Aarhus Convention

Subject: IR

Context:

EIA rules must meet the requirements of the precautionary principle of avoiding harm, and intergenerational equity in accordance with the Aarhus Convention, 1998.

Concept:

• The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters was adopted on 1998 in the Danish city of Aarhus at the Fourth Ministerial Conference as part of the “Environment for Europe” process.
• The Aarhus Convention establishes a number of rights of the public with regard to the environment.
• The Parties to the Convention are required to make the necessary provisions so that public authorities (at national, regional or local level) will contribute to these rights to become effective. The Convention provides for:
  • Right of everyone to receive environmental information that is held by public authorities
  • Right to participate in environmental decision-making.
  • Right to review procedures to challenge public decisions that have been made without respecting the two aforementioned rights or environmental law in general