Conference: 25th Anniversary of Turkmenistan’s Accession to the Aarhus Convention held in Ashgabat

On Monday, October 21, 2024, a one-day hybrid conference took place at the OSCE Center in Ashgabat, dedicated to the 25th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s accession to the Aarhus Convention. The conference was organized by the Ministry of Environment Protection of Turkmenistan, the Aarhus Center of Turkmenistan, with support from the OSCE Center in Ashgabat. Around 30 representatives attended, including government agencies such as the Ministry of Environment Protection, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan, the Mejlis, the Academy of Sciences, the National Institute of Flora and Fauna, the State Water Management Committee of Turkmenistan, as well as representatives of Civil Society organizations: the Nature Preserving Society of Turkmenistan, the National Red Crescent Society of Turkmenistan, the Blind and Deaf Society of Turkmenistan, “Agama Climbing Club”, “Yash Tebigatchy”, “Yashyl Shokhle”, “Yenme”, “Taze Zaman”, “Eco durmush”, the Project office of CAREC in Turkmenistan, and the Center for Disability Support “Turkmenobadesgakhyzmat”.

The conference was facilitated by Naza Orazova, a program assistant at the OSCE Center in Ashgabat, who welcomed all participants and gave the floor for the opening remarks to Mrs. Olivera Zurovac-Kuzman, Economic and Environmental Affairs at the OSCE Center in Ashgabat, and Mrs. Joragul Murzaevna Khalbayeva, Chief Legal Advisor of the Ministry of Environment Protection of Turkmenistan.

“The Ministry of Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan highly values the work of the Aarhus Center of Turkmenistan. As you know, our ministry was established in July last year, and within a year, the Center has done a great deal of work to fulfill the obligations under the Aarhus Convention. For example, I would like to highlight the assistance provided by the OSCE Center in Ashgabat and the Aarhus Center of Turkmenistan in preparing our recently developed draft law on reducing methane greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. To date, 10 environmental laws have been jointly developed and adopted, 15 laws are under revision, and another 5 laws will come out by the end of the year,” – noted J.M.Khalbayeva.

The first session was on the topic: “The Role of the Aarhus Convention in Promoting the Principles of Good Environmental Governance and Sustainable Development.” Via video link on the ZOOM platform, Ms. Marina Yanush, Environmental Specialist at the Secretariat of the Aarhus Convention, UNECE (Geneva), spoke. She detailed how the Aarhus Centers help disseminate information about the Convention’s key goals to the broader public. She emphasized the significant role of public participation in this matter and in the overall implementation of the Convention. She stressed the importance of interaction between the public and state bodies authorized to make environmental decisions. Ms. M. Yanush also added that media, educational institutions, businesses, international organizations, financial institutions, courts, ombudsmen, and legislative bodies play an important role in the full implementation of the Convention.

“The Aarhus Convention, by involving a wide range of stakeholders in its implementation, is very instrumental in achieving almost all of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Since the realization of each goal touches upon environmental aspects. It is important to note that 2024 is a special year, as it marks the in-depth review of SDG 16, which focuses on peace, justice, and strong institutions. This SDG has several targets that are very much in line with the obligations of the Aarhus Convention. These are targets 16.10, 16.7, and 16.3,” – added Ms. M. Yanush.

The final speaker of this session was Mr. Christian Melis from the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities in Vienna.

In his presentation, he focused on the network of Aarhus Centres established in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. The first center was opened in 2002 in Yerevan, thanks to the support of environmental and security projects, and since then, more than 50 centers have been created with OSCE support. The Centres can be institutionalized in two main ways. They can operate under state management, but in most cases, they are based on the NGO model, meaning that their role is carried out by civil society representatives who support the government in fulfilling the Convention’s provisions. We have examples of centers working at the regional level, addressing transboundary environmental issues. The centers are actively involved in initiatives related to SDGs, sustainable water management, and youth empowerment. This is especially relevant in Central Asia, where many centres work on the implementation of transboundary water agreements, expanding youth opportunities, key gender issues, and providing legal consultation on environmental matters. All these initiatives are also aimed at fulfilling the 2030 Agenda.

After the presentations, Berkeli Ataev, Director of the Public Association enterprise “Tebigy Kuwwat”, asked the online speakers two questions: 1. Turkmenistan is not a party to the Pollutant release and transfer registers (PRTR). If Turkmenistan signs the protocol, how can the Aarhus Centre assist in fulfilling the protocol’s obligations? 2. Are there any plans by the OSCE to hold the annual Aarhus Centres meeting in Ashgabat?

Ms. M. Yanush responded to the first question:

“The Aarhus Centre can play a very important role by providing a platform for discussing the potential for implementing the PRTR protocol, analyzing legislation, institutional frameworks, and supporting activities. And, of course, experts in this field are necessary.”

Mr. K. Melis answered the second question:

“It is easier for us to organize meetings in Vienna, and according to our plans, we will hold three annual Aarhus Centers meetings outside Vienna, covering three different regions: last year in Central Asia – Dushanbe, this year in Eastern Europe – Belgrade, and next year most likely in the South Caucasus. As for holding a meeting in Ashgabat, I fully support such an initiative, but it depends on funding. If everything is resolved and Turkmenistan is interested, it is likely that a meeting could be held in Ashgabat in 2-3 years.”

The second session consisted of two presentations: one by Yolbars Kepbanov, Head of the Aarhus Center of Turkmenistan, on “The Role of the Aarhus Centre in Promoting the Aarhus Convention in Turkmenistan,” and another by Berkeli Atayev, Director of the Public Association enterprise “Tebigy Kuwwat”” on “The Aarhus Center in Turkmenistan: Key Areas of Activity.”

Y. Kepbanov spoke about the history of the Centre, founded based on a Memorandum signed between the Ministry of Environment Protection and the PAE “Tebigy Kuwwat”. Detailed information was presented on the cooperation between the Aarhus Centre and the Ministry in implementing the Convention’s main tasks. In particular, the regular preparation of the “National Report on the Implementation of the Aarhus Convention in Turkmenistan” for a five-year period. The last report was prepared in 2021, and currently, a draft of the National Report for the 2021-2025 period has been prepared.

The head of the Aarhus Centre noted that close ties have been established with the Aarhus Convention Secretariat, which, when possible, invites employees of the Turkmen Aarhus Centre to its events, contributing to the effective organization of the center’s work. He also mentioned that in 2020, with the participation of the Aarhus Centre, a draft law “On Environmental Information” was prepared and adopted in April of the same year. This law mentions the creation of a State Fund for Environmental Information, overseen by the Ministry of Environment Protection of Turkmenistan, where all environmental information from all ministries and agencies should be collected. Y. Kepbanov highlighted the need to activate efforts to create this Fund at the highest level to ensure its sustainable functioning.

Summing up his speech, Y. Kepbanov added that since its establishment, the Aarhus Centre of Turkmenistan has participated in the preparation of more than 40 draft laws and regulations in the field of environmental protection. Every environmental law contains certain articles related to the Aarhus Convention.

B. Atayev continued the session and presented the main areas of activity of the Aarhus Convention in Turkmenistan. In particular, the increased activity of the PAE “Tebigy Kuwwat” and the Aarhus Centre of Turkmenistan over the past 2-3 years was noted. For example, in November 2023, a seminar on the Aarhus Convention was held in the Koytendag Nature Reserve, and in December, to celebrate Turkmenistan’s permanent neutrality, a tree-planting event was held in this easternmost reserve.

B. Atayev then mentioned the Aarhus Centre’s interaction with local and international public organizations. As an example, he cited conducted of the joint training with the “Yenme” NGO on the development of inclusive eco-tourism, held on December 5, 2023, timed to coincide with International Day of Persons with Disabilities. In May of this year, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed with the Project Office of the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) in Turkmenistan, which became an important milestone for the PAE “Tebigy Kuwwat” and its subordinate Aarhus Center. A little later, in the same month, a meeting was held with some public associations to define the scope of cooperation with CAREC, and in connection with this, a representative from Turkmenistan’s civil society was elected to the CAREC Board of Governors.

One of the significant events of the Aarhus Centre was the launch of the official website in honor of the anniversary of Turkmenistan’s accession to the Aarhus Convention. A significant portion of the presentation by the director of the “Tebigy Kuwwat” was dedicated to the structure and content of the website.

In concluding his presentation, B. Atayev noted the demand for the creation of a youth movement of the Aarhus Centre aimed at developing leadership, volunteering skills, and creative thinking among youth in implementing their creative and innovative ideas in the field of environmental protection. This initiative was inspired by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) Guide for the Aarhus Centres Association “On Engaging Youth in Aarhus Centres Activities.”

After the lunch break, Y. Kepbanov introduced all participants to the National Report on the Implementation of the Aarhus Convention in Turkmenistan. Many representatives of civil society expressed their opinions on the National Report and shared their experiences of cooperation with the PAE “Tebigy Kuwwat” and the Aarhus Centre of Turkmenistan. All amendments and comments will be taken into account in the document.

Next, presentations were made by the staff of the Aarhus Centre of Turkmenistan: Teymur Aliyev on “Environmental Actions of the Aarhus Centre of Turkmenistan”, and Gurban Ovezdurdiyev on “Sustainable Water Resource Management – the Main Direction of the Aarhus Centre’s Activities”. The topic of water resources sparked lively discussions, as in recent years there has been a trend of decreasing water levels in the Amu Darya River basin due to the impact of climate change and uncoordinated water withdrawals by transboundary countries.

Summing up the conference, the presidium members once again congratulated all participants on the 25th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s accession to the Aarhus Convention, thanked them for their active participation, and wished them success in the further implementation of the Aarhus Convention!

Berkeli Atayev.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Many are familiar with the four main geospheres: the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere. However, due to our arid climate, the concept of the “cryosphere” is rarely encountered or used in everyday life. But when you consider the important role the cryosphere plays in the Earth’s ecosystem, you can’t help but think about how dependent we are on this geographical layer of the planet, characterized by the presence or potential existence of ice. The cryosphere refers to the ice cover, frozen water found in forms such as sea ice, river and lake ice, snow cover, glaciers, ice caps, ice sheets, and frozen ground (including permafrost). In addition to the visible parts of glaciers and snow cover in the mountains, the cryosphere includes underground ice, rock glaciers, moraines, and permafrost. The dynamics of global warming are leading to the reduction and melting of glaciers, which negatively affects the planet’s water balance, including our region, where water levels in the Syr Darya and Amu Darya rivers are decreasing.

This issue was the focus of a two-day seminar held on October 8-9, 2024, at the “Archabil” Hotel in the capital, titled “Development of Diagnostic Analysis.” The seminar was a continuation of the Subregional Seminar that took place on April 3-4, 2024, as part of the GEF-UNDP-UNESCO project “Strengthening the Resilience of Central Asian Countries by Enabling Regional Cooperation to Assess Glacio – Nival Systems to Develop Integrated Methods for Sustainable Development and Adaptation Climate Change.”

Previously, similar seminars at the national level were held in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. As a conclusion to this series, the seminar in Turkmenistan wrapped up the discussions aimed at examining the perspectives and visions of Central Asian countries on water resources and climate change, as well as related impacts, including the potential degradation of the cryosphere in Central Asia, as part of the preparation of a diagnostic analysis under the project.

The seminar gathered about 35 participants, including national partners from Central Asian countries, government agencies (Ministry of Environment Protection, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Education, State Committee for Water Resources, Academy of Sciences, Turkmen Agricultural Institute, Caspian Sea Institute, the “Türkmensuwylymtaslama” Institute, and others), international organizations (UNDP, UNESCO, the Regional Environmental Center for Central Asia (CAREC), United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA)), and Civil Society Organizations (PAE “Tebigy Kuwwat”, Aarhus Center of Turkmenistan, Union of Women of Turkmenistan, the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan (UIET), and the Magtymguly Youth Organization of Turkmenistan).

The seminar was opened with a welcoming address to the participants and encouragement for fruitful work by Mrs. Chinar Rustamova, Executive Secretary of the National Commission of Turkmenistan for UNESCO.

Following this, Mrs. Nana Baramidze, Project Manager and representative of the UNESCO Regional Office in Almaty, greeted the seminar participants and introduced the agenda for the two-day meeting.

During the two days of work, facilitated by Mr. Talaybek Makeev, Technical Advisor at Zoi Net, and Mr. Serikzhan Atanov, Regional Project Coordinator and Junior Researcher at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, four sessions were held:

The results of identified cryosphere issues based on situational analysis, subregional and national seminars in other Central Asian countries;
Review of the identified problems in the Diagnostic Analysis, their impacts, and identification of key points of concern in the context of Turkmenistan;
Identifying the visions/understandings of stakeholders and their interests;
Defining priorities for raising awareness, capacity building, and pilot activities under the project for Turkmenistan.

During the sessions, presentations were delivered by national experts from Central Asian countries on the country-specific situations in the context of identifying cryosphere issues and proposing solutions to these problems, both within the framework of the project and for the future. Group exercises were conducted, along with a general brainstorming session to identify the consequences for Turkmenistan in relation to the cryosphere situation in Central Asia, and the necessary actions to mitigate the abnormal glacier melting in the Pamir and Tien Shan mountains, which provide meltwater for the Amu Darya and Syr Darya river basins, respectively, under changing climate conditions.

As a result of the series of national seminars, a solid foundation is expected to be established for cryosphere monitoring and data management at the national and regional levels. By promoting cooperation and knowledge exchange, these seminars will contribute to the preparation and development of scenario strategies to address future cryosphere changes in Central Asia.

Berkeli Atayev.