SAO audited financial means provided for the nature and landscape improvement
Press Release – April 12, 2011
From May 2010 to January 2011, auditors from the Supreme Audit Office were performing auditing operation No. 10/12, which scrutinized programmes aimed at nature and landscape improvement during the audited period 2006–2009. Among the audited bodies were: the Ministry of the Environment, the State Environmental Fund, the Agency for Nature Conservation and Landscape Protection, and selected recipients of subsidies. The funds provided within all the audited programmes during the period under review amounted to some CZK 3.75 milliard. A total grant allocation amount of CZK 266 million was audited at grant recipients.
The current status of nature and landscape is critical: irreversible appropriation of land is taking place and the patency of the landscape is becoming limited. The consequence of long-term unsustainable usage of the landscape is extinction of the habitat of many plant and animal species as well as a predominant degradation of the landscape's appearance and character. Changes in usage of the landscape are taking place at an uncontrolled rate, with negative impacts on nature. Although the grant programmes can not eliminate these shortcomings, they can be used to limit adverse consequences and remedy at least some of the damage done in the past. Within the period under review, the Ministry of Environment utilized some CZK 1 milliard a year (including EU funds) for the nature and landscape improvement.
The audit revealed that a high proportion of funds earmarked for nature conservation and landscape protection were used for renewal and construction of water reservoirs. Their existence is an important, but nonetheless only partial, contribution to the renewed and improved function of nature and the landscape. Moreover, they are even receiving aid at the expense of other measures because they are in high demand among non-state organisations. State organisations then fall short of realising the actions that are unattractive to other applicants, such as riverside revitalisation. The trend that was recognised during audit No. 04/01 remains unchanged.
The Landscape Care Programme was commenced in 1996 to provide aid to non-investment actions. The Programme is considered to be an irreplaceable grant programme that is supported from state budget funds. Certain parts of the Programme are open to a broad range of beneficiaries. From 1996 until completion of the audit, the Programme did not contain any indicators or parameters and that is why the part of the Programme pertaining to free landscape cannot be evaluated. The Programme cannot be assessed in terms of implementation of the objectives.
The auditing operation was included into 2010 Audit Plan of the SAO under No. 10/12. Zdeněk Brandt, Member of the SAO Board, managed the auditing operation and prepared the audit conclusion as well.
Communication Department
Supreme Audit Office