ENVSEC SEMINAR HELD IN BAKU
Environment and Security Initiative (ENVSEC) held today a national seminar at Hyatt Regency Nakhchivan hotel in Baku. The seminar brought together representatives of UN and OSCE offices in Azerbaijan, employees of ministries of ecology and natural resources, education and emergency situations, and representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
Speaking to the event, Ambassador Jose-Luis Herrero, Head of the OSCE Office in Baku, said the seminar which is ENVSEC`s third such event in the South Caucasus, aims to increase public awareness about environmental problems.
He said there are many political obstacles to solution of ecological problems in the South Caucasus, stressing the necessity of implementing joint regional projects.
Bruno Pueza, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Azerbaijan, stressed frozen conflicts existing in the region have negative impact upon its environment.
Other speakers spoke of environmental degradation in Azerbaijan’s uncontrolled lands which are under Armenian occupation, including the cutting down of forests, burning of lands and pollution of water.
They said the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict creates serious obstacles for international organizations to hold monitoring and more detailed assessment of environmental challenges there.
The seminar also saw creation of ENVSEC National Coordinating Council.
The ENVSEC Initiative works to assess and address environmental problems, which threaten or are perceived to threaten security, societal stability and peace, human health and/or sustainable livelihoods, within and across national borders in conflict prone regions. The Initiative collaborates closely with governments, particularly foreign, defense and environment ministries, national experts and NGOs.
