Official Website of the Republic of Belarus
Government
Belarus Events Calendar
Belarus’ Top Tourist Sites
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Belarus
Belarusian sanatoria and health resorts
Souvenirs from Belarus
| Home | Government | Events

Events

3 Jun 2016

Belarus considering signing Protocol on Strategic Environmental Assessment

MINSK, 3 June (BelTA) – Belarus is considering the idea of acceding to the Protocol on Strategic Environmental Assessment, which works within the framework of the Espoo Convention, BelTA learned from Belarusian First Deputy Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Minister Iya Malkina on 3 June.

The official said: “We are thinking about acceding to the Protocol on Strategic Environmental Assessment. Moreover, the seventh meeting of the parties to the Espoo Convention will take place in Minsk in June 2017. Belarus has already established a committee to prepare for the event. We are now addressing technical issues. The Convention’s Secretariat is interested in getting us to accede to the Protocol before that. We may do it.”

Iya Malkina explained that by acceding to the Protocol on Strategic Environmental Assessment Belarus will undertake a number of commitments. “First of all, we will have to discuss the adoption of any government programs with our neighbors, which interests may be affected within the framework of transboundary cooperation. In line with the Espoo Convention we are supposed to discuss with them only concrete projects, for instance, industrial installations while government programs fall below the radar,” she stressed.

The First Deputy Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Minister explained that Belarus is already working to improve national legislation in this sphere. “We have given the first reading to amendments to the law on state ecological expert evaluation. The amendment introduces strategic environmental evaluation. The institution will apply to government programs and expects that the impact of various government concepts and economic or social development programs on the environmental situation in Belarus will be evaluated during their development stage,” said the official.

Archive
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
Great Patriotic War monuments in Belarus