Countries of the Region Approve Launching Negotiation of a Common Agreement on Rights of Access in Environmental Matters

(November 6, 2014) Representatives from the 19 Latin American and Caribbean signatory countries of Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration—which promotes access to information, participation and justice in environmental matters—with significant participation from the public, approved today at the headquarters of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) in Santiago, Chile, the launching of negotiations to create a regional agreement in this area.

The delegates agreed to start talks about a regional instrument to support countries in the implementation of the rights of access contained in Principle 10 that should conclude by December 2016 at the latest.

In order to achieve that goal, a negotiation committee was created consisting of representatives from the signatory countries and the public, as well as an Executive Board co-chaired by Chile and Costa Rica, which will coordinate the negotiations the committee will hold.

At the end of the Fourth Meeting on the Focal Points Appointed by the Governments of the Signatory Countries of the Declaration on the Application of Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean, which took place at ECLAC from November 4-6, the participating countries also agreed that the regional agreement will be based on the Contents of San Jose, a document drafted in the working group meetings on the instrument held in Costa Rica last September.

“I would like to congratulate you and highlight this practice that is enabling governments and the public to advance together in the construction of a path for the comprehensive implementation of the rights of access contained in Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration,” said Alicia Bárcena, ECLAC’s Executive Secretary, in a message sent to the meeting.

Since 2012, the Declaration on the Application of Principle 10 has been signed by Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Dominican Republic, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay.

Antigua and Barbuda, Nicaragua and Saint Lucia participated in the meeting as observers. The attendees celebrated the recent incorporation of Bolivia and El Salvador and reminded that the process is open to all Latin American and Caribbean countries.

ECLAC holds the office of technical secretariat in the process, gives advice to countries, promotes the exchange of experiences and supports the capacity-building.

Alicia Bárcena stressed that the future instrument must not be merely declarative but must be ambitious and establish clear and concrete legal responsibilities that effectively guarantee the three pillars of the rights of access in environmental matters: information, participation and justice.

“As we have been defending at ECLAC, it is time for equality in Latin America and the Caribbean. This, among other numerous challenges, compels us to defend the rights of the less favored and vulnerable groups, something that is at the heart of Principle 10,” said Bárcena.

More information at ECLAC website.