Mar.21 (IOPD).– On March 4, representatives of 24 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean approved the first binding agreement in the region on protection of rights of access to information, public participation and access to justice in environmental matters
This text remained in negotiation since 2014, and was approved by the representatives in this ninth Meeting of the Negotiating Committee of the Regional Agreement on Principle 10** in San José, Costa Rica. The agreement will be open for signature by the 33 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean and will be available on September 27 at the United Nations headquarters in New York.
Alicia Bárcena, executive secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, assured that "with this agreement, the region testifies to its firm and unequivocal commitment to a foundational democratic principle: the right of people to participate meaningfully in decisions that affect their lives and their environment".
"The great merit of this regional agreement is to place equality at the center of access rights and, therefore, in the environmental sustainability of development..."
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** Adopted on 4 March 2018 in Escazú, Costa Rica, the Regional Agreement aims to guarantee the full and effective implementation in Latin America and the Caribbean of the rights of access to environmental information, public participation in the environmental decision-making process and access to justice in environmental matters, and the creation and strengthening of capacities and cooperation, contributing to the protection of the right of every person of present and future generations to live in a healthy environment and to sustainable development. The Regional Agreement will open for signature of the 33 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on 27 September 2018 at United Nations headquarters in New York.