Environmental issues under spotlight at OSCE-Aarhus Convention workshop in Yerevan

YEREVAN, 18 November 2004 - Environmental issues affecting the Armenian capital Yerevan were the focus of a two-day meeting which brought together more than 40 representatives from the municipality, ministries, academia and NGOs.

Organized by the OSCE Office in Yerevan, the Aarhus Centre and the Mayor's Office, the event, which ended yesterday, highlighted national and international legislation as well as the implementation of the Aarhus Convention.

Jeannette Kloetzer, Economic/Environmental Officer at the OSCE Office, stressed the importance of the participation of the civil society in discussions and decision-making processes on environmental protection within the framework of the Aarhus Convention.

"There are linkages between environmental stress and potential social tensions," she said, referring to the OSCE-UNDP-UNEP Environment and Security Initiative, which offers each of the southern Caucasus countries a combined pool of expertise and resources to deal with environmental and security concerns.

The subject of good governance and best practice was introduced by Dr. Lia Sieghard, an expert in the field of sustainable water and waste management and European Union legislation, who was invited by the OSCE Office.

Yerevan's Deputy Mayor Vano Vardanyan noted the necessity for continued dialogue and co-operation between official and public stakeholders on solving the environmental problems of the capital.

Proposals from the workshop will be summarized by a co-ordinating group and submitted to the government, the municipality and NGOs to design and implement targeted follow-up activities.