Kaja Peterson Programme 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 of administrative 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 Convention Baltic 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