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SASWMP |
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Southern Arava Sustainable Waste Management Plan |
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Dr. Yael Meroz viewing Australian desert sweet pea with R&D head, Amnon Greenberg -2007 |
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About LIFE Fund for the Environment |
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Launched in 1992, LIFE (The Financial Instrument for the Environment) is one of the spearheads of Community environment policy. LIFE co-finances environmental initiatives in the European Union and certain third countries bordering on the Mediterranean and the Baltic Sea. SASWMP is one of 20 new environment projects receiving funding under the LIFE Third Countries programme 2004. These projects will share a total EU contribution of €7,828,320. The EU co-funding will contribute to improving the environment and achieving sustainable development in the Mediterranean and Baltic regions. “The environment does not respect borders, so it is important that we help our neighbors improve their environmental situation and reach the path of sustainable development”, said Environment Commissioner Margot Wallström. “But the main beneficiaries of LIFE Third Countries are of course the citizens of these third countries, who will enjoy a higher quality of life.” The implementation of the SASWMP project is supervised by the LIFE unit staff and is monitored and evaluated by the Astrale consortium. Dr. Yael Meroz of Astrale, is in frequent contact with the SASWMP project manager , providing necessary advice, following up project deliverables and major projects milestones, and helping implement good practices in reporting and project communications. The LIFE unit team, Mr. Michael Oliver and Ms. Izabela Madalinska , and Dr. Meroz of Astrale visited the SASWMP project in November 2005. The SASWMP team presented their goals for this exciting project. It was very positive to meet the LIFE unit team on a personal basis. Their grasp of the project and the complications involved in implementing it was extremely impressive. They made many beneficial and meaningful comments for advancing the project. In February 2007, Dr. Yael Meroz visited the project area again. She observed the tremendous progress made in the tasks of the project. Again, we benefited from her helpful comments on the progress of the project. In October 2007, the LIFE unit team Mr. Alban de-Villepin, Ms. Izabela Madalinska , and Dr. Meroz of Astrale visited the SASWMP project , towards the completion of the project. They toured the project sites , met with the task managers and the Regional Council. As in the first visit, their comments were very useful and will help us implement the final stages. They were able to view the first stages of the Lotan CW and the completed Ketura valley CW. |
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LIFE unit viewing Neot Smadar art center—2005 |
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LIFE unit At Ketura valley CW site –2005 |
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Dr. Yael Meroz at Lotan site , with Alec Cicelsky –2007 |
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The Constructed Wetlands were built with the generous support of the EU LIFE fund |
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ñ LIFE unit touring Ketura CW– 2007 ò
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