Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has signed a law approving the country’s accession to the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making, and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters, adopted in Aarhus on 25 June 1998.

This international document serves as a key instrument for safeguarding human rights to a healthy environment by ensuring free access to environmental information for citizens, public organizations, and government agencies.

The primary objective of the Convention is to establish mechanisms that enable public participation in decision-making processes affecting the environment and public health while also guaranteeing the right to legal protection in cases of environmental violations.

The document obliges state institutions to provide information on environmental elements—including air quality, water resources, soil conditions, and atmospheric phenomena—upon request. Additionally, the Convention mandates active involvement of citizens and public organizations in the development of environmental policies and programs.