Article 14. Rights and Obligations of Public Associations in Relation to Environmental Protection

1. While carrying out their environmental protection-related activities, public associations shall have the following rights:

1) to develop and promote their ecological programmes; to protect the rights and interests of individuals; and to encourage active voluntary involvement of individuals in environmental protection;

2) to work on the protection and improvement of the environment, and on the sustainable use and reproduction of natural resources; to participate in the protection of environmental objects, which have particular ecological, scientific, historical and cultural, and recreational importance, and in the activities of specially protected natural areas ;

3) to participate in decision-making by government agencies on environment-related matters in accordance with legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan;

4) to contribute to environmental education and awareness-building, and to carry on scientific research with regards to environmental protection;

5) to initiate and organise a public environmental review and to hold public consultations;

6) to exercise public environmental control;

7) to request and obtain actual, complete and reliable environment-related information from government agencies and organisations;

8) to cooperate and interact with government agencies and organisations in the area of environmental protection, to enter into agreements with, and to perform certain contractual work prescribed by legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan for, such agencies and organisations;

9) to participate in discussions of draft laws on environmental protection at their drafting stage and make comments to the drafters;

10) to participate in the preparation of environment-related plans and programmes;

11) to propose holding individuals and/or legal entities liable for, and to bring actions for damage caused to the health and/or property of individuals due to violations of the environmental legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan;

12) to demand that decisions to place, construct, renovate and put into operation enterprises, structures, and other environmentally-hazardous facilities be reversed by administrative or judicial authorities, and that business or other activities of individuals or legal entities, if such activities adversely impact on the environment and human health, be restricted and suspended; and

13) to create environmental protection funds.

2. While carrying out their environmental protection-related activities, public associations shall:

1) assist in the implementation of measures conducive to sustainable natural resource use, environmental protection, and ensuring the environmental safety; and

2) carry out their activities in accordance with legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

3. Public associations shall have other rights and bear other obligations as may be prescribed by laws of the Republic of Kazakhstan.