The Committee heard the report by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Khatuna Gogaladze on activity of the Ministry for the last year. According to the Minister, in order to improve the institutional changes and correct some legislative gaps, 47 legislative acts have been prepared and endorsed. The Ministry was subject to capacity building. The Department of national forest agency and environmental protection supervision was established. In accordance with the schedule of environmental protection under the Georgia-EU Association agreement, sundry important drafts have been developed: on Waste Management and on Water Resources Management. Kh. Gogaladze noted that the Ministry supports up to 70 environmental protection projects financed by international donor organizations and states. The forest policy document has been developed. The Ministry on regular-basis holds preventive measures to against illegal fishing and hunting, wood cutting and processing. As the Minister noted, in order to provide bio-diversity and implement UN bio-diversity convention, the plan on bio-diversity strategy and action is being finalized. She also spoke about the projects to improve waste management in urban territories. According to the Chair, Giorgi Tsagareishvili, the good cooperation has been established between the Committee and the Ministry. “What we have inculcated in the Committee, is the unique experience. None of the Committees have heard the report by the Minister twice”, - he noted. The Committee discussed the national forest policy concept by the Head of National Forest Agency, Bidzina Giorgobiani. He introduced the objectives of national forest policy, main principles and priorities. According to him, this is the frame document which will become the basis for legislative and infrastructural changes. G. Tsagareishvili noted that environmental protection concepts have never been considered in the Parliament. The sitting was attended by the heads of various environmental and natural resources departments of the Ministry. The Chair and the Minister also met with the pupils and pedagogues of Ozurgeti, Khoni, Terjola and Kutaisi schools.