UN Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki-moon participated in a forum held in Denmark on global economic development. Addressing the participants in the forum the UN head said that the old economic model did not work and the new model, based on a fair distribution of resources and environmental protection, opened huge perspectives.

The Head of the UN stressed that the agenda for sustainable development provided a compelling model to guarantee flourishing of the planet under multiple pressures: including those related to climate change, loss of biological diversity, desertification and pollution.

Ban Ki-moon reminded of the forthcoming high-level conference on Sustainable Development in Brazil and underlined that namely at it the international community must develop an accurate understanding of the need for more rapid movement towards a sustainable, equitable and inclusive economy. The Green economy was not luxury, but a winning policy for all and its time already, he added.

Source: UN

The European Commission presented a draft reform of the Common Agricultural Policy for the period beyond 2013. The objective is the agriculture in Europe as a whole to become more competitive and more stable, in order to ensure a healthy and quality food for citizens as well as to protect the environment and to develop rural areas. The event was attended by scientists and consultants, agricultural associations, business and administration, representatives of the Coalition for Sustainable Development.

Agriculture must be able to withstand climate changes and meet the expectations of people, said the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Mr. Dacian Ciolos. Additional investments for research and innovation are envisaged. The Commission suggests doubling of the budget for research and innovation in agriculture and creating conditions suitable for realization of research results into practice through a new partnership for innovations.

Among the ten main points in the reform are the "green" payments for a long-term productivity and conservation of ecosystems. To increase the environmental sustainability of agriculture and encourage the efforts of farmers, the Commission wants 30% of direct payments be directed to practices enabling an optimal use of natural resources.

Inspection of the Crisis Staff Zlatitsa composed of activists and volunteers of NGOs of the Coalition for Sustainable Development found 40 freshly felled beech trees near Svishti Plaz chalet near Zlatitsa. This is another brute poaching found by citizens at the foot of Stara Planina in the complete absence of control and retribution on part of the local authorities and the state supervisory authority. The Crisis Staff demanded from Zlatitsa Municipality, EFA, MoEW and the Interior Ministry a full investigation, public disclosure of results and punishment for the guilty.

According to eco-activist, the European values proclaimed by the Bulgarian authorities - protection of habitats in protected areas, development of European environmental network Natura and combating climate changes are inconsistent and discordant with the complete indifference they show towards the destroyer of biodiversity provided that for its bad ecological practices our country receives European subsidies for third consecutive year, which sank in the bureaucracy of the administration.

The civic activity of local communities and the interest groups of influence - pensioners, children and students, disadvantaged people - is only in line with the global initiatives of the UN and the European Environment Agency for forestation, combating desertification, reducing the impact of human activity on environmental components. There are still not understanding, support and motivation for the authentic conservation activities of citizens on the part of the Bulgarian public administration.

Volunteers and activists members of the Crisis Staff - Zlatitsa climbed the Balkan Mountains - Area "Shipkas” – the water supply area of the city in order to carry out their traditional activities of civil monitoring on the environmental conformity of the geological explorations of Geotechmin Co. Recently, at a Zlatitsa Municipal Council session, the local communities of Pirdop and Zlatitsa protested against geological explorations. The citizens presented a civil petition that they object any geological exploration above Zlatitsa which could compromise drinking water and are dangerous to health . Following the reaction of citizens, the company – operator moved the drilling equipment out of the site, pending the decisions of the public authorities on the case.

The results of the monitoring of the Civil Crisis Staff - Zlatitsa show that the holes on the place where the drilling machine was mounted are plugged with available materials, such as a working cami-knicks. Deep white colored water still ran from and flows into the gully that is connected to the drinking water supply pipe. Samples have taken and they are expected to be submitted to the state supervisory authority such as the MoH and MAF with the view to detect heavy metals in it - arsenic, lead, zinc, cadmium, copper and others. Next to the place of the probe, on an illegal dump below Svishti plaz hut eco- activists found a discarded plastic container designed to collect the sludge from the probe, along with the sludge in it.

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At its establishing procedure Burgas Public Council got together representatives of business, NGOs and local administration in the Meeting Hall of Hotel "Bulgaria". A public lecture was delivered by Mr. Doncho Ivanov, Chairman of the Coalition for Sustainable Development. Mr. Pavel Marinov, lawyer, President of the Institute for Regional Strategies was elected as coordinator of the structure The new formation is an open structure which in accordance of the requirements of Local Agenda 21, Millennium Goals of the UN and the Sustainable Development Strategy of the EU will participate in the formation of policies of Bourgas Municipality through opinions and expertise­ of interested groups of influence in the community. Civil monitoring and control over policies are the next phases of the activity of the newly established Public Council.

At capital hotel "Hilton" a conference on sustainable development was opened with the participation of representatives of the international scientific community, business and government, to discuss the future of Bulgaria in the context of the European policy for sustainable development, buildings and urban development, facility management and sustainable technologies. At the forum presentations were made by Mrs. Kristalina Georgieva, Minister Tomislav Donchev, banker Mrs. Tsvetelina Georgieva, internationally recognized speakers. On Behalf of the associations and foundations of the Coalition for Sustainable Development Mrs Galina Ivanova, president of the Civic Committee – Chelopech forum, submitted to Commissioner Georgieva a civil petition on the compromised urban environment in Chelopech as a result of the mining activities in the region

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Uncle Stoil the fur-dresser in Zlatitsa held an open lesson in furriery, passing the refinements of the craft to students and youths from Srednogorie Region. The event is part of the project "Living Heritage” of For a Better Life Civil Association with Mrs. Petya Cholakova as President and funded by Workshop for Civic Initiatives Foundation.­

The subsequent classes of the children from Zlatitsa, Pirdop, Chelopech and Mirkovo will be with a blacksmith master and a master of dairy farm - traditional activities for the small settlements in Srednogorie Region., the most active and enlightened of the Bulgarian lands during the past century.

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The policies of the ­Local Agenda 21, Millennium Goals and Strategies for Sustainable Development of the UN and EU were discussed at a national conference organized by the Coalition for Sustainable Development in Zlatitsa under the motto "Soc­iety, Economy, Environment ". Participants in the event were representatives of the academic circles, environmental civic associations and foundations from all over the country, civic committees from Srednogorie region seeking dialogue with the authorities and businesses for a better quality of life.

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­Civic committees in Srednogorie Region supported by the Coalition for sustainable development and environmental organizations all over the country demonstrated with 50 activists and volunteers in front of the gates of the mining company "Chelopech Mining" EAD and ­­the copper producing factory "Aurubis" AD - Pirdop. With a petition signed by many representatives of the local communities and eco-activists, they demanded from the industrial giants to implement good business practice to the environment, urban environment, and public health, to reduce the harmful effects and to compensate nature and people.

­The workshop of the non-governmental environmental organization Coalition for Sustainable Development began with the delivery of petitions to the industrial giants in the region of Srednogorie appealing for dialogue with the local communities. It continued with national NGO - conference "Society, economy, environment" and ended with a happening on Bakadzhik hill - boiled mutton, songs, dances and cheerful people. The organizers presented the annual awards for active volunteer efforts in protecting environment. Over 1,200 people- delegates, guests, volunteers and activists of non-governmental environmental organizations of the region of Srednogorie and the whole country supported the introduction in Bulgaria of the Millennium Development Goals and Local Agenda 21 of the UN as well as the Sustainable Development Strategy of the European Union, sang the National Anthem, “My beautiful forest”, "Ode to Joy" and chanted: " El pueblo unido, jamás será vencido”

At a me­eting the Supreme Environmental Expert Council with the Ministry of Environment and Water, chaired by the Deputy Minister .- Mrs. Evdokia Maneva considered and approved reports on environmental impact of three investors - Margemin Ltd. Road Infrastructure Agency and Agropolychim AD. On behalf of the NGOs the meeting was attended by Mr. Doncho Ivanov, Chairman of Harmony Civil Association and the environmental NGO - Coalition for Sustainable Development.

The Council approved the implementation of an investment proposal for "Production of construction materials from Pirinka deposit in the territory of Ilindentsi Village, Strumyani Municipality, Blagoevgrad region and Margemin Ltd as investor. The investment proposal provides for extraction and processing of 80 000 or 144 000 cub. m sand and gravel per year.

The deposit is located about 1 km north of Strumyani Village, 2 km southeast of Dolna Gradeshnitsa Village and about 2.5 km west of Ilindentsi Village, Blagoevgrad Region.

­­In Chelopech the wall of the facility on which the wastes flow to the tailings pond has cracked and hazardous mining waste containing natural sulfuric acid, arsenic and heavy metals have been directly discharged for hours in the dam "Kachulka". The dam is commonly used for recreation and fishing, furthermore the livestock from villages all around go there for watering - cows, horses, sheep. Nearby there's Inn, buildings for breeding goats and other domestic animals. The local residents are seized by anxiety, worry and fear, as neither the municipal administration, nor the management of the mine owned by Ch­elopech Mining EAD, the EEA, the RIPPH or the Civil Defense, have informed them about the accident and how to protect their life and health. Activists of a local civic committee fighting for social responsibility of the strategic investors in the region informed the Coalition for Sustainable Development that such accidents happened not for the first time this year. They insist the Municipal Council - Chelopech at its forthcoming session on September 19 to take measures against the Canadian company polluting water of the village, but they doubt that this could happen because all members of the Municipal Council are employees of mining company, or external providers of services to the company. Also the Supreme Environmental Expert Council of the Ministry of Environment

­­­MEMORANDUM OF COOPERATION was signed between the civil networks Movement for National Unity and Salvation (MNUS)  and  Coalition for Sustainable Development (CSD). Taking into account  the increasingly important role of the civil sector  in formulating policies in the modern civil society and convinced  that the solidarity among the civil organizations and their active role in protecting  rights and interests of citizens will contribute to a more rapid creation of self-governing communities under the rule of law, the two organizations joined the efforts of  more than 100 NGOs and over 10 thousand members and volunteers. This was done  during a roundtable of  the third sector for good governance by European standards with the help of the Europe 2011 on Metropolitan Municipality.

Forum devoted to the economic responsibility of mineral - raw materials industry was held in Grand Hotel Sofia in the capital. The chief editor of Pari Newspaper Mrs. Lilia Apostolova opened the discussion that was held in the presence of media representatives. On behalf of the MEET - Directorate “Natural resources and­ concessions” Mrs. Diana Yaneva made a review of the new legal and regulatory framework as well as the global paradigm of sustainable development, which was to create a vision of this sector through a national strategy for the development of the mining industry.

The investments in mineral-raw material industry were presented by Mr. Alex Nestor, Director of Corporate and External Relations of Dundee Precious Metals Inc., and Mr. Alexander Chobanov - Director of Assarel Medet AD.

Presentations on effective use of natural resources in Bulgaria were made by Dr. Nikolai Hristov,

Civic committees from Yambol and Stara Zagora will organize a protest march against the inadequate projects and procedures carried out by local authorities and the central ecological administration on waste management in Bulgaria, The projects are financed with European taxpayers money and that’s why the organizers intend to hand a protest petitions to the representative of the European Commission Mr. Kars Rasmussen. The motorcades of the protesters will gather on Eani square in the town of Hissar, near Hissar Spa Hotel. In this hotel the Monitoring Committee of Operational Programme Environment / OPE / will held a meeting on June 10, 2011 at 9.00 a.m.. under the chairmanship of Deputy Minister of Environment and Water, Mrs. Ivelina Vasileva.

The Civic Committees criticize the development project on building up of regional centers for waste management in Yambol and Stara Zagora under OPE