Representatives from the Aarhus Centres, pioneers in promoting environmental democracy, good governance, transparency and inclusivity, gathered for their annual meeting on 15 and 16 October to exchange experiences and ideas. This year, the event took place in Belgrade, Serbia and online.
The meeting was organized by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) in close collaboration with the OSCE Mission to Serbia and with the support of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, the Ministry of Environmental Protection of the Republic of Serbia and the Aarhus Centre New Belgrade.
Over 70 representatives from the Aarhus Centres, national authorities, international organizations, civil society and OSCE field operations discussed the role of the Centres in implementing the key pillars of the Aarhus Convention and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This year, the meeting mainly focused on the contribution of Aarhus Centres to implementing SDG 16 on "Peace, justice and strong institutions", the importance of including the perspectives of youth and children in environmental decision-making, and the importance of climate change and environmental education.
"The unique role of the Aarhus Centres in bringing together different stakeholders including national and local authorities and citizens," said Ambassador Bakyt Dzhusupov, Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities. "They are effective promoters of other Multilateral Environmental Agreements, such as the Espoo Convention and the Water Convention," he added.
Mrs. Sandra Dokic, State Secretary at the Ministry of Environmental Protection of the Republic of Serbia, said that her Ministry supported the establishment of the Aarhus Centres in Serbia to provide local population with environmental information and to promote public participation in environmental matters, and thanked the OSCE for the valuable support provided to the operation of the Centres.
Ambassador Jan Braathu, Head of OSCE Mission to Serbia, stated that "since Serbia ratified the Aarhus Convention in 2009, it has been a cornerstone of the OSCE Mission to Serbia's efforts to promote environmental governance. The Mission will continue supporting Aarhus Centres as key partners in promoting good governance and citizens engagement".
"The Aarhus Centres can assist authorities in organising trainings, conducting consultations on pressing challenges related to climate change and environmental protection, adapting environmental information to the needs of children and youth, supporting their involvement in decision-making and promoting environmental awareness raising and education," said Mr. Marco Keiner, Director of the Environment Division at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.
The 2024 Aarhus Centres Annual Meeting was partially financed thanks to contributions from Italy and Norway to the extra-budgetary project "Strengthening Aarhus Centres in the OSCE area to promote good environmental governance and sustainable development".
