Side Event: Environmental democracy for sustainable societies

The world is facing several fundamental challenges, such as climate change and the depletion of natural resources, which require profound transitions towards sustainable development, including by ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns, introducing a circular economy and minimizing release of pollutants. These challenges cannot be met by any actor alone. Promoting environmental democracy through the effective engagement of civil society, including NGOs, indigenous peoples, academia and other stakeholders, reinforces and complements the ability of governments to address these problems. The event will highlight and clarify the critical importance of rights to access to information, participation and justice (as enshrined in Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration) for combating inequality and building sustainable and resilient societies. It will also show case concrete experiences on how the international community is jointly and proactively acting on these matters --from the recently adopted “Escazu Agreement” of the Latin America and the Caribbean countries to the Aarhus Convention, currently celebrating its 20^th anniversary. During the event synergies and inter-linkages between promotion of environmental democracy and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development will be presented.

For more information visit: principio10.lac@cepal.org

http://www.cepal.org/principio10

https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/hlpf/2018