The Espoo Convention is a vital as well as successfully implemented international agreement, in which the principles for communication between countries of origin and affected countries have been specified, regarding questions of importance as related to transboundary environmental impact. The strategic environmental impact assessment protocol is an internationally important measure for environmental protection. “What became evident at the meetings was that countries in various regions are placing greater importance on the assessment of the impact on the environment accompanying the implementation of strategic planning documents,” said the head of the Estonian delegation, Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry of the Environment Olavi Tammemäe. “Only with the cooperation of countries can we ensure effective international environmental protection". The implementation of the Espoo Convention takes place, above all, between neighbouring countries, which in the broader context may be handled as regional cooperation with the purpose of ensuring environmental protection. “For example, Estonia has concluded separate bilateral agreements covering transboundary environmental impact assessments with Latvia and Finland,” added Tammemäe. For example, Estonia has participated in transboundary environmental impact assessments for Finland's new nuclear power plant and the nuclear power related projects of neighbouring states. The Espoo Convention entered into force in 1997, and Protocol on Strategic Environmental Assessment which came into force in 2010. The Convention currently has 45 parties and the protocol now has 23 parties; Estonia has joined both international agreements. “Many of the delegations participating in the meeting emphasised that there are plans in their respective countries to ratify the Protocol in the near future,” noted The most important event for Convention participants during the period between the last convention (2008 Bucharest) and today’s convention, the entry into force of the Protocol on Strategic Environmental Assessment, was recognised with a declaration. In addition, several decisions were adopted at the meetings which cover, above all, the working period for the implementation of the previous Convention and the following convention and the working period for the implementation of protocols. One of the most important of which may be considered the new work schedule. During the next work period of 2011-2014, Estonia will serve as one of the Convention’s leading countries from the Baltic Sea region. The next meeting will take place in the spring of 2014, in Ukraine. |
