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BP-Azerbaijan signs new environmental agreement

27 April 2012 12:25 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Nijat Mustafayev - APA-Economics. BP and its co-venturers have entered into a new environmental agreement with GRID-Arendal to establish a web-based Caspian Environmental Information Centre (CEIC).The project has been designed in the framework of the Caspian Environmental Programme (CEP) and is expected to result in establishing an online environmental database to be used as a centralized hub for information on the Caspian environment.

In addition to serving as a reliable source of up-to-date information about the environmental situation in the Caspian basin, the CEIC is set to promote environmental data collection and sharing of best practices on environmental management. The CEIC will also be used as a promotional tool for sustainable development and environmental activities in the region.

â€œBP and co-venturers are pleased to enter this partnership believing that it will enhance efforts by Caspian environmental experts to standardize and harmonize environmental monitoring and methodologies in the region. We think that the centre will help provide broader access to regional environmental data, increase transparency and enhance communication with the main stakeholders including the public. Most importantly, we believe that access to extensive reliable information through this new source will help improve public participation in environmental activities in the regionâ€, said Faig Askerov, BPâ€™s Regional Director for Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, Regulatory Compliance and Environment.

"BP and co-venturers have always supported dialogs among environmentalists representing the Caspian region including those among governmental, private sector and NGO organizations within CEP. We see the establishment of a web-based Caspian Environmental Information Centre as yet another opportunity for enhancing such dialogs and collaboration and are very pleased to be part of it," he added.

â€œFulfilling its mission of support to the UN in the sphere of environment, GRID-Arendal will be eager to assist countries in the region in building their capacities in environmental information management and communicationâ€, -- said Valentin Yemelin, the Head of the Capacity Building and Assessment division of GRID-Arendal and the CEIC project manager, -- â€œThe activities of the CEIC are envisioned in the overall support of the Tehran Convention. We hope it will positively contribute to the dialogue between all Caspian littoral states on the environmental issues, focusing not only on problems, but on solutions as well.â€