ERMC/AUA.: State of the Environment Armenia

• Public Access to Information.

After consultations with sector Ministries, the Ministry of Nature Protection has submitted to the Government "Draft Decision on establishment of Inter-Ministerial Committee on Environmental Education" as well as proposals on Committee composition and intstitutional arrangement.

The following proposals have also been submitted to the Government:

• Including the issues of environmental education and science into Program of Social-Economic Development of Armenia for 1993-2000.
• Establishment of Division on Ecology in the faculty of geography of Yerevan State University in order to train high-level professionals on ecology.

The analysis of information obtained by the Ministry of Nature Protection allows to make the following conclusion:

The state budget allocates less funding for support of scientific research in the field of environmental science and ecology. The subjects of scientific research do not consistent to the contemporary ecological priorities. It is suggested to assess preliminarily the subjects of scientific research through the special Committee established in the Ministry of Nature Protection. In order to optimize environmental education in Armenia it is necessary to develop special educational programs and "Law on Environmental Education."