Aarhuskonventionen

The Aarhus Convention, officially the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters, is an international treaty signed in Aarhus, Denmark, in 1998. Its primary goal is to promote transparency and accountability in environmental matters by guaranteeing certain rights to the public.

The convention is structured around three pillars of rights. Firstly, it ensures the public's right to access environmental information held by public authorities. This means citizens can request information on the state of the environment, environmental policies, and decisions that may affect the environment. Secondly, it mandates public participation in environmental decision-making processes. This includes the right to be informed about proposed decisions and to have a meaningful opportunity to comment on them before they are finalized. Finally, the convention establishes the right to access justice in environmental matters, allowing individuals and organizations to challenge environmental decisions or failures to act that contravene environmental law.

The Aarhus Convention aims to empower citizens and environmental organizations, fostering better environmental governance and more sustainable development. It is considered a leading instrument in the field of environmental democracy. The treaty has been ratified by numerous countries, primarily in Europe and Central Asia, and its principles are increasingly influencing environmental law and practice globally. It is overseen by a Meeting of the Parties, which monitors its implementation and develops recommendations for its further development.