Uzbekistan joins Aarhus Convention to strengthen environmental rights

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan (MNTV) — Uzbekistan has officially joined the Aarhus Convention, an international treaty that ensures public access to environmental information and participation in environmental decision-making, Qalampir.uz reported.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed the law on March 11, marking a significant step in strengthening environmental governance and public engagement in the country.

According to Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change, the Aarhus Convention guarantees citizens the right to access information about environmental conditions and allows them to appeal to courts if those rights are violated.

The ministry noted that Article 49 of Uzbekistan’s Constitution enshrines the right to reliable environmental information. Joining the convention reinforces this constitutional guarantee and promotes greater transparency and accountability in environmental matters.

The law, titled “On Accession to the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus, June 25, 1998),” was approved by Uzbekistan’s Legislative Chamber on December 11, 2024, and endorsed by the Senate on February 22, 2025.

The Aarhus Convention, adopted by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) in 1998, obliges governments to provide essential environmental information — including on air, water, soil, and atmosphere — and to involve the public in drafting programs and policies affecting the environment and public health.

By joining the convention, Uzbekistan aims to better protect human rights and ecological safety, foster public participation in environmental decision-making, and enhance cooperation with international partners on environmental issues.