OSCE Office in Yerevan holds workshop on implementing Aarhus Convention

The implementation of the Aarhus Convention in the context of recent constitutional and legal developments in Armenia was the theme of a workshop held by the OSCE office in Yerevan on 2 December 2016 in co-operation with Armenia’s Ministry of Nature Protection and the Centre of Economical-Legal Analysis (CELA).

Some fifty representatives from state institutions, civil society, international organizations, local Aarhus Centres as well as experts discussed the legal and practical challenges in implementing the Aarhus Convention. The Convention establishes a number of rights of the public – both individuals and their associations – in areas such as access to environmental information, public participation in environmental decision-making, and access to justice.

Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan, Ambassador Argo Avakov underscored the importance of joint efforts between the state and civil society, as he opened the workshop.

Minister of Nature Protection Artsvik Minasyan, said: “It is critical that the civil society organizations and the public are provided with due access to information and justice on environmental matters. In this regard, the compliance of legislation with international standards is important.”

Among the topics of the workshop was the role of the Ombudsman in the field of environmental rights protection, legislative drafts and provisions on public discussion and awareness of environmental issues, and the right of civil society organizations to challenge matters in court.

Also covered were tax regulations and insurance practices providing for compensation, perspectives on ratifying the Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR), conducting environmental impact assessments, and enhancing compliance with national and international regulatory requirements.