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desertification. Moreover, Article 34 of the said law
states: “State bodies, enterprises, establishments and
organizations can carry out the actions directed on
artificial change of atmospheric air and atmospheric
phenomena in the economic purposes from the
permission of authorised state bodies in the sphere
of atmospheric air protection and only provided it
will not result in adverse influence on weather and
climate” (Ecolex 1994).
Azerbaijan
The basis for national environmental legislation
is the Constitution, which defines living in a
healthy and clean environment as a right of the
population. The two main environment-related laws
safeguarding this right – the Law on Environmental
Protection (1999) and the Law on Environmental
Safety (1999). The Law on Environmental Protection
is a framework law and covers all related sectors such
as waste management, protection of fauna, protected
areas, ecological expertise etc. Unfortunately,
issues related to climate change mitigation and
adaptation are not explicitly reflected in Azerbaijan’s
environmental laws.
Climate change issues are also reflected in the
government’s main strategic documents.
19
For
example, a special chapter on climate change is
included in the draft Action Plan on Improvement
of the Ecological Situation and Efficient Use of
Natural Resources in the Republic of Azerbaijan
(2015–2020), which is currently undergoing final
inter-agency approval. More importantly, climate
change is also addressed in the forthcoming
National Adaptation Plan (NAP).
Georgia
The Law on Environmental Protection (1996), which
was developed as a legal framework to define key
environmental competencies and areas of action,
Nialdag Range, Azerbaijan