Vliv Národního rozvojového plánu (NDP) na soustavu Natura 2000

Potential Threats That NDP Pose For Natura 2000 in the Czech Republic

The preservation of biological diversity at the Natura 2000 sites and other specially protected areas is provided by legislation. Thus the main threats caused by the implementation of NDP to biological diversity refer to species and habitats outside the specially protected areas or the Natura 2000 sites. Abstractedly speaking.

The NDP has more then 200 pages but as concerns the environment issues it is very general or shallow. Its articulation is that it doesn't fit to the questioner (see remarks). The impact of NDP on the biodiversity and Natura 2000 is unclear (not described) in virtually all its chapters except for the Transport and Infrastructure chapter. There is no description (or very, very poor description) of negative impacts on the environment caused by the implementation of NDP. In the transport (1.3.4.1) chapter the description is very general and focused on human health, only.

Agriculture:

There is a chapter entitled as "Agriculture and countryside development " within the NDP, but of a very general nature. The strategic environmental assessment (SEA) contains a recommendation for completing an analysis of environmental aspects of agriculture development. This analysis, however, is still missing. SEA thus concluded that the main impact of agriculture to biodiversity is the use of pesticides.

Forestry:

There is no a special chapter "Forestry " in the NDP. There is a sub-chapter included in chapter 1.3.5 Environment, but only of half page and with a very general description. Nothing is mentioned about the influence of forestry development during the period of 2007-20013

Transport, infrastructure:

The strategic environmental assessment (SEA) of OP Transport (version from June 21, 2006) encompasses a recommendation on how to reduce the influence of transport and infrastructure building objects to the Natura 2000 network (according to Act No. 114/1992 Coll.). The result of this assessment is that OP Transport will not have a significant impact on the Natura 2000 network in the Czech Republic (providing the listed conditions will be fulfilled), which is basically not true. Especially the highways and motorways will have a very significant impact (Brno - Vienna, Prague -České Budějovice etc.) There is also a plan for the erection of two sluices to boost up water transport along the Elbe river. This plan contravenes heavily the principles of the Natura 2000 network.

Water:

There is no a special chapter "Water" in the NDP, but only a notion in a sub-chapter of the paragraph 1.3.5 Environment. Once again, the text covers only a half page of very general explanations. There is nothing said about the influence of water management development during the period of 2007 to 2013. In addition to the NDP there exists also the "Plan of main watersheds"(put together by Water Framework Direction) that intends the erection of at least 201 dams. 78 of them will exert a distinguished impact on the Natura 2000 network

Tourism:

The ecological principles of tourism are described by this lackadaisical sentence: "...it is necessary to maintain nature attractivity for tourists" - that is all. There are no other environmental aspects of tourism described in the NDP. There are few aspects in the SEA NDP- for example the influence of tourism onto the Natura 2000 network is obvious by the construction of new ski slopes, ski lifts and resorts.

The strategic environmental impact assessment has been prepared for the NDP by the REC ČR. This document describes the main goals in the field of environment (those that meet the biological diversity goals are underlined):

• Lower emissions that cause climate changes and air pollution
• Lower pollution of water and soil
• Lower exploitation of natural sources
• Minimized production of waste
• Preservation of biodiversity of fauna, flora and habitats
• Preservation and improvement of ecosystem functions
• Preservation and improvement of countryside functions
• Preservation and improvement of settlement conditions
• Improvement of environmentally responsible behaviour of inhabitants

The influence of NDP on biodiversity in general and on the Natura 2000 network in particular described in the NDP and also in the SEA NDP is in very poor and unrealistic terms.

Whole Assessment of new EU countries (in PDF)

Put together by Mojmir Vlasin, Veronica
(With consultations of Green Circle, Duha Movement FoE CR, Bankwatch CR)

Brno Thursday, 26 October 2006