The first meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP1) to the Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean – known as the Escazú Agreement – took place on 20-22 April in Santiago, Chile via a hybrid modality.

PGA Treasurer, Ms. Petra Bayr, MP (Austria) delivered a statement on behalf of PGA during the Special Session: Towards the effective implementation of the Escazú Agreement and greater cooperation. In her remarks, Ms. Bayr emphasized the duty of parliamentarians to ensure treaties like the Escazú Agreement are implemented effectively as robust tools for climate governance and the protection of human rights.

The Escazú Agreement aims to ensure recognition, protection, and promotion of the rights of all environmental defenders through the three rights of access to: information, public participation, and justice in environmental matters.

Recognizing its historical nature, Ms. Bayr called for increased cooperation to sensitize and build capacity for the ratification and effective implementation of the Agreement in the Latin America and Caribbean region. For those outside the region, she encouraged the exchange of lessons learned for a future that embodies the principles of the Escazú Agreement and builds a more just, equal and sustainable world.