Transcript Definition of Environmental conflicts:

AARHUS CENTRES INITIATIVE
Esra Buttanri
Environmental Officer
Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE
Economic and Environmental Activities
OSCE Vienna
OSCE’s comprehensive approach to security
Three dimensions of security
 Politico-military
 Economic and
environmental
 Human dimension
Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE
Economic and Environmental Activities
To contribute to strengthening
of security and stability in the
OSCE region by promoting
international co-operation on
economic and environmental
issues.
Main instrument
The OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum since
1993….
2010 - Promoting good governance at border crossings, improving
the security of land transportation and facilitating international
transport by road and rail in the OSCE region".
Annual Economic and Environment Forum
2007 “Key challenges to ensure environmental
security and sustainable development in
the OSCE area: Land degradation, soil
contamination and water management”
2008 “Maritime and inland waterways co-operation
in the OSCE area: Increasing security and
protecting the environment”
2009 “Migration management and its linkages with
economic, social and environmental
policies to the benefit of stability and
security in the OSCE region”
Priorities for 2010
Good Governance
(fighting corruption,
combating money laundering)
Economic activities
(migration management)
Energy security
(dialogue and co-operation)
Environment and security
Aarhus Convention
“ ….. The adoption of the Aarhus Convention was a giant step forward
in the development of international law in this field. ….Although
regional in scope, the significance of the Aarhus Convention is
global. It is by far the most impressive elaboration of principle 10 of
the Rio Declaration…. As such, it is the most ambitious venture in
the area of “environmental democracy” so far undertaken under the
auspices of the United Nations.”
Kofi Annan
Former Secretary General of United Nations
The OSCE and Aarhus Convention
A unique tool for the OSCE to support environmental governance
processes at national and local levels which in turn contribute to the
countries’ efforts in addressing environment and security
challenges.
The OSCE through its Secretariat in Vienna and its several field
operations has been promoting the Aarhus Convention principles at
local, national and international levels in close co-operation with the
UNECE Aarhus Convention Secretariat and the Aarhus Convention
National Focal Points appointed by the respective governments.
The OSCE and Aarhus Centres
Since 2002, the OSCE has been supporting the establishment and
functioning of Aarhus Centres and Public Environmental Information
Centres in several countries of Central Asia, South Caucasus and
South Eastern Europe.
These Centres:
 Open-up channels of communication between members of the
public and government
 Provide a stage for the public to take an active role in environmental
decision-making.
“The Aarhus Centres are a bridge between good intentions and
concrete results”
Mr. Marek Belka, former UNECE Executive Secretary
Aarhus Centres - Locations
AARHUS
CENTRES
Platforms for
The OSCE currently supports 28
Aarhus Centers in
Albania (3)
Armenia (15)
Azerbaijan (3)
Belarus (1)
Georgia (1)
Kazakhstan (1)
Kyrgyzstan (1)
Tajikistan (3)
Co-operation
and Turkmenistan on the way…
Participation
Partnership
Aarhus Centres - Mandate
 To serve as a link between the government and NGOs in
the sphere of environmental policy-making and
implementation.

To provide platforms for coalition-building and
partnerships among NGOs in addressing environmental
issues.
More specifically:
 Provide improved access to environmental information
 Provide the platform and mechanisms for public
participation in decisions on activities, plans and
programmes, and legislation
 Offer mechanisms for providing citizens with access to
review and challenge violations of environmental law.
Aarhus Centres - Activities
Access to information
Handle information requests to public authorities
Serve as a community access point and repository of
national and local environmental information
Facilitate access to environmental information through
various means
Maintain and updated website
Issue regular and thematic publications
Aarhus Centres - Activities
Public participation
Conduct trainings on facilitation skills
Promote practice of public participation in decision-making
Facilitate EIA processes by offering services for
information dissemination and platforms for public
participation
Assist public in obtaining information on decisions and
informs public on EIA processes and results
Organize public hearings on planned projects, policies and
legislation
Provide platform for participatory national and local
environmental action planning
Aarhus Centres - Activities
Access to justice
Provide information and guidance to the public on court
procedures
Establish and provide a database on court decisions in
environmental matters
Organize training workshops for legal professionals
Facilitate or co-ordinate legal consultations to civil society
organizations and individuals on environmental rights.
Aarhus Centres - Activities
Others
Facilitate public participation in national report
preparations for the Aarhus Convention
Raise environmental awareness at all levels
Strengthen capacities of governmental and nongovernmental organizations
Promote principles of other multilateral environmental
agreements
Promote partnership among stakeholders
Aarhus Centres–Management and Guidance
Based on an agreement between the OSCE Field
Operation and the Government (Ministry of Environment)
Guided by an Advisory Board that consists of
representatives from government and NGOs
Independent Evaluation in 2008
Aarhus Centres Road Map in 2009
Aarhus Centre Guidelines in 2009
Annual meetings of Aarhus Centre practitioners
Aarhus Centres – Funding
It is mostly through the ENVSEC initiative and other extrabudgetary funding mobilized by the OSCE as well as the
resources of OSCE field missions
Environment and Security Initiative - ENVSEC
Environment and Security
Initiative
(ENVSEC)
ENVSEC : Main Goal
To facilitate a framework for cooperation on
environmental issues across borders and promote peace and
stability through environmental cooperation and sustainable
development
“Transforming Risks into
Co-operation”
ENVSEC Implementation
ENVSEC partnered with stakeholders from both governments
and non-governmental entities to:
Assess and map environmental problems that have the
potential for threatening security; and
Identify opportunities for co-operation
Today ENVSEC operates in 20 countries from the Balkans to
Central Asia and currently supporting over 50 projects with a
total budget of EUR 25 million.
ENVSEC Regions
ENVSEC-South Eastern Europe
Launched in 2003 through national consultations and
assessments
ENVSEC SEE regional consultation took place in Skopje in
2004 and endorsed the regional priorities.
 Improve regional co-operation with regard to risk
management and pollution hot spots
 Achieve shared management of natural resources
extending across borders.
ENVSEC-South Eastern Europe
Between 2003-2010, several projects on:
Assessment of pollution from mining hotspots
Creation of transboundary protected areas
Prevention of illegal logging
Facilitating access to environmental information and
public participation
ENVSEC- Bosnia and Herzegovina
Mining hot spots assessment
Protection and management of mountain areas
Management of protected areas
Partnerships and capacity building for river basin
management
Capacity building for multilateral environmental agreements
Support for implementation of Aarhus Convention
ENVSEC-South Eastern Europe
2010-2012 Work Programme
 Management and reduction of transboundary risks from hazardous
activities (abandoned mines, tailing dams)
 Management of shared natural resources (transboundary mountain
protected areas, transboundary rivers)
 Climate change adaptation for reducing security risks.
 Strengthening regional cooperation on environmental
governance through strengthening civil society
ENVSEC- Aarhus Initiative for the SEE
Goal:
To promote participatory mechanisms and partnerships among
central and local public authorities, civil society organizations and
business community for addressing environment and security
challenges through supporting the implementation of Aarhus
Convention and establishment and/or strengthening of Aarhus
Centres
Target Groups:
Government agencies in charge of environmental issues, regional
and local administrations, civil society and business.
Aarhus Initiative for the Bosnia and Herzegovina
 Support to the governmental authorities in implementing its
commitments under the Aarhus Convention.
 Strengthen capacities of civil society organizations to ensure that
they are strong partners to the government in environmental
decision-making and implementation.
For more information
Aarhus Centres
http://www.osce.org/eea/13471.html
Aarhus Convention
http://www.unece.org/env/pp/
THANK YOU!
([email protected])