OSCE facilitates video-conference on implementing Aarhus Convention in Kazakhstan

More than 30 experts from the Environment and Water Resources Ministry of Kazakhstan,  Aarhus Centres, academia and environmental non-governmental organizations took part in a video-conference on the draft Strategic Plan 2015–2020 for the implementation of the Aarhus Convention in Kazakhstan, on 23 June 2014 in Astana.

The Aarhus Convention is a key UN document on access to environmental information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters. Aarhus Centres set up with OSCE support serve as a link between the Government and non-governmental organizations, provide a platform for coalition-building and partnership among NGOs in addressing environmental issues, and promote the Aarhus Convention principles at national and local levels.

Kazakhstan signed the UNECE Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus Convention) in 2000. Currently, 12 Aarhus Centres in the country’s regions promote the norms and standards of the Convention and support their implementation with the OSCE Centre’s assistance.

The event was co-organized by the National Aarhus Centre and the OSCE Centre in Astana. Its goal was to help define Kazakhstan’s position on two key documents – the "Draft Decision on the Strategic Plan for 2015-2020" and “Draft Decision concerning Compliance by Kazakhstan with its Obligations under the Convention". The documents will be reviewed at the Fifth session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention from 30 June to 2 July 2014. A number of recommendations to Kazakhstan’s delegation that will take part in the Meeting of Parties were developed as a result of the discussion.