The third EPR of Azerbaijan takes stock of progress made in the governance and management of the environment since the second review in 2011, assesses the implementation of the recommendations of that review and makes new recommendations for the country to implement. In addition, the third EPR looks into developments related to the country’s attainment of relevant targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The review covers legal and policy frameworks and compliance assurance mechanisms. It also focuses on greening the economy, environmental information, monitoring and assessment, public participation and education for sustainable development (ESD). At the domestic–international interface, it includes a substantive analysis of the country’s participation in and commitments to international agreements. Climate change issues are addressed in a separate chapter. The EPR also examines the efforts of Azerbaijan to integrate environmental considerations into its policies in the energy, agriculture, industry, mining and transport sectors. Furthermore, the EPR addresses issues of specific importance to the country related to air protection; water management, including the protection of the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea; waste and chemicals management; biodiversity and protected areas; land management; and risk management of natural and technological/anthropogenic hazards. Finally, the review includes an assessment of 71 SDG targets, including 13 targets being reviewed in several chapters from different perspectives (annex II). In some cases, a comprehensive analysis of SDGs and targets is hindered by the lack of data and information.
The Committee and the ECE secretariat are grateful to the Government of Azerbaijan and its experts who worked with the international experts and contributed their knowledge and expertise. ECE would also like to express its deep appreciation to the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection and the German Federal Environment Agency for their support by providing funds through the Advisory Assistance Programme for this review.
Sincere thanks also go to Germany, Italy and Portugal for having provided their experts to this review.
In addition, ECE takes this opportunity to thank Austria, Germany and Switzerland for their financial support to the EPR Programme and expresses its deep appreciation to Estonia, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Montenegro and Switzerland for having provided their experts for the ECE Expert Group on Environmental Performance Reviews, which undertook the expert review of this report.