Introduction

The recent environmental protests in Georgia have surpassed the concerns of the local population and activists participating in the protests and have exposed the shortcomings of the current policy and legislation in the field of environmental protection.

In the recent period, the natural and social environment has been increasingly sacrificed for the interests of economic benefits of private individuals. Damaged and degraded soil, poisoned rivers, polluted air, felled plants and public spaces designated for construction have become the daily life of the capital and regions. This issue is even more acute in light of the shortcomings of the health care system in Georgia.

The state mechanisms for restoring the environment damaged by the activities of the extractive industry and protecting the rights of the local population are weak and can neither restore the degraded environment nor the rights of a large part of the communities. Moreover, in some cases, the state acts as a defender of investors’ private interests and responds to citizens' concerns by offering mediation with the representatives of business.

An important function of civil society is to actualize the problems of the local population living in the regions in public and political spaces, to voice the concerns of the population, and also to protect the social and natural environment from the harmful effects caused by the current policy. For this, it is important to study the shortcomings of the system, expose them and turn them into subjects of public and political discussion.

This report aims to address the gaps in legislation and practice affecting effectiveness of state supervision over mineral resource extraction activities, and to encourage further in-depth and comprehensive research, as well as development of meaningful recommendations and fight for the rectifying the flawed policies.

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