Digital technologies were on the agenda of the 9th meeting of the Working Group on Access to Information of the Aarhus Convention.
The 9th meeting of the Working Group of the Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters was held on November 7-8 in Geneva. The working group discussed the possibilities and problems of using modern digital technologies in terms of providing access to environmental information. Among the main issues, the prevention of misinformation and abuse under the name of "greenwashing" label were also discussed. 
Mari Chakryan, Legal Advisor to the Minister of Environment, National Coordinator of the Aarhus Convention, presented the electronic platforms and mobile applications carrying sectorial information. At the request of the Secretariat of the Convention, she particularly focused on electronic tools that are used by the public and contribute to the conservation of biodiversity.
The nature.e-gov.am platform has made it easier to sign amateur hunting contracts, issue hunting licenses, issue water use permits and other services. The platform is still in the process of improvement. It provides an opportunity to regulate relevant processes and make them more controllable. Chakryan also spoke about the Red Book mobile application, the paths passing through the territory of the SPNAs and the possibilities of discovering the animals and plants of Armenia through digital tools of the AR Trails mobile application.
As a rule, representatives of the civil society also participated in the event. Mane Madoyan, Project Coordinator of the Freedom of Information Center of Armenia, presented the main problems related to the online platforms and electronic tools used for the dissemination of environmental information and their possible solutions. In the context of the development and implementation of the platforms, she emphasized the need for a strategy to disseminate them among the target groups. Otherwise, even the most effective tools may have a low level of application. Both the government and CSO representatives emphasized the continuous dialogue between the state and the political society in the targeting of sector information.
The details of the event are available on the UNECE website at the link below:
https://unece.org/.../ninth-meeting-task-force-access...