio. The purity of our surface waters will considerably improve. A sewer network will ensure modern wastewater treatment in all settlements with a population of over 2000 residents. 2/3 of out-of-date waste dumps will be closed, which will result in the gradual restoration of the natural environment.
Climate change risks are
now well evident for everyone. Climate change in Hungary is accompanied by gradual
rise in temperatures, reduction of precipitation and increasingly frequent
extreme weather patterns. This is why it is vital to reduce the impacts of
floods, excess surface waters and droughts. The calls targeting flood
protection, complex water protection and water base protection that have just
been announced provide help for achieving this. In addition, it will also be
possible to implement solid waste treatment systems in settlements and
eliminate environmental damages in polluted areas. The call for applications
targeting the development of forest schools supports the shaping of
environmentally conscious behaviour. EU funding of 167 billion HUF complements
these developments.
Regional programmes provide means for implementing investments in environmental protection for the very first time. The 23 calls for applications representing approximately 47 billion HU in value support the implementation of local projects in areas where residents cannot be connected to major regional or national networks. Measures focus on flood protection and land drainage, wastewater treatment in settlements with a population of less than 2000 residents, as well as re-cultivation of dumps sites in settlements and developing drainage systems in settlements. Beyond these, calls for applications announced in the Central Hungary Region also ensure funding for the protection of natural values, development of the forest school network, as well as increasing the use of renewable energy resources.
State and non-profit organisation working in the area of environmental protection, as well as local governments are primarily the beneficiaries of the calls for applications that have just been launched.
The next quality of life package will be launched within the framework of the New Hungary Development Plan in the first quarter of 2008. The following calls of the Environment and Energy Operational Programme representing funding to the value of 13 billion HUF focus on tasks in connection with building infrastructure underpinning landscape management, the development of the monitoring system in connection with the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive, ensuring the safety of drinking water, construction of bio-ethanol plants, as well as tasks in connection with the assurance and development of a sustainable lifestyle. Funding of 20 billion HUF has been allocated for calls to be published in spring supporting one-off small-scale development in regions. .
In addition to calls for applications, investments in environmental protection will also be implemented in the form of priority projects within the framework of the regional programmes. During the 2007-2008 period, major projects are eligible to receive a share of funding of 70 billion HUF in the seven regions. The government has already made decisions concerning funding of over 10 billion HUF in value in July.