World experts gather in Georgia to address environment issues

More than 40 representatives from eight countries and other international environment experts are in Georgia to attend a five-day conference addressing local and regional environment issues.

The guests gathered at Lopota Lake Resort in Kakheti region for an international sub-regional environmental conference led by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). 

Yesterday guests attended the Enhancing Strategic Environmental Assessment sub-regional conference, which aimed to support legislative reforms of environmental assessment systems and build national capacities in implementing Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) in their country.

From today until Friday, the delegates from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia will discuss various ways to enhance their legal and institutional frameworks for the application of SEA in their respective countries.

Georgia’s Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Protection Gigla Agulashvili and his Deputy Maia Bitadze highlighted the important role of the SEA system for Georgia.

Georgian officials opened the conference. Photo by Ministry of Environment of Georgia.  

The pair welcomed the forum where countries could share their experience on addressing challenges related implementing the SEA.

This experience will support our country and the Ministry in particular, in efficient development and adoption of relevant legislation as well as harmonisation of all processes with the Association Agreement,” Agulashvili said. 

UNECE EaP GREEN project manager Elena Santer encouraged Georgia to join the UNECE Protocol on SEA, which set the framework for integration of environmental and health considerations into governmental plans and programs. 

She also stressed UNECE was ready to continue supporting countries to build their national SEA systems.

The international sub-regional conference was organised in the framework of the European Union (EU)-funded program Greening Economies in the European Neighbourhood (EaP GREEN). The EaP GREEN program is funded by the EU and other donors.

The project partner in Georgia is non-governmental organisation Georgia’s Environmental Outlook.