Air quality management in Belarus, Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation

The overall objective of the project was to provide appropriate policy and information framework to the governments through respective governmental bodies of the partner countries, i.e. the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation and its federal service branches, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus and its designated subsidiary bodies, and the Ministry of Environmental Protection of the Republic of Kazakhstan and its respective branches in order to facilitate implementation of the LRTAP Convention and ratification of its three latest Protocols.

Principle accomplishments:

• Updated and provisionally streamlined national air quality management frameworks aimed at improved air quality management and air pollution abatement within the LRTAP Convention for Belarus, Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation;
• Substantially raised national awareness on expert and policymaker levels on development and implementation of air quality management mechanisms and benefits from regional and international cooperation under the LRTAP Convention aimed at potential reduction of adverse effects on human health and environment caused by air pollution.

Within the period of September 2010 – September 2012 the following project stages were implemented:

A)   Establishment of a regional expert network and dissemination of information;

B)   Development of National Strategies (concepts) and the Rationale documentation;

C)   Development of the review on the common challenges, improvements required and cost-benefit issues.