He added that 37 Ukrainian CSOs signed a letter to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, protesting it's potential funding of the project. To give the Aarhus Convention any real punch in Central and East Europe, a sea change in attitude will be required. Training professionals can step in to fill that gap. From informing the bureaucrats of new legislation how to deal directly with the public, to helping CSOs promote public interest and criticism in a professional manner, there is a niche for trainers. Courses instructing people how to use the new law in a practical way - such as conducting information campaigns or legal workshops to inform environmental professionals of their rights, will be particularly valuable.
Information technology is one area which remains underdeveloped.
During the conference's CSO session, Mary Taylor of Friends of the Earth illustrated how dry data could become relevant to the public, through the internet. The UK-based organisation created a website using information from the Chemical Release Inventory, which enabled the public to find out what emissions polluted their areas. Taylor emphasised that without such user-friendly information, the public is less likely to exercise its right of access to data since most people find the format too complicated and difficult to digest. At the meeting, West European governments pledged their commitment to getting Central and East European countries on the reform track. Training would be one of the key areas that grants would go to, Danish Environment Minister Svend Auken said.