1. Public Participation in the SEA of Master Plan of Yerevan City in Armenia Sona Ayvazyan, Team Leader UNDP Pilot SEA Project as the Capacity Building Tool for UNECE SEA Protocol Implementation in Armenia Prague, September 26-30, 2005

2. Test and demonstrate opportunities for practical application of the UNECE SEA Protocol in Armenia taking into account its public participation and consultations requirement. Provide recommendation for environmental optimizing and modifications of the Yerevan City Master Plan. Background Information

3. Yerevan Master Plan Objectives ●Improving the planning structure ●Improving the transport and engineering infrastructures ●Developing environmentally clean industries ●Improving the living conditions of population and modernization of housing ‎ ●Restoring and enhancing sustainability of the natural complex, mitigation of environmental risks for human health ●Protecting historical and cultural heritage

4. Environmental Objectives ●Reducing atmospheric pollution ●Using water resources rationally, reducing of water pollution ●Protecting and restoring land cover ●Protecting and restoring landscapes, green areas and forests, greening of new areas and planting forests ●Reducing harmful impacts of wastes ●Protecting from physical impacts ●Reducing negative impacts on human health

5. Legal Framework ●Aarhus Convention (1998) ●SEA Protocol (2003) ●Law of RA on Environmental Expertise (1995) ●Law of RA on Urban Development (1998) ●Draft Law of RA on State Environmental Expertise (2005)

6. Scope of Stakeholders Experts - Experts specialized in environmental issues, including air, water, soil, biodiversity, green areas, waste as well as human health, historical-cultural monuments and urban development issues - Professional organizations/institutions, such as Academy of Sciences, universities, design institutes Authorities - Ministries of Nature Protection, Health, Urban Development, Culture and Youth Issues, Transport and Communication, Energy, Territorial Administration, etc. - State Committees of Real Estate Cadastre, Emergencies Public NGOs, neighborhood communities

7. Role of Public Participation ●Complying with legal requirements ●Channeling stakeholders voice into the decision-making process ●Improving the quality of SEA report and recommendations to improve the Master Plan document ●Raising public awareness on environmental issues ●Providing background information to support public monitoring of implementation of the master plan and its environmental impacts

8. Schedule of Consultations ●March 2004 - NGO hearing organized by the planning team ●April 2005 - Professional hearings of architects organized by the planning team ●May 2005 - Presentation of the Master Plan document and identification of main environmental issues ●October/November 2005 - Consultations with all stakeholder groups on SEA report

9. Lessons Learned ●Secrecy of documents -Copyright issues, national security, etc. ●Legal setting for ensuring public participation -Detailed procedure, staffing ●Poor enforcement of public participation requirements -Legal acts, judiciary system, political will ●Inadequate quality of participation -Lack of information, experience, culture of participation

10. ● Q&A Thank you for attention!