Meet Georgia’s New Environmental Protection Ombudsman

Exclusive Interview

Earlier in May, PM Mamuka Bakhtadze introduced David Morrison as the Ombudsman of the recently created ‘Department of Environmental Protection.’ Between 2008 and 2016, Morrison worked as Executive Director of the CNF, the Caucasus Nature Fund, which works to protect the environment. In an interview with GEORGIA TODAY, the first Ombudsman of Environmental Protection in Georgia discusses his job responsibilities, the current situation and future development opportunities in the the field of Environmental Protection.

“First, let me say how honored I am that the Prime Minister asked me to be Georgia’s Environmental Ombudsman. There are formally defined responsibilities of course, among others: sectoral coordination on environmental and natural resource management issues; communication and coordination with government bodies, national and local; bringing knowledge and recommendations on international “green economy” and “green technology” practices; ensuring active public and private sector involvement in implementing environmental reforms; and promoting cooperation and mediation. But that is a lot of words and I think it is easier to understand if you think of it in terms of how it works.

“The mechanism has two steps. Step 1 will be to listen: listen to NGOs, to business and to ordinary citizens. We need to hear people’s concerns on the environment and their concerns about actions that might be taken to protect it. On the basis of this listening exercise, Step 2 will be to develop and promote solutions that will benefit the environment. Our recommendations could touch all walks of life in one way or another, from government to business to ordinary citizens. We will seek consensus and propose solutions we think can be implemented.”

There are many NGOs working on Environmental Protection. What is the core need for an Ombudsman as a mediator between these NGOs and the government?

The NGOs of course already give the environment a voice. But they do not always agree and so one function will be to understand the differences between them and seek to reconcile the different positions. As I said, we will also be a listener and will reflect not only the green NGOs’ voices but other views that reasonably need to be considered, be they from business, other parts of civil society or the general public. We will not always agree, but we will listen to other points of view and integrate them where possible as we push our green agenda.

How would you rate the current environmental situation in Georgia? What challenges have we faced successfully? What challenges do we have yet to overcome?

We have clean, potable water in Tbilisi and the city’s sewage is now being treated and not dumped raw into the river. That is, unfortunately, not true in much of the rest of the country. Power is reliable but not enough is being sourced from renewables and there is no consensus on the steps needed to promote a renewable energy transition. Periodic vehicle inspections have been introduced, but dirty exhaust still poisons Georgia’s citizens, particularly the country’s children. The waste disposal and plastic bag problems remain despite attempts to tackle them.

So the situation is serious and alarming and in need of a national movement to address it; but it is not hopeless.

What will your first steps be as the first Ombudsman of Environmental Protection? Which issues do you choose to prioritize?

Today, the Ombudsman has been named but we have no office or staff and the budget is being agreed. The first steps, to be taken over the summer, will be to get a small office up and running. Priorities will be discussed and agreed following our first open meeting in September.

What’s your approach to the regulations the government has enforced? Do you think they should be any stricter?

There is no government on earth that does not fall short on enforcing some regulations, and no country on earth that has exactly the right level of regulation on all issues affecting the environment. We need to find the right balance for Georgia, to ensure that regulations are clear and can be complied with and then that they can be monitored and enforced. One of the challenges, for Georgia and any country,is that this is not a static thing: regulation needs to evolve as problems, solutions, technology and society evolve. Our job will be to try to push Georgia to keep up with it.

Air pollution is an ever-growing problem in Georgia, especially in Tbilisi. What are your views on solving it?

You asked what our priorities are likely to be and from what I have heard so far, this is the number one problem on people’s minds. There are multiple causes so there is no one solution. Each large city that faces serious air pollution is of course unique, but air pollution is really just a different combination of largely similar human and climatic inputs. We will need to look at what is working in other cities and adapt it to Georgia. We need many different sectors of society, from business to ordinary citizens, to recognize the problem and be ready to contribute to the different solutions that will be proposed.

Much like managing air pollution, conserving biodiversity and keeping green spaces in Georgia, especially in Tbilisi, is a big concern. What is your approach to the problem?

I have been involved with green spaces in Georgia for many years: the amazing national parks and protected areas of Georgia. The way forward here is more and better: more and better protected areas in the countryside and more and better green spaces in the cities. The approach is to raise awareness, promote and then implement modern spatial planning and management, and finally to enforce it.

Considering your years of experience in the field, do you think there’s any pattern for Environmental Protection that Georgia should follow? If so, what country could be seen as a “role model” for Georgia?

There is no one model. Different countries are strong in different sectors. One may have the right model for water management; another for waste management; a third for controls on traffic and pollution. But in each case, we need to make sure that the model is adapted to the circumstances here in Georgia. My mantra is copy, but don’t copy/paste: rather, copy and adapt.

What progress do you hope for in the field of Environmental Protection?

Georgia has unique biodiversity and great natural beauty, which is why I came here in the first place. The natural wealth: mountains, deserts, rivers and seaside, is splendid, as are Georgia’s ancient culture and traditions. These need to thrive alongside vibrant, modern cities and a healthy and growing economy. Environmental protection needs to become a key story line in the next chapter of Georgia’s modernization. If we seize the right opportunities, we can leapfrog the mistakes of others and become a leader as the world moves, as it must, to a greener future.

This is a grand vision that needs to begin with first steps. I look forward to getting started.

By Nini Dakhundaridze

Photo taken from: georgiacapital.ge