LLM in Natural Resources Law and International Environmental Law Participation Rights From Aarhus to Escazú Luíza Pereira Calumby Professor Dr. Aðalheiður Jóhannsdóttir Dr. Petra Baumruk January 2021 Faculty of Law School of Social Sciences LLM in Natural Resources Law and International Environmental Law Participation Rights From Aarhus to Escazú Luíza Pereira Calumby Professor Dr. Aðalheiður Jóhannsdóttir Dr. Petra Baumruk January 2021 Faculty of Law School of Social Sciences 2 Contents Contents ..................................................................................................................................... 3 Abstract ...................................................................................................................................... 5 Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................... 6 Abbreviations ............................................................................................................................ 7 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 8 1.1 General Introduction ........................................................................................................ 8 1.2 Objectives ........................................................................................................................ 9 1.2.1 Research Question ..................................................................................................... 9 1.2.2 Delimitations ............................................................................................................. 9 1.3 Methodology and Materials ............................................................................................. 9 1.4 Structure ........................................................................................................................... 9 2. Participation Rights ............................................................................................................. 12 2.1 General Issues ................................................................................................................ 12 2.2 Background .................................................................................................................... 13 2.3 Participation Rights as Human Rights ........................................................................... 18 3. The Aarhus Convention ....................................................................................................... 20 3.1 Background .................................................................................................................... 22 3.2 General Provisions ......................................................................................................... 22 3.3 The Three Pillars of the Aarhus Convention ................................................................. 27 3.3.1 The First Pillar ......................................................................................................... 28 3.3.1.1 Article 4 ........................................................................................................... 28 3.3.1.2 Article 5 ........................................................................................................... 32 3.3.2 The Second Pillar .................................................................................................... 35 3.3.2.1 Article 6 ........................................................................................................... 35 3.3.2.2 Article 7 ........................................................................................................... 40 3.3.2.3 Article 8 ........................................................................................................... 41 3.3.3 The Third Pillar ....................................................................................................... 43 3.3.3.1 Paragraph 1 ...................................................................................................... 43 3.3.3.2 Paragraph 2 ...................................................................................................... 44 3.3.3.3 Paragraph 3 ...................................................................................................... 46 3.3.3.4 Paragraph 4 ...................................................................................................... 47 3.3.3.5 Paragraph 5 ...................................................................................................... 49 3.4 Institutional Framework ................................................................................................. 50 3.5 Settlement of Disputes ................................................................................................... 51 3.6 Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee ................................................................. 51 3 3.7 Implementation Tools .................................................................................................... 53 4. The Escazú Agreement ........................................................................................................ 55 4.1 Background .................................................................................................................... 56 4.1.1 Participation Rights in Latin America and the Caribbean ...................................... 59 4.1.2 Participation Rights within the Inter-American System of Human Rights ............. 60 4.2 The Three Pillars of the Escazú Agreement .................................................................. 63 4.2.1. The First Pillar ........................................................................................................ 64 4.2.1.1 Article 5 ........................................................................................................... 64 4.2.1.2 Article 6 ........................................................................................................... 66 4.2.2 The Second Pillar .................................................................................................... 67 4.2.3 The Third Pillar ....................................................................................................... 69 4.3 Protection of Human Rights Defenders in Environmental Matters ............................... 70 4.4 Institutional Framework ................................................................................................. 73 4.5 Settlement of Disputes ................................................................................................... 74 4.6 Capacity Building and Cooperation ............................................................................... 74 5. Comparison .......................................................................................................................... 76 5.1 Similarities and Differences ........................................................................................... 76 5.1.1 Key Definitions ....................................................................................................... 77 5.1.2 Recognition of Substantive Environmental Rights ................................................. 78 5.1.3 The Three Pillars ..................................................................................................... 79 5.1.3.1 Access to Environmental Information ............................................................. 79 5.1.3.1.1 System of Exceptions to Access to Environmental Information .............. 79 5.1.3.1.2 Disclosure of Information Held by Private Actors ................................... 80 5.1.3.2 Public Participation in Environmental Decision-Making ................................ 81 5.1.3.3 Access to Justice in Environmental Matters .................................................... 81 5.1.4 Implementation and Compliance ............................................................................ 81 5.2 Novelties Introduced by the Escazú Agreement ............................................................ 83 5.2.1 General Issues ......................................................................................................... 83 5.2.2 Persons and Groups in Vulnerable Situation .......................................................... 85 5.2.2.1 Afro-Descendent Communities ....................................................................... 86 5.2.2.2 Indigenous Peoples .......................................................................................... 87 5.2.3 Environmental Human Rights Defenders ............................................................... 88 6. Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 90 Bibliography ............................................................................................................................ 92 4 Abstract International treaties guaranteeing participation rights are scarce. In 1998, the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus Convention) became the first regional agreement on participation rights. Two decades later, in 2018, another regional agreement on participation rights, the Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Justice