Documents

Baku 2017

Map of biodiversity in Russia

Azeribaijan's report on activities during Q3.

Contributions from Russia pertaining to the State of Environment Report regarding the Capsian Sea.

Statistical Handbook

Consolidated Russian Contribution to the SOE

Consolidated contribution from Azerbaijan for the SOE report (2018)

Introduction

Notion of NCAP

• Objective

  • • • • Relationships among NCAP, SCAP and Framework Convention

• Scope of application/geographical scope

• Chapter 1.Prevention, reduction and control of pollution (Article 7 to 13)
• Chapter 2.Protection, preservation and restoration of the marine environment

(Article 14 to 16)

• Chapter 3. Procedural actions (Article 17 to 21)

• Chapter 4.

• • NPPS

• • • • • Notion of NPPS

      • NCAP vs. NPPS or action vs. strategy

      • Legal-formal basis for NPPS

      • Main areas/directions to achieve public participation

      • Organizational mechanisms ensuring public participation

      • Main directions/spheres for local public participation

      • Conclusion

• • • Conclusion

Introduction

Notion of NCAP

NCAP is meant to represent a set of actions as well as guiding activities envisaged to put in effect the relevant provisions of the Framework Convention on the protection of marine environment of the Caspian Sea.

While NCAP is considered to be mainly the action–oriented document it should also leave a reasonable margin of flexibility to enrich the list of actions in the course of implementation process, as needed, without any harm to its directing nature and guiding specificity.

Objective

Its characteristic aspect is to qualitatively achieve the implementation of actions and guiding activities to serve the objective of the Framework Convention with due regard to the SCAP which equally follows the same purpose.

In this regard one should pay attention to the relationship between NCAP and Framework Convention, on the one hand, and, relationship between NCAP and SCAP, on the other. Framework Convention is legally binding document, and thus, it is starting point for the national actions and activities for all Parties. While SCAP is also one single document for the States-Parties, it is rather of guiding nature due to the fact that “the basic framework of the SCAP mirrors the layout of the Framework Convention”. Furthermore, States-Parties are not expected to implement SCAP so that the Framework Convention is implemented. The State Parties will instrumentalize NCAP to implement Framework Convention and will take into account SCAP as guiding document to easen the task of State-Parties on how to formulate the NCAP. Henceforth, it has to be apprehended in this meaning that the NCAP is supposed to be a means for the implementation of SCAP.

To understand this unique relationship among NCAP-SCAP-Framework Convention one may draw the attention to another point. Framework Convention is an indefinite legal document, contrary SCAP has its time frame. Thus, the completion of duration of SCAP will not necessarily entail the automatic senselessness of adoption of NCAP for the purposes of the Framework Convention while if the latter expires its time of effectiveness such an NCAP will loose its meaning.

Last but not the least, NCAP is mostly action-oriented document with concrete targets. Against this background, SCAP mainly sets strategy for the implementation of Convention leaving aside the margin of appreciation for the detailed actions and activities for each State-Party’s national actors and their counter-partners.

Scope of application/Geographic scope

Geographic scope of NCAP accords with the scope of application of the Framework Convention and SCAP, respectively. Framework Convention in Article 3 defines marine environment of the Caspian Sea, taking into account its water level fluctuations, and pollution from land-based sources as areas for application. Article 26 (implementation of the Convention) mentions Contracting Parties’ territories and areas under their jurisdiction for the implementation of the provisions of the Framework Convention. To this end, proceeding from Articles 3 and 26 read in conjunction NCAP is to be realized within national boundaries on the land and in the Caspian Sea, e.g. within the territory and under the jurisdiction of the respective State-Party, accordingly.

Chapter 1

Prevention, reduction and control of pollution

While Protocol on Land-Based Sources of Pollution has been recently finalized at expert level but has not been yet signed neither entered into force, this does not preclude States Parties from taking actions about prevention, reduction and control of pollution of the Caspian Sea, especially those from land based sources and activities pursuant to the Framework Convention.

Chapter 2

Protection, preservation and restoration of the marine environment

The fact that the EIA Protocol has not been yet part of the international legislation for the State-Parties to regulate the activities in and for the Caspian Sea’s marine environment should not affect the relevant actions at national level.

Chapter 3 - Procedural actions

Articles of the Framework Convention from 17 to 21 are of procedural nature. However, it has been a stand-point that while drafting the NCAP certain actions and activities might relate to procedures which is very advisable. It is true that many of such actions have to be realized mutually. Cooperation in developing protocols (Article 17(3)), cooperation in formulating, elaborating and harmonizing rules, standards, recommendations, practices and procedures (Article 18(1)), cooperation in the conduct of research (Article 20), as well as exchange of information (Article 21) encourages States-Parties’ national actors for common or mutual\joint actions. Thus, it is correct that those actions that are envisaged in previous Chapters do not necessarily need to cover procedural issues. However, it might be also advisable to touch upon the procedural aspects of foreseen actions and activities in relevant part(s) to put them under the comprehensive focus. Therefore, at the next stage of writing a full-fledged NCAP paper this very pertinent point will be taken into due account.

Chapter 4 - NPPS

• • • • • Notion of NPPS

NCAP vs. NPPS or action vs. strategy

National Public Participation Strategy is a priori strategy setting paper. It can be qualified as a part of NCAP since its legal as well as formal standing derives from the Framework Convention. Here, the most important question that might logically arise is whether or not strategy setting paper can be part of paper of action-oriented nature? The answer is that while NPPS is about the strategy how the public will participate in relevant process and to which extend it equally presumes the forthcoming actions according to the strategy defined in advance.

Furthermore, Article 21 of the Framework Convention is also general enough making the State-Parties’ national actors to set firstly strategy. Thus, it also leaves the actions for each and every State-Parties’ national actors to put them in effect in pursuance of the general strategy.

At the same time, the degree of generalization or concretization of various parts of such a paper will a posteriori much depend on the national preferences and priorities of civil society actors.

To this end, aim of the NPPS is to ensure the participation in the environmental processes countrywide/regionwide by the public through the broad awareness-raising consistent with the relevant provisions of the Framework Convention on the protection of marine environment of the Caspian Sea and the Strategic Convention Action Program.

• • • • • Legal-formal basis for NPPS

“The Contracting Parties shall endeavour to ensure public access to environmental conditions of the Caspian Sea, measures taken or planned to be taken to prevent, control and reduce pollution of the Caspian Sea in accordance with their national legislation and taking into account provisions of existing international agreements concerning public access to environmental information”

SCAP is a guiding paper for the purposes of NCAP drafting. Henceforth, it also serves formal basis for NPPS.

Moreover, to the extend of relevance other applicable international agreements in force concerning public access to environmental information to which country in question is a party and national legislation are amongst the legal basis for NPPS.

• • • • • Main areas/directions to achieve public participation

• • • • • Organizational mechanisms ensuring public participation

• • • • • Main directions/spheres for local public participation

• • • • • Conclusion

NPPS as a part of NCAP should benefit from concretization observed in NCAP’s content. It has to identify the non-exhaustive directions for actions to follow, thus enabling to supplement the suggested directions with new one. NPPS has to be complementary to NCAP and they have to be mutually reinforcing.

Conclusions

NCAP is an action-oriented plan. It includes the targets and envisages the concrete results within the anticipated time-frame. Nevertheless, it is not supposed to provide an exhaustive listing of all possible actions. Convention Action Plan is of progressive nature and represents the current momentum of evolving process. Therefore, it does by no means exclude other additional actions deemed necessary for the purposes of implementation of the Framework Convention. It leaves all further deliberations and decisions thereafter for the national players to take in order for better advancing the large Conventional process within national boundaries both on land and in the Caspian Sea.

One should always bear in mind that the most important thing what counts is an action and result. Marine environment of the Caspian Sea necessitates such an action or a set of actions and activities in the sea and on soil. Thus, it is logical to conclude that NCAP is a minimum of what the national actors might do. It is presumably bottom line of large and constant process at national level directed towards meeting Conventional streams. 

There are large scale hyperstructures build up on small coherent water domains

 This book presents a systematization and description of the knowledge on water resources in Turkmenistan and on the “Altyn Asyr Lake” water reclamation project. The publication is based on observational data, scientific literature mainly published in Russian editions, and long-standing experience of authors of the chapters in the scientific research in Turkmenistan. A special attention is paid to satellite monitoring of the Altyn Asyr Lake construction and satellite remote sensing of water resources in Turkmenistan. International team of authors from several countries combined their efforts and contributed to this book on the Altyn Asyr Lake Project, the first one published in Western Edition. This book is addressed to the specialists working in various fields of environmental problems and ecology, water resources and management, land reclamation and agriculture, and regional climate change in Turkmenistan and Central Asia. 

 This book presents a systematization and description of the knowledge on water resources in Turkmenistan and on the “Altyn Asyr Lake” water reclamation project. The publication is based on observational data, scientific literature mainly published in Russian editions, and long-standing experience of authors of the chapters in the scientific research in Turkmenistan. A special attention is paid to satellite monitoring of the Altyn Asyr Lake construction and satellite remote sensing of water resources in Turkmenistan. International team of authors from several countries combined their efforts and contributed to this book on the Altyn Asyr Lake Project, the first one published in Western Edition. This book is addressed to the specialists working in various fields of environmental problems and ecology, water resources and management, land reclamation and agriculture, and regional climate change in Turkmenistan and Central Asia. 

Turkmenistan ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on July 5, 1995 and the Kyoto Protocol to UNFCCC in December, 1998. To imple- ment the main provisions of the environmental conventions, a State Commission has been created to ensure implementation of obligations of Turkmenistan arising from the interna- tional environmental conventions and programs.

The Second National Communication of Turkmenistan is submitted as per Articles 4.1 and 12.1 of the Convention. This National Communication has been prepared in compliance with non-Annex I Parties Guidebook of the UNFCCC.

In 2000, Turkmenistan prepared and submitted the Initial National Communication on Climate Change to the UNFCCC Secretariat describing national conditions and possible cli- mate change with its impacts on ecosystems and economy, assessment of greenhouse gas emissions and prevention measures on their decrease. In 2006, there was published the re- port on conduction of the second phase of the communication considering in detail the issues of capacity building in priority areas of the economy of Turkmenistan due to climate change. The Second National Communication is a logical continuation and further develop- ment of the Initial Communication. 

Objectives of the project included the organization and performance of the coast-wide awareness campaign in Turkmenbashi and Awaza area devoted to the Caspian Sea Day celebration. The project was prepared and agreed with the program of Celebration with the Ministry of Nature Protection of Turkmenistan, which supposed to be held in hotel “Dayanch” on the Caspian coast. The events were planned for August 10-11, 2012. However due to force-major reasons, upon arrival of participants of the event to Turkmenbashy city, the organizers were asked to postpone the event. It was decided to perform it in Ashgabat at the premises of the Institute of Deserts. Due to the summer beach time, it was impossible to change tickets and go back to Ashgabat earlier. Thus the Caspian Day event was then again prepared and performed in Ashgabat.

Национальный доклад Российской Федерации по Тегеранской конвенции за 2013 г . ПРИ подготовке была систематизирована и обобщена информация по программам и планам по решению экологических проблем Каспия, проведен сравнительный анализ федеральных и региональных целевых программ развития , выявлены изменения в нормативном правовом и институциональном обеспечении реализации Тегеранской конвенции в Российской Федерации , а также основные тенденции в деятельности, направленной на реализацию положений указанной Конвенции и протоколов к ней . 

В связи с подписанием в 2012 г. Протокола по защите морской среды Каспийского моря от загрязнения из наземных источников и в результате осуществляемой на суше деятельности к Тегеранской конвенции (Московский протокол) и необходимости осуществления национальных процедур по его вступлению в силу, а также с завершением согласования и подготовкой к подписанию Протокола о сохранении биологического разнообразия к Тегеранской конвенции (Ашхабадский протокол) в национальном докладе за 2013 г. основной акцент исследования был сделан на рассмотрении современных проблем загрязнения окружающей среды региона Северного Каспия , включая подробное рассмотрение проблематики загрязнения из наземных источников, а также на защите и рациональном использовании биологических ресурсов и сохранении биоразнообразия региона . 

The National Report of the Russian Federation on the Implementation of the Tehran Convention for 2009 is prepared on the basis of the adopted unified reporting format and the National Report for 2008. It includes new data in thematic sections related to the prevention, reduction and control of pollution, as well as to the research and development section. The information concerning the legal regulation and EIA was updated and amended. In addition, the report contains the information referencing to the National Reports for 2006-2007 and 2008, as appropriate.

Национальный доклад Российской Федерации по реализации Тегеранской конвенции за 2009 год подготовлен на основе утвержденного унифицированного формата отчетности и Национального доклада за 2008 г. Включает новые данные в тематических разделах, относящихся к предотвращению, снижению и контролю за загрязнением, а также связанному с научными исследованиями и разработками. Обновлена и дополнена информация, касающаяся правового регулирования и ОВОС. Кроме того, доклад содержит отсылочную информацию к Национальным докладам за 2006-2007 гг. и 2008 г.