Many international environmental institutions and MEAs provide for public participation in the negotiation, implementation, and enforcement of MEAs. In addition, there are ongoing efforts to promote public participation in these international forums. One such example comes from the UNECE Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (or “the Aarhus Convention”):
Guidelines on Promoting the Application of the Principles of the Aarhus Convention in International Forums
In 2005, the second Meeting of the Parties (MOP) of the Aarhus Convention adopted Guidelines on Promoting the Application of the Principles of the Aarhus Convention in International Forums. These non-binding Guidelines are designed to assist Parties to the Aarhus Convention to promote public access to information, public participation, and access to justice in international environmental decision-making processes. The Guidelines provide such assistance on both procedural matters (e.g., development and application of rules of procedure) and how substantive matters are addressed in those forums.
These Guidelines respond to a need articulated in Article 3(7) of the Aarhus Convention that Parties to the Convention promote the application of the Convention’s principles in “international environmental decision-making processes and within the framework of international organisations in matters relating to the environment.” This obligation applies to the individual Parties to the Aarhus Convention, and not to the international bodies or processes. However, the Parties to the Aarhus Convention have committed to promoting transparency, public participation, and accountability in international processes, and the Guidelines seek to facilitate this process.
For more information, see http://www.unece.org/
env/pp/mop2/mop2.decisions.htm( Decision II/4) or http://www.unece.org/env/pp/ (for information on the Aarhus Convention).