The other day, the National Assembly of Armenia hosted a round table “Theory and practice of sustainable development: international experience and tasks of the Republic of Armenia”. The event was organized by the Yerevan OSCE office, together with the National Academy of Sciences on Social Affairs, Health and Environmental Protection, Orchus Center, GEF/UNCLOMS AND Association “For Sustainable Human Development” (National Committee of UNEP). The goal is to inform the participants regarding the paradigm of sustainable development (UR), the process of reorientation of civilization to sustainable development and tasks facing Armenia in this area. The round table was attended by deputies and experts of the National Assembly, representatives of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and other interested public structures, representatives of scientific and public organizations, and the media.
There was an interested conversation and exchange of opinions about the fate and prospects of development of both the planet as a whole and Armenia. The head of the OSCE office in Yerevan, the ambassador Vladimir Pryakhin and the UN Representative Resident in Armenia Liz Grande noted that in almost all areas of sustainable development in Yerevan, various projects are carried out, including in the field of education for teachers and schoolchildren, promoting the development of small and medium -sized businesses, informing the population by organizing seminars, round tables, publications, dissemination of legislative acts, conventions, etc.
D. Chairman of the Association “For Sustainable Human Development” and the National Committee of the UNEP Karina Danielyan acquainted the gathered with the international process of formation and development of the paradigm of sustainable development. She emphasized that although today many states declare a commitment to sustainable development, in practice they are far from this. In reality, many countries have not reached sustainable development, but sustainable growth in consumption, and overcoming continues to be one of the most serious obstacles to the UR. As for the participation of Armenia in this process, many theoretical developments of Armenian specialists in the field of sustainable development have received world recognition.
The strategy of sustainable development developed in Armenia has become a prototype for the national strategies of many countries. However, despite all these achievements, the number one problem in the field of sustainable development of Armenia is the problem of implementation – the implementation of theoretical developments in practice.