OSCE supports awareness raising workshops on Environmental Impact Assessment and Strategic Environmental Assessment in Kazakhstan

An OSCE-supported three-day online awareness-raising workshop on effective implementation of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) in line with the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Convention on EIA, also known as Espoo Convention and its Protocol on SEA, concluded on 2 April 2021.

The OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan, in partnership with the UNECE, the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) and the Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources, organized the event.

Some 55 representatives from the Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources, regional ecology departments, Aarhus centers, non-governmental organizations, national and international experts discussed ways of implementing a new EIA and SEA procedure in Kazakhstan. Invited experts from Estonia and Poland presented international practices in carrying out EIA and SEA.  Participants were familiarized with the consultation process, as well as ways to verify developed documents and follow up monitoring.

The event supports the Office’s long-term efforts to promote green growth and sustainable development principles to strengthen environmental security.