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UNECE helps Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine strengthen cooperation on strategic environmental assessment and transboundary environmental impact assessment

UNECE helps Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine strengthen cooperation on strategic environmental assessment and transboundary environmental impact assessment

UNECE is supporting Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine to further enhance strategic environmental assessment (SEA) and transboundary environmental impact assessment (EIA) to prevent and mitigate damage to the environment and health from economic growth. A robust system for environmental assessments ensures the soundness and transparency of economic and territorial planning decisions. It can also help in greening economies and promoting sustainable development.

UNECE assistance to the countries is being provided within the “European Union for Environment” (EU4Environment) programme in the six Eastern Partnership countries.

Under the EU4Environment programme, UNECE helps the countries to fully align their national legislation with the UNECE Protocol on Strategic Environmental Assessment (Protocol on SEA) and the Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (Espoo Convention). The countries are also being supported to build capacities for applying environmental assessments more effectively and systematically.

On 26-27 October 2020, the six countries convened in a virtual subregional workshop on the practical application of SEA and transboundary EIA organized by UNECE. The event gathered more than 40 representatives of environmental authorities to discuss the progress and lessons learnt by the countries on the development of SEA and EIA systems. This provided the opportunity to exchange experience and address topical issues, also taking into account good practice examples from other countries in the region.

Participants of the workshop received guidance and training from UNECE international consultants on SEA and EIA. The event contributed to promoting subregional cooperation in the area of SEA and EIA and to developing environmental assessment systems at the national level.