Environmental threats do not respect national borders. Governments have realized that to avert this danger they must notify and consult each other on all major projects under consideration that might have adverse environmental impact across borders. The Espoo Convention is a key step to bringing together all stakeholders to prevent environmental damage before it occurs. The Convention entered into force in 1997. More »

Latest news:

9/5/08: Press release: Controversial Danube Canal – Non-compliance with Espoo Convention? Decision expected on 21 May. More »

9/5/08: Press release: Signing of environmental agreement among countries of South-Eastern Europe due 20 May. More »

7/5/08: Provisional agenda, notes for delegates and all formal documents (in English and Russian; French complete soon) ready for 4th Meeting of the Parties, to be held in Bucharest, from 19 to 21 May 2008. Implementation Commiittee addendum to its findings and recommendations on Ukraine. More »

18/12/07: Serbia became the 42nd Party to the Convention on 18 December 2007. The European Community became the 10th Party to the first amendment and the eighth Party to the second amendment on 18 January 2008. More »

The SEA Protocol will augment the Espoo Convention by ensuring that individual Parties integrate environmental assessment into their plans and programmes at the earliest stages – so helping to lay the groundwork for sustainable development. The Protocol also provides for extensive public participation in the governmental decision-making process. More »

Latest news:

11/10/07: Norway became the seventh Party to the Protocol on 11 October 2007. More »

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©Photographs courtesy of US Fish & Wildlife Service and Department of Energy, respectively.