OSCE supports public monitoring of the environment in Kazakhstan

Public monitoring of the environment was the focus of a training seminar co-organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana and the Zhaiyk-Caspian Aarhus Centre that was held on 13 April 2018, in Atyrau, Kazakhstan, for some 30 representatives of the government, environmental NGOs, the private sector and the media.

The participants learned about practical methods and tools for carrying out environmental monitoring of air, water and land resources and shared their experiences of successful cases of organizing public campaigns on environmental issues in accordance with the requirements of the Aarhus Convention.

Experts from the Zhaiyk-Caspian and Pavlodar Aarhus Centres presented a brochure, which was produced with the support of the Office, that analyzes the types and methods of monitoring, sources of environmental information, best practices in collecting data and how to use the Pollution Release Transfer Register (PRTR) to enhance public access to information on pollutants.

The PRTR Protocol, adopted in 2003 in Kyiv, is the only legally binding international instrument on pollutant release and transfer registers. It requires parties to establish publicly accessible registers containing information on pollutants. Kazakhstan will consider ratifying the PRTR in 2018.

The event is part of the OSCE Programme Office’s long-standing efforts to assist the host country in implementing the Aarhus Convention to promote access to information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters.