OSCE Centre in Bishkek promotes environmental security and supports clean-up campaign in the Issyk-Kul region

A two-day roundtable discussion organized jointly by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek and the local Aarhus Centre on the role of environmental protection in the sustainable development of tourism in the popular resort region of Issyk-Kul ended on 26 June 2016.

Representatives of local hotels and resort facilities, the environmental services and public organizations of the Issyk-Kul region discussed the current environmental problems and possible ways of addressing them through active public scrutiny. They also exchanged ideas on how to minimize the negative influence of tourism on the local environment.

On the final day of the event, a clean-up campaign was organized with the support of divers and local NGOs in the lakeside village of Bosteri.

“Issyk-Kul Lake is a national treasure and a great economic asset to Kyrgyzstan. The development of tourism in this area has created hundreds of jobs in recent years,” said Edoardo Da Ros, Economic and Environmental Officer at the OSCE Centre. “However, it has also exposed the lake and its surroundings to significant pollution risks.”

Adel Nurbekov, Director of the Aarhus Centre in Bishkek, said: “Public participation in decision-making on environmental matters is an overarching principle of the Aarhus Convention.” He noted that the clean-up campaign by the lake proved to be a successful initiative in bringing together the representatives of non-governmental organizations and local authorities.

The events were organized as part of the OSCE Centre's project on promoting environmental security through dialogue and enhanced disaster risk reduction.