Good environmental governance focus of the OSCE-hosted 2021 Aarhus Centres Annual Meeting

The 2021 Aarhus Centres Annual Meeting was held in Vienna and online on 23 and 24 September 2021. The meeting focused on good environmental governance, the role of Aarhus Centres in times of disaster, green recovery, women empowerment, and promotion of the 2030 sustainable development agenda.

Organized by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, representatives from Aarhus Centres, National Focal Points to the Aarhus Convention, representatives of non-governmental organizations, international organizations and OSCE field operations participated in the event. They shared experiences and best practices, and discussed the role of Aarhus Centres in fostering good environmental governance.

Vuk Žugić, Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, said that the Aarhus Centres are a bridge between citizens and authorities. “Their work in raising public awareness on environmental issues, disseminating environmental information, organizing public hearings, monitoring local environmental hotspots, and engaging local communities, youth and women in environmental initiatives in of great importance”.

Ambassador Tobias Lorentzson, Deputy Permanent Representative of Sweden to the OSCE said: “The Aarhus Centres can make a great contribution to strengthening women’s participation in environmental matters and ensuring that the needs and the involvement of men and women are equally heard”, highlighting the efforts of the OSCE in advancing women’s participation in environmental co-operation.

Director of Environment Division within the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), Marco Keiner, said: “Good governance, transparency, public participation and the rule of law, promoted by both OSCE and UNECE, are mandatory targets for every country that strives to make a tangible progress in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”

Piotr Tondys, Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Poland to the OSCE, strongly encouraged the operation of the OSCE-supported Aarhus Centres and Public Environmental Information Centres. “I particularly appreciate their active presence on the ground and their capacity to link national authorities, local administrations, civil society and private sector.”