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UNECE experts to visit Tajikistan to assess environmental policies and implementation

Experts from UNECE member States and the secretariat will be visiting Tajikistan from 9 to 18 November for a field mission in the framework of the third environmental performance review (EPR) of the country. The team will meet governmental officials and representatives of international organizations, NGOs, business and academia, in order to assess progress in environmental protection since the second review, carried out in 2010-2011, and develop recommendations for future action.


The timing of this review coincides with the finalization of work on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The review will therefore describe progress made by Tajikistan in achieving MDGs. Moreover, it aims to assist Tajikistan in developing an aspirational national agenda for implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.


In addition to environmental governance and financing, the third review of Tajikistan will evaluate the country’s efforts to abate air pollution, enhance the management of water resources, reduce waste, preserve biodiversity and improve environmental monitoring and information. It will also address the integration of environmental considerations in the agriculture, industry, energy, transport, housing and health sectors, as well as risk management of natural and technological hazards.


The outcomes of the third EPR of Tajikistan, including recommendations to the country, will be discussed by the UNECE Committee on Environmental Policy at its meeting in Geneva in December 2016, with the participation of high-level officials from the Government of Tajikistan.


Since early 1990s, the UNECE EPR Programme assesses progress made by individual countries in reconciling their environmental and economic targets and in meeting international environmental commitments. The reviews assist countries to improve their management of the environment by making concrete recommendations for better policy design and implementation. The current third cycle of reviews focuses on environmental governance and financing in a green economy context, countries’ cooperation with the international community and environmental mainstreaming in priority sectors. Tajikistan is the sixth country to be reviewed in this cycle following the Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Georgia and Belarus.


The third EPR of Tajikistan is being organized in cooperation with the Committee of Environmental Protection under the Government of Tajikistan. It is financially supported by the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety and the German Federal Environment Agency with funds from the Advisory Assistance Programme (AAP) and Switzerland.


Two countries have delegated their experts for the review: Portugal – an expert on water resources –  and Finland – an expert on agriculture and environment. The World Health Organization has provided experts on health and environment issues, and the Joint United Nations Environment Programme/Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Environment Unit has delegated an expert on risk management of natural and technological hazards. Organizational support to the review mission is provided by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)-Tajikistan. Financial support to the EPR Programme is also provided by Austria, the Netherlands and Norway.


For more information, please visit http://www.unece.org/environmental-policy/environmental-performance-reviews/ongoing-reviews.html
or contact [email protected]

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