OSCE supports roundtable discussion and training seminar on implementing Aarhus Convention principles in Kazakhstan

The OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan supported a roundtable discussion on the implementation of the Aarhus Convention principles in Kazakhstan on 9 and 10 July 2019 in Nur-Sultan.

The event brought together some 60 representatives from the government, Aarhus Centres and environmental NGOs from various regions of the country, who discussed the planned amendments to Kazakhstan’s Environmental Code and ways to bridge existing gaps in implementing the Aarhus Convention, including the associated Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTR) Protocol and the Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) Amendment. They also reviewed complaints related to violations of the Aarhus Convention and exchanged views on solving the problems while conducting the public hearings on environmental matters. Prior to the roundtable, a training seminar was conducted with a focus on enhancing access to information and public participation in decision-making in environmental matters.

The 2003 Kyiv PRTR Protocol is a legally binding international instrument on pollutant release and transfer registers. It requires parties to establish publicly accessible registers containing information on pollutants. The GMO Amendment stipulates requirements for public participation in decisions concerning the deliberate release of GMOs and provides a clear regulatory framework to ensure the effective engagement of the public in decision-making.

The roundtable discussion was organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan in partnership with the Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources Ministry.

The event is part of the Programme Office’s multi-year activities to promote good environmental governance and to assist the host country in meeting its commitments under the Aarhus Convention.