Environmental protection milestone: Uzbekistan joins Aarhus Convention

On March 11, 2025, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed the law on Uzbekistan’s accession to the Aarhus Convention. This was reported by the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change.

According to the report, the convention guarantees citizens the right to access information related to environmental conditions. The international document also provides citizens with the opportunity to appeal to the courts if their rights to access information are violated.

“Measures are being strengthened at the national level to ensure reliable information on the protection and status of the environment in Uzbekistan. This is enshrined in Article 49 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan. From this perspective, 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)’ has been adopted,” the report stated.

As noted, the law was approved by the Legislative Chamber on December 11 of last year and endorsed by the Senate on February 22.

The purpose of the convention is to ensure public participation in decision-making processes that may adversely affect the environment, ecology, and public health, as well as to facilitate access to justice. It obliges state agencies and organizations to provide essential information on environmental elements such as air, atmosphere, water, and soil upon public request, and to involve the public in drafting programs and plans aimed at the sector's development.

Uzbekistan’s accession to this convention aims to ensure the proper protection of human rights and freedoms in the field of ecology and environmental protection, achieve ecological safety through joint efforts with international partner states, and enhance the country’s standing on the global stage.

For reference, the Aarhus Convention is an international agreement adopted by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). It concerns "Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making, and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters." The convention was signed in Aarhus, Denmark, on June 25, 1998.