March 6, 2018
CIEL welcomes the adoption of the binding agreement on access rights (to information, participation, and justice) in environmental decision making. This seminal agreement between the majority of Latin American and Caribbean countries marks a crucial step towards guaranteeing environmental democracy in the region and codifies the spirit of Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration in 1992.
Principle 10: Environmental issues are best handled with the participation of all concerned citizens, at the relevant level. At the national level, each individual shall have appropriate access to information concerning the environment that is held by public authorities, including information on hazardous materials and activities in their communities, and the opportunity to participate in decision-making processes. States shall facilitate and encourage public awareness and participation by making information widely available. Effective access to judicial and administrative proceedings, including redress and remedy, shall be provided.
At a time when threats against people who speak up to defend the right to a healthy environment are on the rise, countries should move quickly to ratify this landmark legal instrument. Four years of deep collaboration to create the text of this agreement reflects the urgent need to address the proliferation of conflicts arising from environmental decision making in the region. As countries move towards ratification, we urge them to take measures now to ensure people in the region can exercise the rights to access to information, access to participation, and access to justice.
Link to the agreement: here.