Turkmenistan hosts discussions on Aarhus Convention

By  Trend

The Aarhus Convention, a UN document on access to environmental information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters, was the focus of an OSCE-supported seminar in Turkmenbashi, Turkmenistan, said the OSCE in a message.

Twenty five representatives of local authorities, commercial organizations, civil society and media attended the event.

Discussions focused on administrative liability in the area of environmental protection, the importance of awareness-raising about air pollution and activities of the Caspian Environmental Control Service of the State Committee of Turkmenistan for Nature Protection and Land Resources (SCTNPLR) in the area of implementation of environmental legislation.

“The implementation of the Aarhus Convention is a multi-step process which requires a systematic approach, including strengthening knowledge and understanding among officials at all levels of government of their respective obligations and responsibilities within the Convention,” said Natalya Drozd, head of the OSCE Center in Ashgabat.

The seminar was organized by the Aarhus Centre of Turkmenistan Project, launched in 2012 by the Tebigy Kuwwat public organization, with the support of the OSCE Center in Ashgabat, and in cooperation with the SCTNPLR.