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Arnika (NGO)

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Arnika is a Czech non-governmental organization (NGO) established on 29 September 2001,[1][2] and officially registered as a civic association.[3] It focuses on public participation, biodiversity protection, and eliminating toxic substances and waste.[1][2]

Arnika
Founded29 September 2001
TypeNon-governmental organization
Focuspublic participation, biodiversity protection, and eliminating toxic substances and waste
Location
Area served
Global
Methodadvocacy, research, direct action
Websitearnika.org/en/

Engaging in national and international networks, Arnika collaborated with entities like the International Pollutants Elimination Network, International Rivers, European Rivers Network, European Environmental Bureau, and European ECO Forum.[1][4] At the national level, Arnika associated with Green Circle, Climate Coalition, Czech Forum for Development Cooperation, and DEMAS.[5] It also collaborated with Wageningen University and the University of Ostrava.[6][7]

Programs and focus

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Arnika's activities encompass a range of environmental issues, including river protection,[8] biodiversity protection,[1] urban environment,[9] waste reduction, recycling[10] and the elimination of persistent organic pollutants (POPs).[11] The organization is recognized as a consumer protection entity.[2][12] As of 2022, Arnika operates through two main programs: the Center for Citizen Support and the Toxics and Waste Programme.[13] There was also a Nature Conservation Programme in Arnika previously.[8]

The work of the Toxics and Waste Programme encompassed controversies related to various waste incinerators,[14] with a specific emphasis on waste incineration residues, especially concerning dioxins in fly ash.[11]

History

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A yellow flax, an endangered species, was relocated before being buried under the Radovesická výsypka (a disposal site for waste soil).

Arnika, founded on 29 September 2001, by environmentalists Jindřich Petrlík, Martin Skalský, Vlastimil Karlík, and Lenka Mašková, originated after their departure from the Czech NGO Děti Země.[1][15][16] Subsequently, Petrlik, Skalsky, and Karlík assumed leadership as chairmen of Arnika.[17][18] Notably, Team Bořena, established in 1979, joined Arnika in 2001. The team relocated endangered plant species from an area with waste soil from an open-pit brown coal mine in the 1980s.[19]

Toxic chemicals, waste, and plastics

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Arnika's happening associated with the submission of the petition 'For a Toxics Free Future' to the Parliament of the Czech Republic in March 2005.

Arnika led the Toxics-Free Future campaign between 2001-2004, contributing to the establishment of a Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) in the Czech Republic and the ratification of the Stockholm Convention.[4][14][20] Since 2005, Arnika has been compiling rankings of industrial sources emitting various substances, encouraging emission reduction efforts.[20][21] Arnika also addressed sites contaminated with toxic chemicals,[11] particularly focusing on the chlorine chemical plant Spolana Neratovice post the 2002 floods.[22][23]

Nature protection

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Since its establishment in 2001, Arnika has consistently opposed the construction of new dams on the Elbe near Děčín, emphasizing the protection of ecosystems in Natura 2000 species sites and the preservation of migratory fish, such as salmon. In 2005, the organization filed a complaint with the European Commission, leading to a warning about the Czech government's insufficient designation of Special Protection Areas (SPA).[24][25] In 2015, Arnika joined the European network for the protection of tree avenues[26] and collaborated with the University of Ostrava on a LIFE project to expand the habitat for the endangered hermit beetle within the Natura 2000 network since 2017.[7]

Public participation and urban planning

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Arnika raised concern over Prague potentially losing its UNESCO World Heritage status and pushed for restricting the height of buildings planned by developers on the Pankrác Plain in 2008.[27][28] In the years 2012–2019, Arnika heavily criticized the Metropolitan Plan for Prague, opposing market-driven changes to the city's land-use plan.[9] The focus of collaborative efforts with Wageningen University in 2008 was Urban water management in Prague.[29]

Jan Skalický

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In 2019, Jan Skalický, the former head of the Directorate of Waterways, accused Arnika of being financially supported by competing railway carriers.[30] Jan Hodovský, author of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) documentation on dams on the Elbe in 2011, made similar claims about Arnika's funding from German railways. Arnika demanded an apology from Hodovský, who later modified his statement, acknowledging that environmentalists were financed from the state budget of Germany at that time.[31]

International activity

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Arnika and EARTH took samples at an e-waste dumpsite in Kalasin Province, Thailand, in February 2022.

Arnika, expanding its environmental endeavors beyond the Czech Republic,[4] has engaged in projects across Africa,[32][33] Central[34] and Southeast Asia,[35] and Central and Eastern Europe.[36] In collaboration with IPEN and the Basel Action Network, Arnika highlighted dioxin contamination at an e-waste site in Agbogbloshie in 2019.[33]

Conducting studies on global toxic pollution from plastics recycled from e-waste, Arnika collaborated with IPEN.[32][37] Arnika's Toxics and Waste Programme acts as the Regional Hub for Central, Eastern & Western Europe for the International Pollutants Elimination Network, and it was the sole member of the Health Care Without Harm network in the Czech Republic, in 2018.[38]

In 2018, the organization organized an international conference in Ostrava, focusing on combatting air pollution, recognized within the Aarhus Convention framework.[39] Since 2018, Arnika has also been addressing air pollution issues in Ukraine.[36]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Marty, Pascal; Devaux, Sandrine (2009). Social movements and public action: Lessons from environmental issues (PDF). Prague: Centre français de recherche en sciences sociales (CEFRES). pp. 73–100.
  2. ^ a b c Matusiková, Lucja (2010). Analysis of Perception in Case of Consumer's Rights and Usage of Conclusions in Business Strategy. Krakowskie Towarzystwo Eduk. ISBN 978-83-7571-096-0.
  3. ^ "Seznam občanských sdružení". Seznam občanských sdružení. 9 June 2007. Archived from the original on 9 June 2007. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  4. ^ a b c Şıltu, Esra (2014). Evaluation of Turkey's status in terms of compliance with the requirements of the Stockholm convention (Thesis). Middle East Technical University.
  5. ^ Mráčková, Ludmila (2021). Historie a současnost environmentálního hnutí v Čechách (Thesis) (in Czech). Ústí nad Labem: Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem. pp. 51–53.
  6. ^ Karen P., Ir.; Bush, Simon R. (2010-01-01). "Educating students to cross boundaries between disciplines and cultures and between theory and practice". International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education. 11 (1): 19–35. Bibcode:2010IJSHE..11...19K. doi:10.1108/14676371011010020. ISSN 1467-6370.
  7. ^ a b Kočárek, Petr; Klemensová, Marcela; Aubrechtová, Tereza; Kaláb, Oto (February 2020). Ochrana páchníka hnědého (Osmoderma barnabita) v CHKO Poodří. Zoologické dny Olomouc 2020 (in Czech) – via Researchgate.
  8. ^ a b Kučerová, Eva; Ševčíkova, Adéla (2006). Nature protection and biodiversity in the Czech Republic (In: Land Use, Nature Conservation and Biodiversity in Central Europe (the Czech, Hungarian and Polish cases) (PDF) (1st ed.). Budapest: Institute for Political Science - Hungarian Academy of Science. pp. 87–109. ISBN 963-7372-31-8. ISSN 1788-1064.
  9. ^ a b Pixová, Michaela (2019-11-15). Contested Czech Cities: From Urban Grassroots to Pro-democratic Populism. Springer Nature. ISBN 978-981-329-709-8.
  10. ^ Hanák, Jakub; Vomáčka, Vojtěch (2022). "Existují právní překážky zavádění procesu depolymerizace odpadů do praxe?". Časopis pro právní vědu a praxi (in Czech). XXX (1): 115–152. doi:10.5817/CPVP2022-1-5. S2CID 248036133 – via Masaryk University.
  11. ^ a b c European Commission; Directorate General for Environment; INERIS; RPA; Upson, Sophie; Footitt, Anthony; Biaudet, Hughes; La Vedrine, Max; Cavalieri, Luisa (2021). Study to support the assessment of impacts associated with the review of limit values in waste for POPs listed in Annexes IV and V of Regulation (EU) 2019/1021: final report for DG Environment. LU: Publications Office of the European Union. doi:10.2779/63162. ISBN 978-92-76-41943-3.
  12. ^ Kogg, Beatrice; Thidell, Åke (2010). Chemicals in Products - An overview of systems for providing information regarding chemicals in products and of stakeholders' needs for such information. Lund: UNEP Chemicals.
  13. ^ "Svobodná ekologie Arnika". Česká televize - Nedej se. Czech Television. 13 March 2022. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  14. ^ a b Konopásek Z, Stöckelová T, Vajdová T, Zamykalová L (2004). Environmental controversies in technical democracy: Three case studies. Research report from the 5th EC Framework Programme project Analysing Public Accountability Procedures in Contermporary European Contexts. Prague: Charles University.
  15. ^ Fagan, Adam (2005). "Taking Stock of Civil-Society Development in Post-communist Europe: Evidence from the Czech Republic". Democratization. 12 (4): 528–547. doi:10.1080/13510340500226077. S2CID 144829008 – via Tandonline.
  16. ^ Novák, Arnošt (2017). Tmavozelený svět (PDF) (in Czech) (1st ed.). Praha: Sociologické nakladatelství (SLON). ISBN 978-8074192548.
  17. ^ Pospíšilová, Tereza; Jantulová, Magdaléna Šťovíčková (2019-11-01). Příběhy budování občanského sektoru v České republice po roce 1989 (in Czech). Charles University in Prague, Karolinum Press. ISBN 978-80-246-4427-1.
  18. ^ Čabáková, Tatiana (2022-12-22). "Kanál Dunaj-Odra-Labe stále hrozí a mohl by zdevastovat velké území ČR, upozorňuje ekologický aktivista Skalský" (in Czech). Czech Radio. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
  19. ^ "Arnika 15 let na slunci". Nedej se (in Czech). Czech Television. 11 December 2016. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  20. ^ a b DiGangi, Joe (2011). "Civil society actions for a toxics--free future" (PDF). New Solutions. New series. 21 (3): 433–445. Bibcode:2011NewSo..21..433D. doi:10.2190/NS.21.3.i. ISSN 1541-3772. PMID 22001040. S2CID 25769087.
  21. ^ Maršák, Jan (22 December 2008). "Registry úniků a přenosů znečišťujících látek – nástroje realizace "práva vědět"". Envigogika (in Czech). 3 (2). doi:10.14712/18023061.31 – via Charles University Prague.
  22. ^ Kuchyňová, Zdeňka (2002-11-06). "Rozhodnutí Spolany Neratovice obnovit po povodních výrobu PVC, je podle ekologů rizikové". Radio Prague International (in Czech). Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  23. ^ Horák, Josef (1 March 2007). "Vztah veřejnosti a chemických výrobních podniků a jeho vliv na podnikatelské prostředí v chemii". Chemické listy (in Czech). 101 (4): 293–302 – via Česká společnost chemická.
  24. ^ Baun M, Marek D (12 November 2013). "The Implementation of EU Environmental Policy in the Czech Republic: Problems with Post-Accession Compliance?". Europe-Asia Studies. 65 (10): 1877–1897. doi:10.1080/09668136.2013.848639. S2CID 155663727 – via Tandonline.
  25. ^ Zamrazilová, Jitka (2006). Lobbying českých environmentálních neziskových organizací týkající se legislativy EU (PDF) (Thesis) (in Czech). Praha: Univerzita Karlova.
  26. ^ Brückmann, Katharina (2015). Avenues in Europe: Yesterday, today and tomorrow. BUND.
  27. ^ "Mrakodrapy na Pankráci" (PDF). Věstník Klubu Za starou Prahu (in Czech). XXXVI. (VII.) (1). Klub Za starou Prahu: 23–26.
  28. ^ Baroch, Pavel (2008-08-14). "UNESCO: Pankrác skyscrapers must be lowered". Aktuálně.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  29. ^ Paginu, V.; Nieuwenhuize, D.; Van Vliet, B. (2010). Sustainable urban water management in Prague, Czech Republic: Findings from an interdisciplinary academic consultancy training course in Urban Environmental Management. Knowledge Collaboration & Learning for Sustainable Innovation ERSCP-EMSU Conference, Delft, the Netherlands, October 25-29, 2010. pp. 1–21.
  30. ^ Teplý, Ondřej (2019-07-09). "Betonový "nevergreen" u Děčína". A2larm (in Czech). Retrieved 2023-11-15.
  31. ^ Vanžura, Alexandr (2011-06-07). "Ekologové pod ostrou palbou. Prý je platí německá strana". Děčínský deník (in Czech). Retrieved 2023-11-15.
  32. ^ a b Lafrance, Camille (22 June 2021). "Cameroun, Maroc, Gabon... L'Afrique suffoque sous le plastique – Jeune Afrique". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  33. ^ a b Beaumont, Peter (2019-04-24). "Rotten eggs: e-waste from Europe poisons Ghana's food chain". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  34. ^ Nishimura A, Montalbán Espinosa A, Alan HK (2015). The image of environmental NGOs in Czech Republic and how to improve it. Environmental NGOs and society (PDF). Brno: Faculty of Social Sciences, Masaryk University Brno. pp. 4–9.
  35. ^ Paddock, Richard C. (2019-11-14). "To Make This Tofu, Start by Burning Toxic Plastic". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  36. ^ a b Gardiner, Beth (2021-11-29). "Inside a Ukrainian war zone, another fight rages—for clean air". National Geographic. Archived from the original on November 29, 2021. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
  37. ^ Stieger, Greta (2017-04-18). "Toxic chemicals in articles made from recycled plastics | Food Packaging Forum". foodpackagingforum.org. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  38. ^ Lednová, Vendula (2018). Nakládání s odpady ze zdravotnictví (PDF) (Thesis) (in Czech). Pardubice: Univerzita Pardubice.
  39. ^ UNECE. "Air pollution: Governments and cities have to do more, agreed the participants of the international conference | Aarhus Clearinghouse". aarhusclearinghouse.unece.org. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
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