The Center for Participation and Engagement is leading an essential initiative titled “Mitigation of Climate Change in Guria – Civic Activism for a Clean River Supsa.” This project, which was funded within the grants competition of Georgia Climate Action Project (GEO-CAP) supported by EU and implemented by CENN, aims to address climate change impacts in the Guria region by assessing pollution risks in the Supsa River basin and introducing preventive mechanisms through citizen involvement and awareness-raising activities.
Key measures implemented in the project include public picnics, cleaning events, social campaigns to document landfills, educational lessons for students, a drawing competition to inspire youth, and recommendations for local authorities to enhance waste management. The initiative culminated in a discussion forum, focusing on the environmental challenges and solutions for the Guria region.
To gain deeper insights into the project, GEORGIA TODAY spoke with Zurab Nasaraia, a Doctor of Public Administration and Associate Professor at the Technical University, who serves as the Project Director.
What made you focus on this particular initiative?
I want to start the interview with some important news: the Center for Participation and Engagement (CPC) has become a member of the European Environment Bureau (EEB) with the support of the EU-supported Georgia Climate Action Project. This is significant because one of our main objectives in the Guria region is to implement best practices in sustainable development and promote civic engagement.
Regarding our initiative, during the development of the Guria region’s strategy, we formulated the concept of “Green Guria,” aimed at obtaining green status for the region. This concept envisions creating a climate-friendly environment, new tourism opportunities, local agricultural development, economic growth, and active community involvement. It is this concept that guided our team to focus on this initiative, leading to the planning and implementation of the project “Climate Change Mitigation in Guria – Civic Activism for Clean Rivers.” The project also included developing recommendations and specific action steps to address these pressing challenges.
What was the biggest challenge regarding the Supsa River and its banks during clean-up efforts in the villages of Lesa and Askana? How did the community respond?
Today, the world faces many challenges regarding waste management, and Georgia, particularly the Guria region, is no exception. Waste at designated landfills is often not separated or processed, which is unjustifiable both economically and environmentally. This situation harms the environment and public health, especially when waste is discarded into rivers due to the negligence of the community.
We focused our research on the Supsa River, which flows through the villages in the area. The Supsa River is particularly interesting because it originates in the Guria Mountains, traverses all three municipalities of the region, and flows into the Black Sea. During our study, we identified both man-made and natural hazards contributing to waste pollution in the river. We observed significant accumulations of domestic and agricultural waste at various points along the riverbed, as well as illegally created landfills near the riverbank. Evidence of excessive inert material and illegal mining was also noticeable. The riverbed has been altered, with hollows forming and bank erosion beginning. Household waste, including plastic, poses various dangers to the local population. For example, plastic particles can enter our bodies through drinking water or be washed ashore, creating health risks for beachgoers.
It is essential to highlight the enthusiasm of the local population in improving the current situation. The activities proposed in the project significantly motivated and engaged the community. Their active participation in clean-up actions and awareness-raising campaigns—such as the “Samokalao Picnics”—demonstrates that this is just the beginning. Addressing these issues requires a comprehensive approach, which is why we prepared recommendations and an action plan within the project.
What role did civic lessons and local teachers play in educating students about the importance of protecting the Supsa River?
The involvement of students and teachers was crucial to our efforts. School teachers, including those specializing in civic education, actively participated in the project. We organized open lessons in nature, held motivational competitions for students, and showcased their artwork. The winners were announced, which further encouraged participation. The heightened interest and engagement of the students inspired their parents to join the cleaning activities.
Teaching children about hygiene and instilling a love for nature from an early age is vital. I believe that effective civic education in this regard will play a crucial role in mitigating future risks.
What emerged from the discussion forum on the “Green Future of the Guria Region”? What challenges and solutions were identified regarding environmental issues?
The forum on “The Green Future of Guria” provided a platform to emphasize the role and responsibilities of each individual in addressing environmental challenges. Building an effective waste management system is particularly complex in a mountainous region like Guria, requiring the engagement of every individual and the cooperation of various agencies, organizations, and institutions.
Participants noted that implementing a waste management system is especially challenging in rural areas, where there are issues with waste collection and insufficient equipment. The lack of garbage bins leads to waste being discarded in makeshift landfills, rivers, or valleys. Given that Guria is already a land-scarce region, more landfills result in inefficient land use and environmental degradation.
The forum participants agreed on the importance of implementing the EU Mayor’s proposed methodology for “Waste Management Technologies in Regions,” which could assist local authorities in establishing a proper waste management system encompassing prevention, placement, sorting, preparation for reuse, and recycling.
What are the long-term plans for preventing pollution in the Supsa River basin and ensuring sustainable waste management efforts?
Through the project, we developed new routes for waste collection services, and, in collaboration with local governments, we installed additional garbage bins. We prepared recommendations that are now part of the municipalities’ medium-term action plans. We also conducted awareness-raising campaigns in 21 villages near the Supsa River, where local populations and municipal services actively participated; the mayor of Lanchkhuti even joined these activities. All identified illegal dumps were cleared, and banners were installed urging the community to “Protect a Clean Supsa.” With the help of municipal services, we successfully removed accumulated household waste from the riverbed using specialized equipment, which had caused artificial sedimentation and posed risks during floods.
To achieve sustainability, the following key activities should be implemented: identifying, describing, and inventorying existing landfills throughout the region; closing and rehabilitating landfills; ensuring active participation in the five-year municipal waste management plan; and enhancing community awareness regarding waste sorting and recycling. In areas with high tourist traffic, we plan to increase waste collection frequency and acquire smaller, more maneuverable equipment for hard-to-reach locations. However, this is not an exhaustive list.
Implementing waste management technologies in the Guria region requires securing appropriate funding, for which our organization, CPC, is actively engaging with various donors. We believe that developing encouraging mechanisms for waste prevention, reuse, recycling, and recovery at the municipal level is essential. Experts advise us to create effective mechanisms to alleviate costs associated with waste management, such as implementing a “Pay as You Throw” (PAYT) system, which could increase taxes on unsorted waste.
How do you plan to involve the local community, especially youth, in future environmental activities?
The Center for Participation and Engagement (CPC) utilizes innovative participatory democracy tools, such as “craft picnics,” citizen ensembles, and electronic civic budgeting, which are particularly appealing and accessible to young people. We are confident that these mechanisms will engage local communities and vulnerable groups.
We aspire to involve even more citizens in environmental activities, further accelerating the realization of the “Green Guria” concept.
Since 2021, CENN has been implementing a four-year project, the Georgia Climate Action Program, with the financial support of the European Union. The project is being carried out in four target regions: Kakheti, Imereti, Guria, and Racha-Lechkhumi, and its aim is to increase civil society engagement in the development and implementation of climate change policies.
As part of the project, CENN announced the competition for the innovative ideas on climate change mitigation and adaptation and the Center for Participation and Engagement (CPC) serves as a one of the winners of the competition. The project has granted in total 20 organizations each with 9,000 EUROS to implement innovative initiatives focused on climate mitigation and adaptation in focal regions.
