Preparation and dissemination of guidance

Drafting of guidance on the practical application of the Convention for specific needs of the subregion (for cases of transboundary EIA in relation to, inter alia, transboundary watercourses) by a consultant.

See Central Asia page

Carrying-out of workshops in

• Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan)
• Caucasus (Armenia)
• Eastern Europe (Ukraine)

to finalize the guidance.

Conclusions of workshop on guidance for capacity building in Central Asia, Issyk-Kul (Kyrgyzstan), 5-7 October 2004 - see Central Asia page

Armenia workshop held 17-19 September 2007, with financial support from Switzerland: workshop report ; participants .

Ukraine workshop expected early in 2008, with financial support from Switzerland.

Active dissemination of the guidance in the participating countries (through, for example, national workshops).

See Central Asia page

Training course in transboundary EIA - methodology

First training workshop held in Tajikistan, 19-21 February 2007, with support from Switzerland. See Central Asia page for presentations, etc.

Second workshop expected in Kazakhstan in summer 2007.

Third workshop in Kyrgyzstan 26-30 November 2007.

Supporting knowledge of the Convention and of transboundary EIA in Russian-speaking countries through the dissemination of a relevant Russian-language journal (Environmental Expertise and EIA, with 6 issues a year).

Funding for the first year has been provided by the company NordStream: contents in English of the first issue of Environmental Expertise and EIA

In addition, a transboundary EIA pilot project involving Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan is being initiated - see Central Asia.

Furthermore, the secretariat has supported the following activities being lead by UNEP:

• 1st meeting on the Protocol on Transboundary EIA under the Caspian Sea Convention, 9-11 March 2005, Moscow
• 2nd meeting on the Protocol, 24-26 October 2005, Moscow
• 3rd meeting, 7-9 June 2006, Moscow

• Training workshops on use of the Guidelines on EIA in a Transboundary Context in the Caspian Sea Region: Baku, 4-5 April 2005 and Gorgan (Islamic Republic of Iran), 11-12 July 2005.