Kaja PetersonProgramme Director

Stockholm Environment Institute Tallinn Centre

Experiences of implementation of Espoo Convention in neighbouring countries of the Russian Federation

Espoo Convention is largely about communicating with neighbours, but not only……….

It is also about……… Availability of data and background information Access to and exchange of information Frameworks to communicate with the public and

stakeholders Legislative and administrative frameworks to support

the environmental assessment process and associated with this communication

Sharing of experiences and knowledge Extending democracy and strenghtening civil society Working towards sustainable development Building trust across borders

EU and Espoo Convention

EU as collective member (party) since 1997

But…..

EU is comprising 27 countries with a variety ofadministrative frameworks and cultural backgrounds

The Russian Federation

Signatory to the Espoo Convention, not a Party

22 neighbouring countries and EU

85 federal subjects

•47 oblasts (provinces)•21 republics (states)•eight krais (territories)•six okrugs (autonomous districts)•two federal cities (Moscow and St Petersburg)•the Jewish Autonomous Oblast

Transboundary EIA issue being discussed

Caspian Sea ConventionBaltic Sea Convention

A way forward

Political decision on the launch of the accession procedure to the Espoo Convention

Legal framework for EIA and transboundary EIA put in place

Administrative framework to cope with the communication load

Both legal and administrative frameworks put in place to ensure public involvement in the process

Continuous capacity building process at all levels of the administration and the civil society