OSCE Office in Yerevan

Aarhus network

The Office supports the government in its efforts to set up and operate Public Environmental Information Centres (Aarhus Centres), thus contributing to the implementation of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe's Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus Convention).

Implementing the Convention should lead to the development of an open administrative culture that supports public participation and transparency in environmental matters and values them as positive contributions to effective, democratic governance.

The 15 OSCE-funded Arhus Centres support the implementation of the three pillars of the Aarhus Convention by raising awareness and by carrying out activities with public participation. The Office supports the Ministry of Environmental Protection in promoting the first pillar of the Aarhus Convention, access to information, by maintaining the Aarhus website www.aarhus.am.

Environment and Security Initiative

The Office also assists the national component of the Environment and Security Initiative (ENVSEC), the purpose of which is to provide a framework for co-operation between neighbouring states on security-related environmental issues. Together with ENVSEC partners, the Office co-ordinates the national component of the Wild Fire Management project, which trains local responders on modern wildfire suppression and carries out wildfire response exercises in the Syunik region. The Office also supports in the organization of meetings to discuss and prioritize environmental security issues and organizes meetings and other activities to promote regional environmental co-operation.