Aarhus convention – the international law on civil participation celebrates tenth birthday
WECF participated with 9 partners from Armenia, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine and Russia in the Third Meeting of the Parties (MOP-3)
18.06.2008 |Anke Stock and Karin Adolph
WECF participated with 9 partners from Armenia, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine and Russia in the Third Meeting of the Parties (MOP-3) to the Aarhus Convention from 11 to 13 June 2008 in Riga/Latvia.
The MOP-3 adopted a strategic plan which sets out the future of the Convention. A stronger commitment towards access to justice, which was called for by the NGO community through the European Eco-Forum, was not included, however, the plan foresees to expand the geographical scope of the Convention.
Furthermore, Parties agreed to establish a future Task Force on Public Participation. Unfortunately, the Task Force cannot be formally approved until the next MOP. But Parties promised to set up an informal expert group to work on the issue of public participation in the meantime and to establish the terms and references of this Task Force. Ireland offered to lead the expert group and the Task Force.
Another agenda item of interest was the discussion of thirty-five national reports of implementation. For further information please see here or contact Jennifer Ricketts (jennifer.rickets(at)wecf.eu) or Anke Stock (anke.stock(at)wecf.eu)
For WECF – Women in Europe for a Common Future – the Aarhus Convention
is very important, because it describes rights in the environment
protection for each individual, concerning information on environmental
issues, the participation in projects with environmental consequences
and the possibility on lodging complaint against environmental
interferences. For democracy, environmental protection and sustainable
development these human rights are a basic condition. Therefore, WECF
is interested very much in the implementing, use and support of the
Aarhus convention and takes part once more in the contract negotiations
with ten participants from Armenia, Kirghizia, Russia, the Ukraine and
Georgia.
