OSCE supports roundtable discussion on introduction of Pollutant Release and Transfer Register in Kazakhstan
ASTANA, 14 July 2016 – The introduction of the Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) in Kazakhstan was the focus of a roundtable discussion organized in Astana today by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana in partnership with the Energy Ministry’s Information and Analytical Centre of Environment Protection and the UN Development Programme in Kazakhstan.
Some 80 representatives of the Aarhus Centres, regional and central government entities, environmental NGOs and private sector focused on recent changes in national environmental legislation, guiding rules in implementing PRTR, international best practices and the role of the Aarhus Centres in promoting PRTR in the regions.
Joldasov Zulfuhar, Deputy Chairperson of the Committee of Environmental Regulation, Control and State Inspection in the oil and gas sector of Kazakhstan’s Energy Ministry, said: “Taking into account that environmental damage impacts all spheres of life, a state register of pollutant release and transfer is particularly relevant. We are convinced of the need to co-operate with all interested parties and consolidate our efforts in addressing the emerging issues in the field of environmental protection and sustainable development.”
Mirco Guenther, Deputy Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, said: "PRTR management can lead to a significant reduction in environmental and social risks to promote a constructive dialogue between interested parties, as well as to achieve a balance of interests and protection of environmental rights of citizens. The OSCE Programme Office in Astana stands ready to support Kazakhstan’s initiative to comply fully with all their obligations under the Aarhus Convention."
The PRTR Protocol was adopted in 2003, in Kyiv, Ukraine and is a legally binding instrument that requires parties to establish publicly accessible registers containing information on the release and transfer of pollutants.
The event is part of the Programme Office’s longstanding efforts in promoting the international standards of the Aarhus Convention in Kazakhstan.