The Second meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 2) of the Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean -known as Escazu Agreement– ended today in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with the election of the first seven members of the Committee to Support the Application and Compliance of the treaty, and with a call from the member countries to deepen its implementation, based on cooperation aimed at strengthening national capacities for that purpose.
The COP 2 of the Escazú Agreementwhich was extraordinary in nature and brought together 15 delegations from States Parties, eight delegations from observer countries, 357 representatives of the public, 110 government delegates, 74 representatives of the United Nations and international organizations (with more than 600 accredited people in total), closed with the adoption of the “Decision II/1” that formalizes the election of the members of the Committee, which is a subsidiary body of the Conference of the Parties whose purpose is to promote the application and support the Parties in the implementation of the Agreement, which was made up of the following people: Guillermo Eduardo Acuña (From Chile); Mariana Blengio Valdes (Uruguay); Rita Leonette Joseph-Olivetti (Grenada); Patricia Madrigal Cordero (Costa Rica); Andrés María Napoli (Argentina); Carole Denise Angela Stephens (Jamaica); and Félix Wing Solís (Panama).
In addition, the following three members of the Committee were appointed by lot for a term of six years: Rita Leonette Joseph-Olivetti (Grenada); Patricia Madrigal Cordero (Costa Rica); and Carole Denise Angela Stephens (Jamaica).
Likewise, the countries participating in COP 2 approved a political declaration (“Buenos Aires Declaration”) of 15 paragraphs, which highlights the role of the rights of access to information, public participation and access to justice in environmental issues in the promotion of human rights and sustainable development. Likewise, the need to obtain adequate support for the implementation of the Agreement is reiterated, which includes the operation of the Support Committee for Application and Compliance, and the start-up of the Voluntary Contributions Fund with the contribution of Mexico is celebrated. and the announcement of a contribution from Chile.
In the Declaration, the countries also commit to continue working to advance the issues that must be addressed at the Third Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 3) of the Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean, which will be ordinary and will be held in Santiago from April 22 to 24, 2024, and congratulate Belize, Chile and Grenada for their ratification and accession deposits, as appropriate, before the Secretary General of the United Nations, and encourage all signatory and non-signatory countries to become Parties to the Escazú Agreement as soon as possible.
The closing session was attended by José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, Executive Secretary of ECLAC (through a video greeting); Bishnu Tulsie, elected representative of the Public (from Saint Lucia); and Ambassador Pablo Tetamanti, Secretary of Foreign Relations (Vice Chancellor) of Argentina.
In his message, the Executive Secretary of ECLAC indicated that “as the Secretary General of the Nations, Mr. António Guterres, has pointed out, the Escazú Agreement represents a historic milestone not only for our region, but also for the world, by creating a protection regime for human rights defenders in environmental matters. And it is that in our region we know well that protecting the environment requires caring for those who defend it. This is particularly relevant at this time, as we prepare to commemorate International Mother Earth Day this April 22. There is no better way to pay tribute to it than by honoring all those who take care of our environment and strengthening the Escazú Agreement as we are doing in this COP 2”.
“We must remember that the Agreement’s emphasis is placed on implementation, on the creation and strengthening of capacities and on regional cooperation, where all countries have something to contribute and to gain. In this sense, I congratulate the 15 States that are already Parties and I invite the rest of the countries to join this initiative,” said the senior United Nations official.
On behalf of the Public, the delegate of Saint Lucia, Bishnu Tulsie, thanked the Government of Argentina and the secretariat -exercised by ECLAC- for hosting COP 2. “We, the representatives of the Public, are excited to have three new (countries ) members, and we hope that the number will continue to grow for the next COP to be held in Chile. We also congratulate the elected members of the Agreement Enforcement and Compliance Support Committee, as they will play a very important role: many of the cases are brought by the public and victims, and for this reason it is relevant to develop guidelines on how cases or problems can be brought before the Committee. There must be capacity building so that people know what the procedure is for that,” he explained.
Ambassador Pablo Tetamanti declared that the participation of all the people present at COP 2 of the Escazú Agreement is extremely relevant to achieve the objective of inclusive development, “that is, a development that leaves no one behind or outside, that generates employment and not poverty, a development with social justice”, he said.
“The Escazú Agreement is a pioneer in promoting the participation of civil society in environmental matters and I am convinced that these challenges must be addressed including all interested parties, particularly the voice of young people, a indispensable voice in the construction of the environmental perspective. I am pleased that they have a proactive attitude towards the challenges posed by sustainable development, contributing ideas, concrete actions, and that the Escazú Agreement can serve as a sounding board that amplifies their claim for sustainable development and a reversal of deterioration. of the planet and pollution,” said the diplomat.
Finally, Cecilia Nicolini, Secretary of Climate Change, Sustainable Development and Innovation of Argentina -who served as president of COP 2- pointed out that “in Latin America and the Caribbean we share the need to put the environmental issue at the center of our agendas and of human rights”.
“The Escazú Agreement is not only a pioneering legal instrument in environmental protection, but it is a true human rights treaty. Being able to be part of this story will put us at the forefront of a true environmental democracy for our region”, he finally declared.
For inquiries related to journalistic coverage of the event, contact:
- In Santiago de Chile, ECLAC Public Information Unit. Email: [email protected]; Telephone: (56) 22210 2040.
