Organizers:
Co-sponsors:
Course type: Dialogue series
Languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese
Dates: 18, 19, 27 October 2021 at 10 AM ET / 4 PM CET
Sessions: 3 sessions
Commitment: 60-90 min per session
Partners: Environmental Governance Programme, UNDP's Regional Hub for Latin America, Stockholm University, Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions, UN Environment Programme, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN Human Rights)
In partnership with the Nordic Institute of Latin American Studies at the Stockholm University and UNDP in Latin America and the Caribbean, the Environmental Governance Programme convened a dialogue series on the implementation of the Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean (Escazú Agreement).This dialogue series was co-sponsored by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN Human Rights), and Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI), as part of a broader partnership on the UN General Secretary Global Call for Action on Human Rights.
The Escazú Agreement entered into force on Earth Day 2021 after being ratified by half of its 24 signatory countries. This dialogue series sought to catalyze action to implement the Escazú Agreement in synergy with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and biodiversity-related Multilateral Environmental Agreements. This initiative was financed by the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida) as part of the Environmental Governance Programme (EGP).
Objectives
The dialogue series sought to:
- Distill lessons learned and good practices by Latin American and Caribbean countries that can serve to implement the Escazú Agreement and achieve positive outcomes for people and nature.
- Outline innovative tools and examples of national jurisprudence and existing national laws and policies, and grounds-up initiatives that advance the realization of the right to a healthy environment.
- Catalyze knowledge exchange on how to implement the Escazu Agreement in coordination with the UN Secretary-General’s Call to Action for Human Rights and the 2021 EU Parliament Resolution which calls on the EU Commission and Member States to support Latin American countries to deliver on the agreement's goals.
Sessions
The dialogue series consisted of three sessions.
- Opening and Roundtable 1 - 18 October 2021: Escazú Agreement’s regionally rooted legal innovations: Why they matter for people and nature and what’s next? (90 minutes)
- Roundtable 2 - 19 October 2021: The Escazu Agreement in an interconnected world: Catalysing global collaboration for Escazu Agreement’s effective implementation (60 minutes)
- Peer-to-peer workshop - 27 October 2021: Escazu Agreement across States and UN agencies (limited spaces, 90 minutes)
Recordings
Session recordings are now available. To learn more about the sessions and watch the recordings, select the session(s) you are interested in in the Course content section below.
Questions?
For more information or if you have any questions, please contact the organizing team at info@learningfornature.org.