Newsroom
OSCE Centre promotes implementation of Aarhus Convention in Kazakhstan
ALMATY 14 June 2004
ALMATY, 14 June 2004 - The OSCE Centre in Almaty has just concluded a one-day workshop on ways to implement a key environmental information tool, the Aarhus Convention, in Kazakhstan.
The event brought together more than 60 participants, including representatives of the Ministries of Environmental Protection, Energy and Mineral Resources, Information and Justice, as well as the Supreme Court and international and national experts, lawyers and members of the non-governmental sector.
Lawyers and members of environmental non-governmental organizations (NGOs) shared their experience in implementing the Aarhus Convention in their countries. A set of recommendations prepared by national independent experts regarding the implementation of the Convention in Kazakhstan was also discussed.
First Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection, Zhambul Bekzhanov, stressed the importance of NGOs in resolving various environmental issues and suggested the Aarhus Centre in Kazakhstan should be run by a board of experts representing civil society, parliament and related ministries.
"Solving environmental problems requires collaboration between the Government, NGOs and businesses," he said.
The Aarhus Centre is to serve as a link between the Government and NGOs in the area of environmental policy-making in Kazakhstan as well as a resource information base for the public and governmental officials in realising the basic provisions of the Convention.
The event brought together more than 60 participants, including representatives of the Ministries of Environmental Protection, Energy and Mineral Resources, Information and Justice, as well as the Supreme Court and international and national experts, lawyers and members of the non-governmental sector.
Lawyers and members of environmental non-governmental organizations (NGOs) shared their experience in implementing the Aarhus Convention in their countries. A set of recommendations prepared by national independent experts regarding the implementation of the Convention in Kazakhstan was also discussed.
First Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection, Zhambul Bekzhanov, stressed the importance of NGOs in resolving various environmental issues and suggested the Aarhus Centre in Kazakhstan should be run by a board of experts representing civil society, parliament and related ministries.
"Solving environmental problems requires collaboration between the Government, NGOs and businesses," he said.
The Aarhus Centre is to serve as a link between the Government and NGOs in the area of environmental policy-making in Kazakhstan as well as a resource information base for the public and governmental officials in realising the basic provisions of the Convention.