Dr' Panagiotis Karlis: Experience in a Member State in implementing EIS

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Environmental Information Systems in Greece
Experiences and Challenges
Panagiotis KarlisGreek Environmental Inspectorate
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Structure

• Greek National Environmental Information Network
  (NEIN)
• Acts and objectives
• Structure and contents
• From EIS to DSS
• Importance and contribution to
• Permitting
• Inspection
• Air pollution management on short and long term
  perspective

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The Greek EIS

• The National Environmental Information Network is
  an integrated information system for the
  registration, elaboration and provision of
  information and data related to national
  environment.
• The network rather consists a communication
  mechanism for information and data exchange, as
  well as a repository of environmental data which
  are being collected or managed by the Ministry of
  Environment.
• Included data are the result of
• the monitoring of environmental parameters
• relevant studies and surveys
• Relevant administrative processes such as the
  permitting and the legislation
• In the near future, the basic goal is to include
  wider data and information related to the
  environmental parameters and the sustainable
  development, in a way to make easier their
  elaboration and correlation.

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NEIN acts as

• A supporting tool for environmental policy
  planning and application
• A network for the exchange of environmental
  information at the national level
• An integrated database of validated environmental
  information
• One of the major tools for public access to
  environmental information (addressed not only to
  public but also to any other interested party
  anv NGO...)
• A mechanism for the actuation of relevant
  environmental authorities for the production of
  needed information and data
• The National Focal Point to the ? ? ? ? ? ? (EEA)
  
• The tool for the coordination and homogenization
  of environmental information and the competent
  providing authorities / institutes

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With NEIN operation, it is foreseen

• The interconnection of major environmental
  authorities / institutions for data/information
  exchange
• The actuation of regional and local authorities
  in regard with environmental issues through the
  relevant data / info dissemination
• The provision of environmental information to the
  public (and any other interesting party) and the
  development of the relevant national
  environmental PORTAL (www.edpp.gr)
• The development of abilities and data storages
  for
• Integrated evaluation of environmental data
• Elaboration of Environmental Reports
• Application of relevant environmental indices

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Principles of NEIN development

• Central operation together with conservation of
  the autonomy of data/info production systems as
  well as of its peripheral branches
• Detection and application of new (innovative)
  means for the follow-up of environmental issues
• Only one national focal point to EEA- EIONET
• Unique and unified portal for validated
  environmental information
• Efficient use of resources

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Environmental sectors - applications

• Air quality
• Water quality
• Nature and biodiversity
• Acoustic environment noise pollution
• Solid waste dangerous waste
• Industry
• Emissions from traffic and external combustion
  sources
• Fuel issue
• Seveso installations
• Environmental legislation
• Projects and activities (other than industry)
  road construction, hydraulic works, port
  development, infrastructure development, mining
  and related activities, touristic infrastructure,
  poultry and pig rearing installations,
  aquaculture, special works and projects

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Air quality applications (1)

• Data derived from the monitoring network of the
  Ministry of Environment on
• Monitoring networks
• Monitoring stations
• Measuring parameters and data
• Comparison with national limit values
• In addition, the existing system application
  provides the possibility of statistical
  elaboration of available raw data for the
  development of needed indices for air quality
  assessment

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Air quality applications (2)

• Available information
• Comparison with national limit values
• Networks and monitoring stations
• Mean monthly values
• Mean annual values
• Diurnal variation of pollutant concentration
• Geographical depiction of collected data

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Air quality applications (2)

• Ability to select (thematic layers)
• Monitoring networks
• Monitoring stations
• Per region / prefecture

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Water quality applications (1)

• The system application collect and elaborate
  data derived from the monitoring networks for
  water quality, operated by the Ministry of
  Environment, according to the national and EU
  quality standards
• In particular, the available data are related
  with
• Surface water bodies
• Underground water
• Coastal water quality for swimming use
• Water flows from neighbour countries
• Drinking water
• Sea-water pollution (Med-Pol project)
• Surface waters-mean measurement values
• Physicochemical and microbiological measurements
  for coastlines
• Geographical depiction of available data

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Water quality applications (2)

• Available information
• Surface water bodies (statistical data)
• Coastal water quality Microbiological and
  physicochemical parameters
• Coastal water quality measured microbiological
  parameters
• Geographical depiction of collected data

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Coastal waters monitoring network
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Surface, underground and potable waters
monitoring network
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Nature and biodiversity applications (1)

• This application includes selected data for the
  physical environment related to
• Flora
• Fauna
• Biotope landscape
• Actions (projects, programmes and studies related
  to natural environment)
• Nature and biodiversity application includes
  also detailed data of
• flora and fauna (systematic classification of
  species, biology, population, conservation,
  origin, prevention, expansion, bibliography and
  projects related to the specific species)
• biotopes (main characteristics, ownership and
  land value, threats and legal protection frame,
  land uses, species that are combined with the
  specific area, related bibliography and projects
  / activities)

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Nature and biodiversity applications (2)

• Available information
• Areas where specific flora type is occurred
• Areas where specific fauna type is occurred
• Types and species of flora/fauna that addressed
  in a specific geographical area
• Landscapes and Biotopes (number and types) at a
  specific geographical area
• Geographical depiction of collected data
• Link to other information sources
• FILOTIS data bank for the Greek nature

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Nature and biodiversity applications (2)

• Thematic layers
• Designated areas per type of designation and per
  region / prefecture
• Ability to point on the specific area of interest
  and take note of the available information for
  this site

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Acoustic environment and noise pollution
applications (1)

• The application includes all available data
  resulting from Ministry of Environment
  initiatives and actions. In particular
• Monitoring of mopeds and motorcycles noise
• Monitoring of noise pollution resulting from
  installations
• Data derived from stations for the monitoring of
  environmental noise
• Monitoring of traffic noise
• Monitoring of air traffic noise pollution
• Data on the installed noise barriers

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Acoustic environment and noise pollution
applications (2)

• Available information / data
• Mapping of traffic noise related noise maps
• Mapping of traffic noise related measurements
• Noise barriers
• Geographical depiction of available data

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Noise maps
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Athens noise map
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Solid Wastes (1)

• This applications includes qualitative and
  quantitative data of solid waste production
  sources, installations of treatment and final
  disposal of solid wastes. Moreover this
  application gives the possibility of management
  of data related to solid waste transportation. It
  also includes a registry of municipal solid
  wastes controlled and uncontrolled landfills and
  information related to national integrated solid
  wastes planning policy.

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Solid Wastes (2)

• Available information / data
• Production sources of solid wastes
• Solid wastes treatment installations
• Special solid waste management practices
  (batteries, tyres etc.)
• Transportation of solid wastes in other countries
• Hazardous fraction in municipal solid wastes

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Solid Wastes (3)

• Available information / data
• Controlled and uncontrolled municipal solid waste
  landfills
• Integrated solid wastes management plan
• Quantitative targets of the national solid wastes
  management plan
• Basic national and EU solid wastes legislation
• Quantitative and qualitative information about
  MSW
• Recycling proportions

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Operating Landfills
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Industry (1)

• This application includes data of industries
  that are environmentally permitted by the
  Ministry of Environment.
• Available information / data
• Identity of the industrial plant
• Environment in the plants boundaries
• Raw materials used
• Fuels, energy
• Water usage
• Products

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Industry (2)

• Available information / data
• Air, water, soil and noise pollution
• Hazardous wastes
• Environmental permits
• Environmental inspections performed and fines
  imposed
• Large Combustion Plants
• Industries per regions sectors
• Geographical depiction of available data

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Seveso Directive installations

• Available information / data
• Seveso plants identity
• Hazardous materials used
• Emergency plans
• Seveso Plants per regions sectors
• Geographical depiction of available data

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Fuel

• This application includes data of fuels
  consumption in Regional, Prefectural and
  Municipal level and data from quality fuels
  monitoring in gas stations, tank-trunks and
  external combustion installations.
• Available information / data
• Identity of gas stations, tank-trunks and
  external combustion installations
• Fuels consumption in Regions, Prefectures,
  Municipalities
• Fuel consumption tables per Region
• Fuel consumption graphs per Region

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External combustion installations and car
emissions

• This application includes data of combustion
  quality in industries, central-heating,
  hospitals, etc. and emission data from cars..
• Available information / data
• Identity of installations
• Fuels consumption and emissions measurements
• Emissions Checking Card for cars
• Car emission measurements
• Elaboration of measurement data for external
  combustions
• Mean value graphs for external combustions
• Total data of car inspections

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Athens International Airport (AIA)

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Monitoring by other authorities(Athens area
case)
Athens International Airport Air Quality Network
Ministerial Air quality Network
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Monitoring by other authorities/institutions(ambi
ent air monitoring networks / stations
National Network stations Other
networks/stations
Monitoring stations at industrial installations
are not included
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Integration of other monitoring networks to
national network

• Problems - obstacles
• No willing to participate into the National
  Network by operated authorities! they prefer to
  operate on a locally based approach and not to
  disseminate the relevant information on
  national-wide level
• Lack of collaboration in QA-QC processes with
  national competent authorities!

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Integration of other monitoring networks to
national network

• Problems obstacles - consequences
• Valuable information not accessible not
  available to national / regional authorities
• Duplication of monitoring costs
• Ineffective use of available resources
• Multiple information sources at local level with
  deviated results
• Lack of needed data quality assurance

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Integration of other monitoring networks to
national network

• Problems obstacles consequences the way
  forward
• Change of the relevant legislative frame in order
  to become obligatory the contribution to the
  national network
• Establishment of horizontal coordination among
  national competent authority and local network
  authorities - operators

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PART II From informative portal to DSS

• Crucial parameter How to use the available
  info in order to support the Decision making
  system
• The air quality example

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PART II From informative portal to DSS

• Permitting procedure
• Elaborate - produce the specific terms and
  provisions in the permit taking into account air
  pollution data and historical records for the
  area of interest.
• Needs
• -Reliable data for as much as possible longer
  period,
• well organized and user-friendly interface
• - Expertise on how to use the available info and
  data

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PART II From informative portal to DSS

• Permitting procedure
• (possible inputs from EIS)
• Need for additional measures to be taken
• Need for lower ELV
• Need for alternative approaches on installation /
  implementation / operation
• Emissions and immissions monitoring strategy
  (regular continuous measurements time frame
  pollutants to be measured reporting frame....)

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PART II From informative portal to DSS

• Air pollution short term measures
• Historical air pollution data (records) consists
  a valuable basis for the
• Modeling approach on air pollution episodes
• Development and application of forecasting tools
• Study of contribution of individual sources to
  final air pollution level

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PART II From informative portal to DSS

• So On air pollution, EIS could be used in both
  ways
• In regular basis for
• Regular public information
• Operation of forecasting tools
• On request for
• Study of environmental impacts of new activities
  / installations
• Evaluation of individual installations /
  facilities to final pollution levels

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PART II From informative portal to DSS

• Inspection plan programme
• Possible inputs from EIS
• Areas of interest based on activities databases
• Areas of intervention based on specific
  environmental conditions
• Historical enforcement records

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PART II From informative portal to DSS

• Inspection plan programme

Operational document setting up the regular
(period) inspection activities based on actual
data of environmental quality, inputs and
requests, accidents, incidents and unintentional
releases
Strategic document setting up priorities based
on the historical data, immissions levels,
activities and installations archives, trends,
...
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PART II From informative portal to DSS

• Air quality management
• Short and long term actions based on available
  information

Daily Air quality report for Athens greater area
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PART II From informative portal to DSS
Daily Air quality report for Athens greater
area Includes General forecast for air
pollution levels for the next 24 (or 48) hours
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PART II From informative portal to DSS

• Daily Air quality report for Athens greater area
• In case that exceedance is occurred or expected
• Enforcement of preventive short-term action plan
  measures
• Information and guidances to sensitive groups of
  people
• Time frame and directions for implementation of
  measures
• More dense reports on the evolution of air
  pollution episode

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EIS to DSS - Lessons to learn

• Building administrative capacity with clear
  responsibilities / competencies
• Provide and develop as far as possible the
  horizontal collaboration among stake holders and
  data providers
• Coordinated effective and efficient use of all
  available information / data
• Promote coordination and collaboration with
  regional and local environmental authorities
• Development of reliable, dynamic, efficient and
  effective inventory systems
• Introduction of dynamic / user friendly /
  consistent data and information dissemination
  tools for public awareness and information

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Teseküler!!! SORULAR?

• contact
• tel[phone]
• p.karlis_at_eyep.minenv.gr