Since 2002 the Office of the Co-ordinator of Economic and Environmental Activities, together with the OSCE field operations has been supporting the implementation of the UNECE Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Environmental Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus Convention), including through the establishment and functioning of Aarhus Centres in several countries of South Eastern Europe, Eastern Europe, Central Asia and South Caucasus.

In this context, from 21 to 23 October 2016, at Hofburg Palace, in Vienna, Austria, in the framework of Annual Meeting of Aarhus Centres, from the OSCE, Permanent Presence in Vienna Austria, it was organized the three day conference with 60 Aarhus Centres from Eastern Europe, Caucasian Countries and South East Europe. 

The meeting brought together the Aarhus Centre representatives, Aarhus Convention National Focal Points and the OSCE field operations to share experiences, lessons learned and best practices on the implementation of the Aarhus Convention as well as to enhance co-operation and networking among them.  

The thematic focus of this year meeting was the green economy and resource efficiency.

The conference aim was to ecxhange experiences and ideas from filed work of all Aarhus Centres as well as to discuss the strategic planing for the road ahead of Aarhus Centres. At this meeting were participating managers of Aarhus Centres, representatives from public institutions, representatives from European Union, representatives from ENVSEG, representatives from UNDP etc. 

The two day discusion was followed by a day site visit, in the incenerator of Vienna, that is constructed two years ago and has a capacity of 250.000 tons of waste mainly kitchen waste from the residents of Vienna, waste that can not be reused or recycled. Also the incenerator, produces clean energy for the City of Venna through the thermal enryg from Vienna's resudal waste. Within two and a half years of construction time, one of Europe's mosth modern waste incineration palng, Vienna ensures that residual wate is treated correctly and in addition to this is tranformed into valuable energy in the forms of electricity and heat.