Capacity building for NGOs for effective participation in environmental decision-making through elaboration of relevant policy tool and awareness-raising

Project Details & Results

The project developed by “Environmental Public Advocacy Center” (EPAC) NGO within UNDP GEF/SGP is aimed at enhancing the efficiency of the right to participate in the process of elaboration of legal acts related to environment through development of relevant legal tool and web-based platform as well as awareness-raising. 

Current legislation of RA (Law of RA “On Legal Acts”) provides general framework to ensure public participation in environmental decision-making, though certain gaps and uncertainties related to the procedure of participation remain to be addressed. Along with this, lack or insufficient level of necessary capacity of many environmental NGOs (legal knowledge and relevant skills to build constructive dialogue with decision-makers) for informed and well-based participation coupled with the lack of appropriate platform for policy dialogue, eliminate the quality and impact of this basic procedural right. These problems emphasized the importance of adequate legal regulation as well as supporting constructive dialogue between civil society and decision-makers. These objectives correspond to the international obligation of the Republic of Armenia deriving from the UNECE Convention «On Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters» (Aarhus, 1998). 

 The main activities within the project are:

 1. Analysis of the legislation and practice. The analysis to be conducted based on the results of the survey conducted between decision-makers and civil society organizations, as well as comparative analysis of documents adopted by different bodies of the Aarhus Convention (Meeting of the Parties, Bureau, Task Forces, and Compliance Committee). The results of the survey will help to streamline and make corrections to the forthcoming core activities of the project.

 2. Elaboration and publication of a Methodology (Guide) on public participation in environmental decision-making: The Guide will be envisaged for the members of civil society. It will help to convey relevant legal information and skills coupled with case-studies and examples to promote effective participation and will have a rather simple language. 

 3. Training in regions and in Yerevan: the trainings are aimed at giving to the representatives of civil society necessary knowledge on the system of environmental legislation, process of elaboration of legal acts and possibilities of participation, providing acquaintance with legal techniques and principles of working with legal acts.

 4. Development of web-based platform (www.ecolex.am): the web-resource will serve as unified platform for public participation in the process of elaboration of legal acts related to environment. Draft legal acts related to environment and elaborated by the National Assembly of RA, Ministry of Nature Protection of RA as well as by other authorities will be posted on the web-site.  The system of electronic tools on the web-site will enable the users to upload their comments and suggestions which will become publicly accessible.

 5. Elaboration of a draft Governmental decree of RA “On approval of public participation rules for the procedure of elaboration of legal acts related to environment” together with related documentation: the draft Governmental decree and accompanying documents are to be prepared in cooperation with the Ministry of Nature Protection of RA, Ministry of Justice of RA and civil society.

 Implementation of the project is expected to result in tangible improvement of dialogue between decision-making authorities and civil society, formation relevant capacities for informed participation, atmosphere of mutual trust and responsibility of civil society for adherence to adopted legal acts.

The project developed by “Environmental Public Advocacy Center” (EPAC) NGO within UNDP GEF/SGP is aimed at enhancing the efficiency of the right to participate in the process of elaboration of legal acts related to environment through development of relevant legal tool and web-based platform as well as awareness-raising. 

Current legislation of RA (Law of RA “On Legal Acts”) provides general framework to ensure public participation in environmental decision-making, though certain gaps and uncertainties related to the procedure of participation remain to be addressed. Along with this, lack or insufficient level of necessary capacity of many environmental NGOs (legal knowledge and relevant skills to build constructive dialogue with decision-makers) for informed and well-based participation coupled with the lack of appropriate platform for policy dialogue, eliminate the quality and impact of this basic procedural right. These problems emphasized the importance of adequate legal regulation as well as supporting constructive dialogue between civil society and decision-makers. These objectives correspond to the international obligation of the Republic of Armenia deriving from the UNECE Convention «On Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters» (Aarhus, 1998). 

The main activities within the project are:

 1. Analysis of the legislation and practice. The analysis to be conducted based on the results of the survey conducted between decision-makers and civil society organizations, as well as comparative analysis of documents adopted by different bodies of the Aarhus Convention (Meeting of the Parties, Bureau, Task Forces, and Compliance Committee). The results of the survey will help to streamline and make corrections to the forthcoming core activities of the project.

 2. Elaboration and publication of a Methodology (Guide) on public participation in environmental decision-making: The Guide will be envisaged for the members of civil society. It will help to convey relevant legal information and skills coupled with case-studies and examples to promote effective participation and will have a rather simple language. 

 3. Training in regions and in Yerevan: the trainings are aimed at giving to the representatives of civil society necessary knowledge on the system of environmental legislation, process of elaboration of legal acts and possibilities of participation, providing acquaintance with legal techniques and principles of working with legal acts.

 4. Development of web-based platform (www.ecolex.am): the web-resource will serve as unified platform for public participation in the process of elaboration of legal acts related to environment. Draft legal acts related to environment and elaborated by the National Assembly of RA, Ministry of Nature Protection of RA as well as by other authorities will be posted on the web-site.  The system of electronic tools on the web-site will enable the users to upload their comments and suggestions which will become publicly accessible.

 5. Elaboration of a draft Governmental decree of RA “On approval of public participation rules for the procedure of elaboration of legal acts related to environment” together with related documentation: the draft Governmental decree and accompanying documents are to be prepared in cooperation with the Ministry of Nature Protection of RA, Ministry of Justice of RA and civil society.

 Implementation of the project is expected to result in tangible improvement of dialogue between decision-making authorities and civil society, formation relevant capacities for informed participation, atmosphere of mutual trust and responsibility of civil society for adherence to adopted legal acts.