PROJECTS

Summary of seminar
Recommendations of the workshop

on elaboration of indicators for monitoring implementation of the Aarhus convention "On access to information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters" (Almaty, October 28-30, 2003)
 

From October 28-30, 2003 a workshop took place in Almaty, Kazakhstan on elaboration of indicators for monitoring implementation of the Aarhus convention "On access to information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters".

The workshop organizers were the OSCE (the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) Centre in Almaty and the Greenwomen (Kazakhstan) public association. Financial support was provided by the United States government.

The purpose of the workshop was to elaborate a detailed methodology, containing range of indicators, by which society and the government might assess implementation of the Aarhus convention in relation to access to information, decision-making and justice in the environmental sphere in the Republic of Kazakhstan. A further purpose was to establish a course of action for improving the environmental situation based on results of this monitoring.

Workshop participants used materials from the Access Initiative research group and the Washington-based World Resources Institute. The Access Initiative is a global coalition of civil society organizations, who promotes access to information, participation and justice in decision-making. The coalition has developed and pilot tested 9 countires around the world a methodology for the development of national indicators monitoring access to information, participation and justice. Findings from the research were presented accompanied by practical proposals on how to involve the public in decision-making in the environmental sphere.

Workshop participants used research materials provided by Access Initiative to assess levels of implementation of the Aarhus convention in Kazakhstan and to form plans of action for improving the environmental situation at regional and national levels. The World Resources Institute provided methodological support and guidance in adapting The Access Initiative methodology for the development of indicators in Kazakhstan.

During the workshop participants elaborated some national indicators on to assess levels of implementation of the Aarhus convention in Kazakhstan.

In addition to Greenwomen, workshop participants included officials from Kazakshtan's Ministry for Environmental Protection, deputies from the ecology committee of Kazakhstan's Parliament, personnel from the OSCE's Almaty mission, representatives from European ECOForum, World Resources Institute, UNEP/GRID-Arendal, IUCN Central-Asian Regional Office, Regional Ecological Center for Central Asia (REC) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). NGOs representatives included the International Experts Network for Sustainable Development in Central Asia and EcoForum of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Also participating were NGOs representatives from several regions of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

The workshop carried out within the framework of project on elaboration of indicators for monitoring of the Aarhus convention implementation in Kazakhstan. The project is managed by the OSCE Center in Almaty, the Greenwomen public association "Greenwomen".

The main objective of the project is to create conditions for the meeting of pubic needs in relation to access to information, involvement in decision-making and access to justice regarding environmental matters.

The participants of a workshop have accepted the following recommendations:

- To recognize the Access Initiative research group and the Washington-based World Resources Institute methodology is acceptable for the monitoring implementation of the Aarhus convention in Kazakhstan.

- To recognize necessity of work on adaptation of the methodology (preparation of the comments for the offered indicators and elaboration of own indicators).

- To proceed with work on elaboration of national indicators to assess levels of implementation of the Aarhus convention in Kazakhstan.

- To select the Coalition and Advisory Group (resource group) participants to assess levels of implementation of the Aarhus convention in Kazakhstan on the basis of criteria elaborated by workshop participants (to delegate Public Association "Greenwomen" to select participants the Coalition and Advisory Group).

- To use elaborating indicators to work out actions plan and improve practical implementation of the Aarhus convention in Kazakhstan.

- Basing on carried out researches, to prepare the offer the coalition of NGOs of the Republic of Kazakhstan to entry into “The Access Initiative" research group, a global coalition of civil society organizations ("The Access Initiative", World Resources Institute).

- Basing on monitoring results, to prepare the offers for Secretariat to distribute experience of the Republic of Kazakhstan on creation of conditions for the meeting of pubic needs in relation to access to information, involvement in decision-making and access to justice regarding environmental matters.

- To offer distribute in Central Asian countries and another countries interested results of workshop and monitoring of implementation of the Aarhus convention in Kazakhstan.

- To offer European ECO-Forum include presentation results of the Aarhus convention monitoring in Kazakhstan and Kazakhstani NGOs initiatives in agenda of NGOs meeting within the framework of the Second meeting of the Parties of the Aarhus convention (May 2005, Almaty).

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