There is a continue to improve the suite of national laws, regulations and guidelines on
biodiversity and biological safety to better reflect best international practice. A wide-range of
laws and legal-normative acts, as well as policy papers related to protection and use of natural
resources have already been adopted over the past few years. A number of normative
documents were developed and adopted by the central executive authorities identifying relevant
measures in the field of environmental protection and biodiversity conservation (Ministry of
Ecology and Natural Resources, ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Internal Affairs) in order
to reinforce the implementation of laws and normative document. However, the following laws
and regulatory acts are still needed: Law on biodiversity protection; Law on bio safety; Law on
national parks; Guidelines on establishment on the Fund of specially protected natural areas;
Regulations on establishment of rehabilitation Centres in the natural parks; Regulations on
establishment of boiler-breeding; Guidelines on establishment of boiler-breeding in the natural
parks; and Regulations on the rehabilitation, multiplication and use of medicinal plants. The
process of approximation of existing laws to the Conventions must also be continued.
There is a need to reduce the socio-economic dependency of rural populations on agriculture
and harvesting of wild natural resources. Examples may include such as establishment of
fishery farms and sale of bred fish products in the Kura-Araz River basins and some foothill
regions.
There is a need to improve the collection, analysis and sharing of biodiversity information. As
it is required by the Convention, it is important to establish an agency to deal with information
exchange professionally. It is needed to develop a special statistical data registry meeting
international standards. Priority fields must also include information about the biodiversity,
number and species contents of rare and endangered fauna and flora species. Rich information
is collected at the NAS Institute of Genetics, but due to lack of technical supply it is necessary
to create a technical potential to establish an electronic database, its periodic update and
dissemination. It is needed to launch a website to disseminate the collected information to the
population at large. The potential exists to participatively develop biodiversity forecasts as a
result of analysis of collected information and to disseminate them among stakeholders which
provide opportunities for mitigation of its adverse effect. Generally, there is no service dealing
with the exchange of information professionally as required by the Convention in the
organizational structure. Access mechanism is also problematic to the information collected in
the ministries. Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources has superiority in this sphere. A
number of information can be found in the Aarhus Centre set up in collaboration with the
Ministry and OSCE, and in the website of the Ministry. Joining the county to the Aarhus
Convention has opened ways to settlement of problems in the exchange of ecological
information. Nevertheless, there is a need to improve administrative structures.
There is a need to enhance the scientific and research capacity in the field of biodiversity. This
may include: systematically organising the outcomes of research activities performed in this
sphere up to date and assessing their usefulness for application; applying pilots of the useful
outcomes initially, and then deploy them in wider context; defining the appropriateness of the
subjects of ongoing activities and their implementation levels with the biodiversity
conservation level in the country and making necessary amendments to thematic plans; and
stimulating scientific and research works covering all aspects of biodiversity conservation
processes (physical, biological, social, economic and etc). Studies on social issues have a
special importance in the Azerbaijan context. Social and economic aspects of environmental
studies in Azerbaijan, and the role of social ecology in the sustainable development concept
have been investigated in very few cases. Setting-up such studies may play a big role in the
capacity building. Eventually, all activities being implemented in this sphere must be placed in
the information base, and all tools must be used to deliver the available knowledge to their
address for the use of stakeholders.
There is a need to develop curriculum and training programs in terms of biodiversity
conservation at all levels of the population, and realizing them at the local, regional and
national level. National aspects must be focused in the curriculum. Training of the personnel
capable for collection, processing and exchange, as well as strengthening early-warning
systems must be highlighted in this curriculum. It is necessary to organize the attendance of
personnel in specialization courses (training) systematically to organize the exchange of
experiences in the International and regional levels in the struggle for biodiversity conservation
and they must be implemented in the pre-planned level.
There is a need to collate and profile information (activities, organisational structure, skills,
capacity) on stakeholders (including national and local government, scientific and research
institutions, media, private sector and non-governmental organizations) in the biodiversity
sector.
There is a need to expand the reach of awareness-raising programs. The involvement of NGO
and mass-media remains under-utilized. Special support of the community is weak due to lack
of funding and technical shortfalls and as a result weak practical activity. However the
possibility of getting this support is high under the circumstances of correctly built advocacy
and expanded practical activity. Therefore the representatives of NGO’s and mass-media bear
big responsibility, and in view of it, they require a strict financial support for them. There
should be co-ordinated activities in the public awareness, environmental education and co-
ordained activity in the work of mass-media outlets, and in the National and local levels. One
of the most significant ways of shaping this co-operation is implementation of joint projects.
Stakeholder analysis show that co-ordination and co-operation do not entirely meet with the
required level in the field of biodiversity conservation in the country. The level of awareness
almost does not exist in the sites about the Convention materials, laws, regulatory documents
and Programs. As donors funding the resolution of this problem or International agencies
willing to invest on this field are unable to imagine the related situation clearly they feel
challenged to finance the resolution of the problems. It is necessary to have specialized
publications, permanent television and radio programs and electronic network in the sphere of
biodiversity conservation.
There is limited coordination of biodiversity conservation activities across the range of
different organisations. A strict co-ordination must be launched among all actors involved in
the organization of biodiversity conversation work in the Convention obligations, those dealing
with all aspects of the related policy issues such as economic, education, social and community.
Co-operation of various stakeholders is important to conduct the works systematically and
consistently. This co-operation must prove itself both in the program design and in its
implementation in the national level. At present, biodiversity conservation takes place in the
National Programs on “Socio-economic development of regions”, “Ecologically sustainable
socio-economic development”, “Restoration and expansion of forests”, as well as State
Program on “Poverty reduction and sustainable development”. Such types of activities must be
co-ordinated to efficient use of financial and technical resources and to avoid of duplications.
There is a need to improve the working relationships with NGOs. The potential of non-
governmental organizations is a big source to organize the work of biodiversity conservation in
the country and shape the public opinion in the related field. The activities of non-
governmental organizations show that Azerbaijan Zoologists Society, Mammologists Society,
“Ekosfera SEC” and other organizations deal with implementation of biodiversity related
projects. The advocacy work of biodiversity maintenance problem has not been built as
required. The activities of non-governmental organizations in this sphere have not been
included into the priority activity orientations of International Funds operating in this sphere.