Public participation, access to information and access to justice are all fundamental to democracy. One of the great achievements of the 1992 Earth Summit was the Rio Principle 10 for access to information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice.
Rio Principle 10 states:
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.
WFM and other NGOs support the creation of a global convention for access to information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice based on Rio Principle 10. An intergovernmental process for a global framework may be forthcoming as evidenced by discussions at the UN Environment Programme’s Governing Council. WFM is following developments on this matter in order to ensure that any process towards a global convention includes the active participation of civil society.
In this area:
Introduction to Global Environmental Governance | World Environment Organization | World Summit on Sustainable Development | Global Convention on Rio Principle 10 | UN Commission on Sustainable Development
