The Aarhus Convention is the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters, signed in Aarhus, Denmark, on 25 June 1998.
The objective of the Convention is to contribute to the protection of the right of every person of present and future generations to live in an environment adequate to their health and well-being by guaranteeing access to environmental information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters.
The Aarhus Convention is based on three fundamental principles of public participation:
- Access to environmental information.
- Public participation in environmentally significant decision-making.
- Access to justice in environmental matters.
The Republic of Kazakhstan ratified the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters in accordance with Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan No. 92-II dated 23 October 2000.
Pursuant to Order No. 35-ө of the Minister of Environmental Protection of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated 20 March 2009, “Certain Issues concerning the Implementation of the Aarhus Convention”, the RSE on REM “Information and Analytical Center for Environmental Protection” of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan is the working body for implementation of the Aarhus Convention.
Aarhus Convention in PDF format
The Russian-language version of the Aarhus Convention is currently available for download.
Activities of the RSE on REM “Information and Analytical Center for Environmental Protection” of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan within the Framework of the Aarhus Convention
- maintaining the State Environmental Information Fund;
- preparing the National Report on the State of the Environment and the Use of Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan;
- publishing the national specialized electronic newspaper “Ecology of Kazakhstan”;
- holding an annual round table within the framework of implementing the Aarhus Convention in the Republic of Kazakhstan;
- conducting professional development seminars in the field of environmental protection;
- maintaining the information system of the authorized environmental protection body (for public hearings);
- maintaining the Pollutant Release and Transfer Register of the Republic of Kazakhstan.