Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Nov. 15
By Huseyn Hasanov– Trend:
International standards and best practices in the field of waste management were the focus of an OSCE-supported regional seminar that concluded in Ashgabat, the OSCE said in a message.
The seminar was attended by international experts and representatives of relevant governmental authorities in Central Asia, academia, NGOs and the business sector.
The seminar was organized by the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, in close co-operation with the State Committee of Turkmenistan for Nature Protection and Land Resources. The two-day event aimed to enhance the awareness of relevant governmental authorities from Central Asia and promote dialogue on effective waste management policies and their implementation.
“Good environmental governance is an important prerequisite for addressing environmental and security challenges,” said Ambassador Natalya Drozd, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat. “The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat organized this seminar to contribute to an enhanced understanding of the importance of sound environmental management as a tool to reduce environmental degradation and promote environmental co-operation that contributes to conflict prevention and confidence building.”
The seminar covered national legislation and international documents related to waste management and transboundary waste transportation, including dangerous waste. The OCEEA Deputy Coordinator and Head of Environmental Activities Ralf Ernst presented the OSCE mandate in the area of hazardous waste management. He also emphasized that the need for the OSCE`s assistance in addressing the risks of illegal trafficking in hazardous waste is recognized in the 2005 OSCE Border Security and Management Concept and the 2006 Ministerial Council Decision on Future Transport Dialogue in the OSCE.
“This broad mandate has enabled the OSCE to engage in different areas to address the waste challenges in different parts of the OSCE region over the years,” he said.
International and national experts shared best practices and lessons learnt in developing national strategies and plans on waste management, and conducting awareness raising campaigns on effective waste utilization. Special emphasis was laid on waste classification, separate collection, new trends in recycling and waste utilization in view of the circular economy.
“It is our strong belief that the seminar provided an efficient platform for boosting a regional dialogue and strengthening co-operation among all relevant actors, which especially has an added value in light of the trans-boundary aspects of waste management,” added Ambassador Drozd.