Citizens rights and administrations' duties in environmental matters: 20 years of the Aarhus Convention

AutorLudwig Krämer
Páginas1-26
REVISTA CATALANA DE DRET AMBIENTAL Vol. IX Núm. 1 (2018): 1 26
- Monográfico -
[https://doi.org/10.17345/rcda2408]
CITIZENS’ RIGHTS AND ADMINISTRATION DUTIES IN ENVIRONMENTAL
MATTERS: 20 YEARS OF THE AARHUS CONVENTION
DERECHOS DE LOS CIUDADANOS Y DEBERES DE LA ADMINISTRACIÓN EN
MATERIA DE MEDIO AMBIENTE: 20 AÑOS DEL CONVENIO DE AARHUS
LUDWIG KRÄMER
Received: April 23rd, 2018 / Accepted: June 20th, 2018
Abstract: The article takes advantage of the 20th anniversary of the Aarhus
Convention (25 June 2018) to trace how it has developed. For the three pillars of the
Convention – access to information, public participation in decision-making and access
to justice in environmental matters – it describes and assesses its main impacts on the
situation of the European Contracting Parties, and points to the weaknesses in its
practical application. Overall, it strikes a positive balance of the effects of the
Convention, though it points out that significant improvements are still necessary.
Resum: Aquest article aprofita el vintè aniversari del Conveni d’Aarhus (25 de juny de
2018) per descriure com ha evolucionat al llarg dels últims vint anys. Per a cada un
dels tres pilars –accés a la informació, participació pública en el procés de presa de
decisions i dret a l’accés a la justícia– descriu i valora els impactes principals del
Conveni sobre la situació de les parts contractants europees, i detalla els punts febles
de la seva aplicació pràctica. En conjunt, fa una valoració positiva dels efectes del
Conveni, però destaca que encara cal fer-hi millores significatives.
Resumen: Este artículo aprovecha el vigésimo aniversario del Convenio de Aarhus
(25 de junio de 2018) para describir su evolución a lo largo de estos años. Para cada
uno de los tres pilares —acceso a la información, participación pública en el proceso
de toma de decisiones y derecho al acceso a la justicia— describe y valora sus
principales impactos en la situación de las partes contratantes europeas, y detalla los
L. Krämer RCDA Vol. IX Num. 1 (2018)
[DOI: 10.7345/2408]
2
puntos débiles de su aplicación práctica. En conjunto, hace una valoración positiva de
los efectos del Convenio, pero subraya que aún deben introducirse mejoras
significativas.
Keywords: Environment - Aarhus Convention - right to information, right to
participation in decision-making - right of access to justice - EU law
Paraules clau: Medi ambient - Conveni d’Aarhus - dret a la informació - dret a
participar en la presa de decisons - dret d’accès a la justícia - dret comunitari
Palabras clave: Medio ambiente - Convenio de Aarhus - derecho a la información -
derecho a participar en la toma de decisiones - derecho de acceso a la justicia -
derecho comunitario
Summary: I. Access to information on the environment. II. Public participation in environmental
decision-making. III. Access to environmental justice. IV. A balance.
The Aarhus Convention
1
was signed in Aarhus (Denmark) on 25 June 1998. Since
then it has been ratified by 46 States and the European Union and entered into force
in 2001. A Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers was ratified by 36
Parties, including the European Union (EU) and its Member States, and entered into
force in 2009. An amendment of the Convention to provide for public participation in
decisions on the release of genetically modified organisms has not yet entered into
force, but was ratified by the EU and its Member States.
2
The United States, Canada
and Russia took part in the negotiations on the Convention, but did not sign it.
The Convention states its objective as follows: "In order to contribute to the protection
of the right of every person of present and future generations to live in an environment
adequate to his or her health and well-being, each Party shall guarantee the rights of
access to information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice in
environmental matters in accordance with the provisions of this Convention" (Article
1). The following articles 2 to 10 elaborate on these three pillars; the remaining articles
11 to 22 contain procedural aspects of the Convention, such as the right to vote,
amendments to the Convention or the settlement of disputes. Article 13 is of some
1
Convention on access to justice, public participation in decision-making and access to justice in
environmental matters.
2
www.unece.org/env/pp/ratification.html (3April 2018)

Para continuar leyendo

Solicita tu prueba

VLEX utiliza cookies de inicio de sesión para aportarte una mejor experiencia de navegación. Si haces click en 'Aceptar' o continúas navegando por esta web consideramos que aceptas nuestra política de cookies. ACEPTAR