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environmental baseline study (which ensures that pre-existing environmental conditions are
documented prior to the start of mission operations and following mission closure) and the
environmental action plan, liaise on environmental issues with local authorities and investigate
complaints or report of pollution, contamination, health hazards and other environment-related
incidents, submit a report on environmental issues to the Director of Mission Support and provide
environmental briefing to police and military contingents during their induction training.
Each UN field mission will take actions to integrate environmental measures into its planning
and operations in order to avoid and minimize the impact of activities carried out by the
mission and its staff on the environment and to protect human health from such
environmental impact.
In the same way it is important monitoring of environmental performance of the mission because
low environmental impact is an everyday issue, from the planning of the mission to its closure.
Everyone, involved in the peace mission, has to be aware that taking care of environment is a part
of his or her work. Protection of environment is important by itself, but also in order to protect the
reputation of UN as well as to maintain
good relationships with local
population: a bad environmental
management may raise issues during
and after the mission and create other
problems which could compromise
mission’s success.
This is the very challenging premise
that create the fundamental
consideration of the “Environmental
Chair”.
The first year of its activity has been
rich and very interesting: the fellow
had the opportunity to be part of a
project in Rwanda, for training police
and rangers on environmental subjects.
This mission is based on the Memorandum of Understanding which has been sub signed between
the Rwandan National Police and the Arma dei Carabinieri.
So a small group of Officers specialized in environmental questions moved to Rwanda for a 2
weeks course in favour of policemen and rangers of the 4 Rwandan National Parks.
Different lessons, simulations and table top exercises have constituted the environmental
programme which has been developed at Counter Terrorism Training Center in Mayange –
Bugesera (Kigali).
Object of this course was to introduce the Ranger’s course planned by Carabinieri as well as
conduct theoretical and practical lessons mainly oriented to local Police and National Park rangers
aimed to environmental awareness.
This was the first time in which Carabinieri personnel becoming from the Corpo Forestale dello
stato have been involved in training activity in favour of the Police of a foreign Country.
This was also the first time that a Carabinieri Team on Environmental protection has conducted any
type of discussion with Rwanda Police on this sensitive point.

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