Aggeler: OSCE views environmental issues as key to security

He said that if these issues remain unresolved, they can cause tensions and instability, whilst environmental cooperation can build trust. 

''We collaborate with the authorities, civil society, and academia to promote awareness and action, from waste management to disaster risk reduction. Our mandate, guided by the Dayton Peace Agreement, focuses on good governance and human rights, key principles that we also promote whilst working on environmental protection. We support the implementation of the Aarhus Convention, which grants citizens essential environmental rights: public access to information, participation in decision making and access to justice in environmental matters. This initiative is also strengthened through the support provided to the operation of the Aarhus Centres network in BiH. We are also working with the judiciary to strengthen enforcement of environmental laws and tackle environmental crimes and corruption. Last but not least, we also monitor environmental protests from the viewpoint of the freedom of peaceful assembly and association,'' said Ambassador Aggeler. 

The extraction of one resource - minerals - is drawing a lot of public attention in BiH and the region, both positive and negative, with governments and investors citing economic opportunities and opponents and activists raising environmental concerns. The OSCE was early to recognize the close connection between environmental protection, the “rational utilization” of natural resources, social well-being and economic development, making this link within its founding document: the 1975 Helsinki Final Act.

''Nearly fifty years on, we continue to affirm the indivisibility of security and sustainable development, supporting BiH in meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The issue of minerals is garnering increasing attention in BiH and the region due to the presence of deposits of lithium, nickel, cobalt and other materials required for the transition towards cleaner forms of energy and a greener economy. We at the OSCE Mission to BiH recognize the significance of critical energy transition minerals, necessary to meet the growing demand for clean energy technologies and, therefore, for climate change action. We also understand the importance of foreign investment for creating jobs and opportunities and revitalizing towns and villages in danger of being left behind. That said, mining and other types of extractive activities must adhere to the strictest environmental protection standards to prevent water contamination and soil degradation, minimize ecosystem disruption, biodiversity loss and air pollution, and reduce other risks that can negatively affect people's health and livelihoods. As an organization dedicated to promoting good governance and democratic practices, we ask that mining projects closely adhere to the principles of transparency and accountability, including in the permitting and licensing processes, and that the concerns and interests of citizens and local communities are properly taken into account by ensuring their meaningful participation in the decision-making process. Sustainable development means balancing economic, environmental and social priorities and interests. You cannot pursue the first at the expense of the other two,'' OSCE Head of the Mission stressed. 

Answering the question does the existing legislative framework ensure adequate protection of the environment in BiH, Ambassador Aggeler answered that BiH has made significant improvements to the legislative framework governing the environment, transposing the provisions of a number of international environmental agreements. 

''That said, a relatively strong normative framework offers little protection if is not being implemented in practice. The Mission notes that both entities and Brčko District have undertaken steps to ensure existence of relevant legislation in the area of environmental protection. We also note that amending legislation should be driven by actual and justifiable needs encountered in its practical implementation. Environmental protection is a topic of public interest and the public should be effectively included and properly consulted in the development of environmental legislation and policies,'' said Ambassador Aggeler. 

Recent amendments to the Law on Geological Research of Republika Srpska have been criticized for excluding local self-governance units in the process of approving geological research. Aggeler stressed that the Mission monitors legislative procedures and works with the authorities at all levels towards building responsive, transparent and accountable institutions.

''Given that the recent amendments to the Law on Geological Research of Republika Srpska have just entered into force, it is somewhat premature to discuss their practical implications. That said, a large number of concerns over the exclusion of local self-governance units (LGUs) from the procedure for approving detailed geological research have been voiced, including during the public consultation events organized by the line ministry. Such concerns have also been communicated to the Mission by long-standing civil society and local community partners.  Ensuring the effective and meaningful participation of local communities on topics of their common concern is a right protected by numerous international instruments, including the Aarhus Convention and the European Charter on Local Self-Governance, both of which BiH is a party to. Moreover, the principle of local self-governance is also recognized as one of the basic constitutional principles of the RS. The Mission therefore expects to see the reinforcement of mechanisms and practices necessary for ensuring meaningful, rather than purely procedural, public participation and stands ready to assist the authorities to this end. For this purpose, we urge the authorities at all levels to ensure participatory legislative processes and due consideration of the public interest, in line with the OSCE Guidelines on Democratic Lawmaking for Better Laws,'' he stated. 

In the end, he sent a message to the institutions in BiH, saying that the OSCE supports BiH in building a democratic society with a strong rule of law that ensures the sustainable use of natural resources and upholds environmental protection standards.

''We urge decision-makers to prioritize action on climate change and environmental issues. Greater transparency and inclusiveness in environmental policies are crucial, as is the protection of environmental defenders through proper investigation and prosecution of threats. Additionally, there is a pressing need for more effective judicial protection of the environment across all legal areas. Addressing these challenges is essential for ensuring a healthier, more resilient future for all,'' concluded Ambassador Brian Aggeler. 

(FENA) A. B.

Početna > News in English