Annotation

Effective implementation of environmental policy proves difficult in many countries. Even where there is a comprehensive policy framework, the capacity for implementation at the local level may be weak. In some countries of central and eastern Europe, such as Slovakia, local government has acquired new environmental responsibilities, but lacks the capacity for exercising these roles. The Slovakian environmental impact assessment (EIA) law, for example, gives local government a role as a channel for public comment. However, most municipalities lack the technical expertise or political experience to play an effective role in the EIA process. This paper describes a project supported by the UK Know-How Fund with Slovakian partners to develop municipal capacity. It offers a preliminary evaluation of the effectiveness of the programme, and emphasises the need for training in EIA to relate to municipalities' other environmental responsibilities. It draws some conclusions on cross-national learning between local government in central and western Europe.

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