sustainable development 20 years on from the ... - José Eli da Veiga

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All of these initiatives seek to promote the implementation of principle 10 in the region, ensuring
not only that legislation is passed, but also that it is enforced and that there is a constant improvement in
citizen participation and government transparency. Box VI.3 contains the proposals of the countries of the
region in this regard, submitted to the Conference secretariat between October and November <strong>20</strong>11 in
their inputs for the Rio+<strong>20</strong> compilation document.
Box VI. 3
LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN: COUNTRY PROPOSALS ON ACCESS TO INFORMATION,
PARTICIPATION AND JUSTICE IN DECISION-MAKING ON ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS, WHICH
FORM PART OF THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NEGOTIATING DOCUMENT FOR THE
UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (RIO+<strong>20</strong>)
As part of the preparations for Rio+<strong>20</strong>, the Conference secretariat issued an open invitation for submissions to the
negotiating document. Presented below are some of the proposals received from the countries of the region with
regard to access to information, participation and justice in environmental matters.
Argentina: The inclusion in recent <strong>years</strong> of topics proposed by civil society in the political agenda
demonstrates the importance of mechanisms for citizen participation in democracy. Institutionalized mechanisms for
citizen participation provide transparent, horizontal and open channels for the <strong>development</strong> of synergies between
stakeholders. They allow citizens to have a bigger part in decision-making and in the adoption of concrete measures
in keeping with their own interests. The social dynamic as expressed by community stakeholders and supported by
the media is a central factor in the <strong>development</strong> of the collective solutions required. Debate is of added importance
for the enhancement of public policy coordinated at the municipal, provincial and national levels. More specifically,
environmental issues lend themselves to increased citizen participation. Rooted in the relationship between civil
society and the State, such participation calls for a space in which citizens can feel comfortable, a space that
heightens the sense of belonging individuals need to assert themselves and exercise their rights.
Brazil: Negotiations should be launched on an international convention on access to information, public
participation in decision-making and justice in environmental matters. Support is proposed for setting in motion a
negotiation process at Rio+<strong>20</strong> for an international convention that would ensure implementation of principle 10 of
the Rio Declaration. Principle 10 is already the subject of regional instruments designed to increase opportunities to
access environmental information and ensure the transparency and reliability of procedures. Such mechanisms help
improve environmental governance by creating mutual trust between civil society and governments, including the
decision-making bodies of subnational authorities. All sectors of civil society and all spheres of government should
participate in the process of developing an instrument of this kind.
Chile: Chile considers that the rights of environmental access, participation and justice embodied in
principle 10 of the Rio Declaration must be fully implemented. Chile is also in favour of signing regional
agreements for the adoption of principle 10. Similarly, Chile advocates greater participation of local communities in
decision-making processes, improving instruments for environmental oversight and justice without compromising
the sovereignty of each country, and solutions to environmental damage at the international level as in the case of
territories that are not subject to national jurisdiction.
Costa Rica: With regard to monitoring and participation, efforts to establish and consolidate permanent
mechanisms for grass-roots dialogue and consensus-building should be facilitated through international cooperation. This
will ensure that the major groups, as key stakeholders, participate in the commitment to <strong>sustainable</strong> growth and
<strong>development</strong>, respecting and valuing ecosystem services as part of the domestic economy. These mechanisms should, inter
alia, constitute a tool for promoting implementation of Rio+<strong>20</strong> and, in the long term, evaluating the outcomes.
Jamaica: In terms of access to information, Jamaica already has legislation in place to deal with access to
information and conducting environmental impact assessments, and has drafted legislation on pollutant release and
transfer registers and third party rights of appeal, among other matters. Notwithstanding concerns over the growing
number of treaties, Jamaica considers that a regional agreement on principle 10 of the Rio Declaration, based on the
Aarhus Convention, would enhance public participation in the decision-making process.
Source: Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), on the basis of country submissions available
at [online] http://www.uncsd<strong>20</strong>12.org/rio<strong>20</strong>/index.php?menu?115.