e-Infrastructure for Environment Sustainable Development

Environmental problems require immediate action and sustainable long-term strategies. To this end, in 1998 fifty scientists from Balkan countries formed the Balkan Environmental Association (B.EN.A, http://www.gen.teithe.gr/~bena/benahome.html) as an international nonprofit and nongovernmental scientific organization tasked with preserving the environment and culture of Balkan countries. B.EN.A.’s members work to develop international collaborations aimed at reducing transboundary air and water pollution. B.EN.A. thus serves as a Balkan “think tank”, working to:
• analyse interactions between environmental, economic and community trends;
• establish scientific ways for environmental protection;
• promote strategies and institutional changes to improve environmental and natural resources support environmental decision making processes through objective and independent scientific research, studies and professional training, and ultimately;
• improve people’s lives.

Behind B.EN.A.: our e-Infrastructure
Environmental protection and sustainable development has been a “non-stop-watching” process, especially for transboundary pollution. Thanks to Information and Communication Technologies, more effective ways for collaboration and cooperation are available in this research area. B.EN.A.’s e-Infrastructure was developed in a decentralised way, with management based on authority delegation and on the scientific interests of
its members. The Alexander Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki is responsible for overall management, aiming to make best practise in common research and experimental approaches available across the Balkan countries. Thus B.EN.A. is a reference point for scientists interested in environmentally sustainable development in the Balkans. The e-Infrastracture comprises three Virtual Research Environmental Communities (VREC), each with a distinct role:
• The National Bureaus involve scientific collaboration between universities for the “Sustainable Development and Better Life of Balkans”. Partners include: the University of Tirana in Albania, University of Plovdiv in Bulgaria, University of Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina, University of Zagreb in Croatia, Institute of Public Health in FYROM, National Institute for Research and Development of Industrial Ecology in Romania, Trakya University in Turkey and Institute of Nuclear Science in Serbia.
• The Liaison Offices identify emerging environmental issues and are based in the Russian Federation (National Research Institute of Azov Sea Fishery Problems), in Ukraine (Ukrainian Scientific Centre of the Ecology of Seas), and in Georgia (Technical University of Georgia).
• The International Centres and Offices focus on certain environmental topics, involving specialists from all Balkan countries.

Current studies and future steps
B.EN.A’s specialists are involved in the study of pollution (air, water, soil, agricultural, industrial); ecology; risk assessment; waste management; radioactivity; clean technologies; environmental education, legislation, management and informatics; and computer application to environmental issues.
The results of B.EN.A’ research can be found in the Journal of Environmental Protection and Ecology, which is starting to serve as a digital library for environmental issues. B.EN.A.’s next step is to activate the Balkan Local Authority Environmental Network, or BLAEN, which will be based on regional cooperation and substantial support for a clean and healthy community environment. Up today BLAENS members are the Municipalities of Albania, Bulgaria, FYROM, Romania, Serbia-Montenegro and Turkey.