The Third Forum on Human Rights Defenders in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean was held between April 7 and 10 a key space for deepening the implementation of the Escazú Agreement in the region Convened by ECLAC in its role as Secretariat of the Agreement the Forum has established itself in this third edition as a regional milestone to advance the discussion on the rights of those who defend the environment and defender organizations from across Latin America and the Caribbean gathered in the city of Basseterre to share experiences ECLAC placed gender equality at the heart of the Forum's agenda recognizing that women defenders face distinct risks and structural barriers that require specific responses—and that their contributions are essential for biodiversity preservation UN Women supported ECLAC in the logistical coordination and technical facilitation of an in-person consultation workshop for the development of the Guide for Mainstreaming the Gender Perspective in the Implementation of the Escazú Agreement based on the annotated outline prepared by ECLAC Approximately 40 people participated in the workshop (more than 70% were women) representing over 30 organizations and networks of defenders in Latin America and the Caribbean Contributions focused on the annotated outline's process and overall contents; current challenges and barriers; other possible considerations and measures to be included in the Guide; and next steps The Guide will be a fundamental tool to support State Parties in systematically incorporating the gender perspective across all pillars of the Escazú Agreement: access to environmental information public participation in environmental decision-making processes access to justice in environmental matters and organizations that defend human rights in environmental contexts The discussion also explored how to further advance gender mainstreaming beyond the development of the Guide former Elected Public Representative for the Escazú Agreement are in the process of developing roadmaps for the implementation of the Escazú Agreement And we felt that this was an opportunity for state parties to consider integrating gender response measures into those roadmaps which could be implemented in the short to medium term."  The choice of Saint Kitts and Nevis as the Forum's venue was no coincidence: as a small island state highly vulnerable to climate change it exemplifies the challenges faced by communities throughout Latin America and the Caribbean—particularly in insular contexts often marginalized in multilateral spaces—that require guarantees of access to environmental rights and the ability to defend their territories without fear This geographic decentralization reinforces the inclusive nature of the Escazú Agreement promoting greater regional coordination in environmental justice and human rights UN Women's participation in this Third Forum is part of a broader support process aimed at consolidating the Escazú Agreement as a gender-responsive legal and normative framework the engagement includes the meeting before the Second Annual Forum of Defenders which highlighted the urgent need to strengthen women's networks and their participation in the mechanisms of the Agreement during COP3 of the Escazú Agreement in April 2024 UN Women facilitated a dialogue with women defenders to gather their needs This exchange was crucial for the coordination between the Public and State Parties ahead of the adoption of Decision III/4 on Gender Mainstreaming through which the Secretariat was requested to prepare the Guide "with the support of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) the regional meeting held in Bolivia and organized by the Regional Hub on Gender Environment and Climate Justice of UN Women promoted coordination among women defenders' organizations and networks in relation to other environmental processes—such as the COPs on Biodiversity and Desertification—thus reinforcing synergies between multilateral frameworks and advocacy strategies from the territories Copyright © UN Women the Latin American and Caribbean Forum on Environmental Human Rights Defenders brought together environmental defenders and government representatives in Basseterre The Escazú Agreement is a landmark regional human rights treaty that guarantees access to environmental information public participation and justice in Latin America and the Caribbean Article 9 describes States’ obligation to protect human rights defenders in environmental matters and guarantee their rights including those related to access to information As of today, 17 countries are parties to the agreement, while other key countries in the region still haven’t signed or ratified it. In February 2025, Special Procedures mandate holders sent a communication to these countries urging them to sign and ratify the agreement individuals who believe that a State is not complying with its obligations as a party to the Escazú Agreement can send information (‘communications’) to the treaty’s Implementation and Compliance Support Committee At a 2024 Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Agreement States agreed to incorporate a gender perspective within the Escazú Agreement recognising the unique risks faced by women human rights defenders in environmental matters This decision further requires States to consider gender-based violence and ensure women’s participation enhancing security and effectiveness for all defenders  Advocating for Escazú at the Inter-American Court of Human Rights  At the Forum on Environmental Human Rights Defenders the #EscazuEnlaCorteIDH initiative was presented during the Third Forum This initiative seeks to ensure that Escazú standards are included in the Inter-American Court’s forthcoming advisory opinion on the climate emergency A central piece of this effort was the amicus brief co-submitted by ISHR  Strengthening national and international protection mechanisms  a central debate was about the effective protection of environmental human rights defenders ISHR joined a panel on the role of international protection mechanisms and the effectiveness of these mechanisms in granting protection We also shared insights from the Declaration +25 a civil society-led articulation of the international legal framework for defenders launched with 17 partners to mark the 25th anniversary of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders This authoritative text shows that there has been positive developments in the protection of human rights defenders but it also highlights the challenges that remain there has been an emergence of international protection mechanisms but often defenders do not know these exist or they do not know how to use them There are still gaps in terms of capacity and follow-up Complementarity and better communication among these mechanisms are key to ensure that defenders are better protected This complementarity should foster the strengths of the mechanisms while ensuring that using the mechanisms does not represent a burden for those who trigger them Ensuring participation in global environmental governance  ISHR also facilitated a consultation with the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to a clean The session contributed directly to the Rapporteur’s upcoming report to the General Assembly on effective environmental impact assessments (EIA) and strategic environmental assessments (SEA) This consultation was organised to make sure that underrepresented voices like those of women human rights defenders and defenders from the Caribbean could interact with the Special Rapporteur defenders shared how EIA works in practice and how usually assessments are prepared just to ‘tick a box’ to get licenses and project approvals the assessments are not known by the communities and under confidentiality agreements which makes it difficult to access this information Defenders also shared the challenges they face and the criminalisation and persecution they suffer by State and non-State actors In a statement during the Human Rights Council's 58th session Sri Lankan environmental defender Melani Gunathilaka spoke of the human rights impacts that debt-driven economic policies have had in Sri Lanka At an interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the right to a clean a fisherwoman from Guatemala raised concerns about the consequences business activities have had on marine biodiversity in Guatemala there was one clear message: voluntary commitments are not enough to guarantee corporate accountability States need to regulate business with binding rules to comprehensively address the human rights abuses committed by businesses Copyright © 2025 International Service for Human Rights Charity web design and branding by Fat Beehive 2024—The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) celebrates the unanimous decision by Colombia’s Constitutional Court on Wednesday declaring the constitutionality of the Escazú Agreement thereby affirming its entry into force in the country   This regional agreement on access to information and justice in environmental matters represents a significant breakthrough for environmental democracy and a decisive step towards protecting the rights and work of environmental defenders in Latin America and the Caribbean CIEL  submitted an amicus brief highlighting the alignment of the Escazú agreement with the principles of sustainable development and the protection of the right to a healthy environment enshrined in the Colombian Constitution as an interested party in this process Senior Attorney at the Center for International Environmental Law “The unanimous decision to greenlight the Escazú Agreement is historic for environmental democracy in Colombia The full Court is sending a clear message: violence against environmental defenders must end to clear the way for their work in the most dangerous place in the world for environmental advocacy “The implementation of the Escazú Agreement will improve access to information and justice in environmental matters for everyone in Colombia providing essential tools to tackle the drivers and impacts of the planetary crisis and to navigate an energy transition in line with human rights Those standing up for the environment are not only advocating for their territory or region but they also represent the voice of every individual worldwide who relies on a healthy environment to sustain life “We honor the tireless and rigorous work of Colombian civil society as well as communities and Indigenous Peoples who contributed to this victory.” Este comunicado está disponible en español aquí Niccolò Sarno, Media Relations, Email: [email protected] Subscribe Now Two North Carolina chocolate makers share their go-to recipe for drinking chocolate—plus how they upgrade the classic with cayenne pepper By Lindsey LilesRecipe by Danielle Centeno and Tiana Young Your drinking chocolate, says Danielle Centeno, is only as good as the chocolate you use to make it. She would know—she’s been operating Escazú sourcing beans from all over Latin America but primarily from her native country of Venezuela This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Though Escazú specializes in chocolate bars and confections—the bestsellers are a sea salt bar and a milk chocolate bar accented with goat milk powder—the shop also serves hot beverages “It smells like brownies,” Centeno says of the decadent drink The most important part of the recipe is the chocolate itself bean-to-bar chocolate maker,” Centeno says Opt for a bar made of just cacao and sugar and maybe a third ingredient “This hot chocolate recipe is meant to showcase the flavor of the chocolate “The magic is in the chocolate—choose a bar that you know you enjoy and it will most likely make a delicious cup of hot chocolate.”  you can get creative; buy a bar with a higher cacao percentage and omit the sugar from the recipe; try a single-origin chocolate to really let its distinctive flavors shine; play with the milk-to-chocolate ratio to find your preferred creaminess level including a pinch of cayenne powder for spicy kick ¼ cup, or 42 grams, of chocolate, chopped in pea-size pieces or smaller (Centeno and Young use Escazū’s 65% baking chocolate ) of whole milk or alternative (Centeno and Young prefer oat milk for flavor and texture) Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and heat on medium while whisking until completely melted Turn the heat off and whisk vigorously to create a little bit of foam If you have a milk frother or an espresso machine with a steam wand you can use that instead of the stovetop for extra foamy and creamy hot chocolate you can omit the sugar or adjust accordingly Note: For a twist on the classic drinking chocolate you can add: added at the beginning with all of the ingredients Lindsey Liles joined Garden & Gun in 2020 after completing a master’s in literature in Scotland and a Fulbright grant in Brazil The Arkansas native is G&G’s digital reporter and she especially enjoys putting her biology background to use by writing about wildlife and conservation This high-low appetizer will be the star of your next gathering delicate summer squash buds are a springtime treasure Green garlic and fresh herbs star in a refreshing family-style dish The future of conservation in the South just got a little bit brighter—and not just for salamanders but they’re the craftsmanship of local crustaceans called lawn lobsters The drawls are receiving a lot of flak across the internet but a North Carolina linguist argues they’re actually pretty accurate A young woman from an Indigenous tribe in Mexico she told the story of being imprisoned for two years Defending her ancestral lands from powerful mining interests her voice carrying the pain of being punished for trying to protect what should never have been under threat like so many others shared at the recently held Third Forum on Human Rights Defenders in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean We were over 200 strong – environmental defenders civil society representatives – from over 30 countries across the region and everyone was shaped by the same invisible force: whether or not our countries respect and protect environmental defenders and the right to a healthy environment There were many stories about intimidation We risk so much because we believe protecting the environment is not optional—it’s essential environmental defenders are often seen as obstacles to development not as partners in building a better future We are people – ordinary and extraordinary – who take action to protect the environment and the communities that depend on it We may be community members protesting illegal mining or NGOs challenging unsustainable projects Environmental defenders are not defined by job titles but by our commitment to ensuring the right to a healthy environment Something which is a basic human right and a constitutional right in Jamaica’s Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms This is where the Escazú agreement comes in It is the first legally binding treaty in the world that specifically protects the rights of environmental defenders in Latin America and the Caribbean It also guarantees the public’s right to environmental information meaningful participation in decision-making It’s a powerful tool in one of the world’s most dangerous regions to be an environmental defender Jamaica signed the Escazú agreement in 2019 and we were proud to be part of the negotiations that shaped it Does the Government of Jamaica not want stronger environmental rights The Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) has written to the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation (MEGJC) several times since August 2024 to ask what is needed to ratify the Agreement we wrote directly to the Minister with responsibility for Water and the Blue & Green Economies under MEGJC Based on information shared in the media recently there appears to be concern about obligations under the Escazú agreement as it relates to Jamaica’s Access to Information (ATI) Act – specifically that the Escazú agreement allows up to 30 business days to respond to a request with an extension of no more than 10 additional business days whereas Jamaica’s ATI Act allows 30 calendar days and a further 30 calendar days for an extension the timeline under the Escazú Agreement is only slightly shorter than the total period allowed under the ATI Act we are now working on a project – supported by the UNDP implemented Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme – to build awareness of the Escazú agreement and ultimately to petition for Jamaica’s government to ratify the Agreement Ratification would require the Government of Jamaica to bring the Agreement before Parliament and begin implementing the agreement Other Caribbean countries – Antigua and Barbuda St Vincent and the Grenadines – have already ratified and are now working on implementation We know the Escazú Agreement won’t solve all our problems overnight But it is a step in the right direction – a concrete move toward transparency and stronger protections for those on the frontlines of environmental justice Jamaica talks about climate justice and environmental protection on the global stage But when it comes to taking real action at home – especially action that would empower citizens to hold decision-makers accountable – we stall To ensure the necessary policies and protection mechanisms are in place especially to protect those who are committed to protecting our environment we fully support the Government of Jamaica in ratifying the Escazú agreement We look forward to working with the government as this has now become a matter of urgency Theresa Rodriguez-Moodie is an environmental scientist and chief executive officer of the Jamaica Environment Trust. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com View the discussion thread. Blog of the European Journal of International Law and implementation has been slow and ineffective This blog post explores the challenges faced by defenders in Latin America examines the obstacles to implementing the Escazú Agreement and proposes three key strategies to improve environmental protection and compliance with the Agreement One of the main issues is the lack of political willingness to ratify the Treaty and implement the provisions in national norms. While political changes in Chile and Colombia have led to ratification we can only hope similar shifts happen in Brazil In El Salvador President Nayib Bukele claims the treaty “affects development” and undermines “national sovereignty,” a sentiment echoed by several Latin American leaders as well Furthermore, in Peru, we observe that the ratification of national laws undermines environmental protection. For instance, the Peruvian parliament has passed a law extending the deadline for small-scale miners to formalize their operations until December 2024 which hampers efforts to tackle illegal mining and other harmful industries These actions show that environmental protection is still not a priority in many Latin American countries Navigating Structural and Institutional Roadblocks and poor coordination among state entities with key ministries failing to prioritize the initiative The lack of engagement and communication between the governmental entities significantly hinders the mechanism’s success Strengthening legal frameworks is challenging but crucial for effective implementation Governments therefore must revise existing laws and enact new ones in accordance with the Escazú Treaty the Court found that Peru violated several rights outlined in the Convention including the right to a healthy environment access to information and political participation its ratification does not impose new obligations but rather emphasizes existing ones enshrined in the Convention The IACtHR can play a relevant role in directing states to ratify the Agreement and strengthen these commitments international pressure and public condemnation can harm a country’s reputation motivating compliance with the Agreement’s provisions Organizations can also establish strong transparency and accountability measures such as independent oversight and public reporting which makes it harder for governments to hide the consequences of their actions Strengthening Ties: The Power of Regional and International Cooperation Promoting cooperation and sharing best practices among countries is imperative for strengthening environmental protection, especially in Latin America, where nations face similar challenges. The COP 3 introduced an Action Plan on Human Rights Defenders in Environmental Matters focusing on four priorities to enhance the implementation of Article 9 of the Agreement: knowledge creation and evaluation – vital areas for advancing human and environmental rights comprehensive public awareness campaigns and educational initiatives are essential to strengthen civil society’s response and hold governments and corporations accountable for environmental standards A Path Forward: Ensuring a Safer Future for Defenders and Our Planet The Escazú Agreement is an essential tool for protecting defenders in Latin America, but simply ratifying it won’t guarantee their safety and a strong civil society are essential for effective implementation – and there are actionable strategies for improvement the IACtHR can positively influence compliance through its rulings and domestic actors must maintain their crucial role in holding governments accountable and promoting transparency the Escazú Agreement represents a landmark step forward for environmental and human rights in Latin America we can realize its full potential and foster a safer Many thanks for your very interesting post on Escazú Agreement May I just add a few details concerning Central America States and Escazú Agreement that could be of interest: Guatemala send a letter to UNSceretary General indicating it "unsigns" Escazú Agreement remembering a similar gesture by Israel and United States in 2002 (and of Russia in 2016) with reference to Rome Statute they signed in 2000 (in the case of Israel and United States they signed Rome Statute the very last day to do it "In a communication received on 20 December 2022 the Government of Guatemala informed the Secretary-General of the following: I have the honour to write to you in reference to the Regional Agreement on Access to Information Public Participation and Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean adopted in Escazú on 4 March 2018 and signed by the Republic of Guatemala on 27 September 2018 The Republic of Guatemala officially informs you that it does not intend to become a party to the Agreement give rise to any legal obligations for the Republic of Guatemala Source: Note 1 at: https://treaties.un.org/pages/viewdetails.aspx?src=treaty&mtdsg_no=xxvii-18&chapter=27&clang=_en Costa Rica: despite the international "green" image of Costa Rica Costa Rica has not ratified Escazú Agreement (and probably will no do it in coming 2 years) Here an article I wrote on Costa Rica persistent reluctance to ratify Escazú Agreement https://www.revistas.una.ac.cr/index.php/ambientales/article/view/19423/29601 For European consumers of products from Costa Rica they should know that the main national chambers and corporations of banana and pineapple are against Escazu Agreement: See joint letter of these and others main corporations sent to Congress in 2022: https://surcosdigital.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Carta-oposicion-al-Acuerdo-de-Escazu-Camaras.pdf As for other Central American States that have not ratified Escazú (El Salvador and Honduras) this IACHR report on the critical situation of human rights and environmental defenders in El Salvador Guatemala and Honduras will give an idea of the intimidation and risks that exist in the region which activists in Costa Rica (as well as in Nicaragua) do not escape when they denounce megaprojects and monocultures that threaten the environment https://www.oas.org/es/cidh/jsForm/?File=/es/cidh/prensa/comunicados/2023/076.asp I studied law at Freie Universität Berlin and completed the Advanced LL.M in Public International Law at Leiden University I am set to begin my Referendariat in Berlin in November… Sign up to receive updates on our latest posts Colombia is Latest Country to Adopt the Escazú Agreement As world leaders spoke about protecting the environment at the United Nations General Assembly this week Colombia took an important concrete step by ratifying the Escazú Agreement a landmark treaty for Latin American and Caribbean nations that advances the right to a healthy environment.  The record-breaking fires ravaging South American ecosystems this year should be a reminder to other countries in the region that there is no time to spare As Colombia becomes the fourth Amazon country to join the treaty alongside Ecuador, Bolivia, and Guyana, attention should turn to Brazil, which is home to 60 percent of the rainforest Brazil signed the agreement in 2018, but it was soon forgotten when Jair Bolsonaro won the presidency. Once in office, Bolsonaro effectively gave the green light to illegal logging and mining in the Amazon.  When President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva took office in 2023, more than 140 Brazilian and international organizations, including Human Rights Watch, urged him to send the agreement to Congress legislators have since moved slowly in considering the treaty All parties should get behind an agreement that advances transparency and greater protection for Brazil’s environmental heritage and its defenders As it prepares to host next year’s UN Climate Change Conference (COP30), Brazil should join multilateral efforts to curb the climate crisis and bring the country closer to delivering on its pledges. Last month, federal prosecutors asserted that ratifying the Escazú Agreement is “extremely urgent” and would “reaffirm for the country and the international community the Brazilian government’s commitment to protecting the environment.”  The sense of urgency is also felt among Indigenous peoples and other environmental defenders struggling to protect the forest on which they depend for their livelihoods Brazilians should have the right to access information and participate in decisions that are crucial for the survival of the planet Indigenous Community Facing Lack of Space and Rising Seas Plans Relocation Get updates on human rights issues from around the globe Human Rights Watch is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit registered in the US under EIN: 13-2875808 Advertiser DisclosureAdvertiser Disclosure Jump to SectionTable of ContentsNew Hotel Becomes Hyatt Centric’s First in Costa RicaFinal ThoughtsWe may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. 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See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners Opinions and recommendations are ours alone The World of Hyatt brand is expanding in Central America with the announcement of a new property coming to Costa Rica in just a few years Hyatt has announced that it would open a new hotel in Costa Rica The hotel marks Hyatt’s first foray of the Hyatt Centric brand in Costa Rica and becomes the third in Central America The chain has been increasingly expanding across Latin America and the Caribbean and announced that it intended to add more than 20 new hotels in the region through 2024 The Hyatt Centric Escazu San Jose will be located in a mixed-use complex and feature more than 160 rooms and suites Amenities include an all-day dining restaurant The property will be located just 10 minutes from downtown San Jose and only 10 miles from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) Image Credit: WildPhotography.com via Adobe Stock “As Hyatt seeks further growth of its lifestyle brand portfolio in key markets that matter to our guests we are thrilled to team up with Caribe Hospitality to continue the expansion of the Hyatt Centric brand in Central America,” said Camilo Bolaños The Hyatt Centric brand focuses on flexible spaces that can be used for work and play and Hyatt puts these hotels in central locations Already, Hyatt has 2 Hyatt Centric locations in Central America: the Hyatt Centric Guatemala City and the Hyatt Centric San Salvador in El Salvador both of which are Category 2 World of Hyatt hotels Hot Tip: New to the World of Hyatt loyalty program? Check out our guide to earning and redeeming World of Hyatt points for your next stay Hyatt isn’t known for having the most considerable presence in Costa Rica and Central America but it seems like that’s about to change with the announcement of a new property in the heart of San Jose and other properties in the pipeline coming later in the future in Broadcast Journalism from the Howard University School of Communications and is an award-winning journalist and the founder of the “Carrying On with Victoria M Plus — expert strategies to maximize your points & miles by joining our (free) newsletter We respect your privacy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA. Google's privacy policy  and terms of service  apply OFFER ENDING SOONChase Sapphire Preferred® Card LIMITED TIME TRAVEL OFFERThe Business Platinum Card® from American Express BEST LOUNGE ACCESSThe Platinum Card® from American Express Privacy Policy | All Guides | Terms & Conditions | Web Accessibility Policy | Cookie Policy travel information and ancillary information concerning travel and credit cards The information provided is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial LLC uses reasonable efforts to maintain accurate information on the site — and prior to applying for any credit card offers found on UpgradedPoints.com all visitors should review other features of such credit cards including but not limited to interest rates and should determine the suitability of such credit cards considering their own individual financial position as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases Editorial Disclosure: The content featured on UpgradedPoints.com has not been influenced or reviewed by the credit card companies mentioned comments and analyses are the responsibility of the author(s) and not any Advertiser or credit card issuer COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER A motorcyclist became an unexpected hero last Monday in Escazú when he rescued a driver from a burning car following a dangerous overtaking maneuver and subsequent crash occurred in the early hours of the morning on a road heading south towards San Antonio de Escazú the driver recklessly overtook the motorcyclist before losing control and crashing into a light pole The collision left the car severely damaged He swiftly unbuckled the driver’s seatbelt and dragged him to safety mere seconds before the vehicle erupted into flames “I felt terrified upon seeing the fire and hearing the explosion,” the motorcyclist later admitted “But I was driven by a sense of duty to rescue the trapped driver.” His decisive action likely prevented a tragedy as the driver would almost certainly have perished in the fire without intervention The crash left vehicle debris scattered across the roadway The Municipal Police of Escazú shared the incident on social media using it as an opportunity to warn drivers about the importance of adhering to speed limits and exercising caution with many commenters praising the motorcyclist’s heroic actions and all the values that make the difference I congratulate you for your action and your good heart Police reports indicate that many accidents in Costa Rica are due to driver imprudence This incident serves as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of reckless driving and the importance of road safety By Luisa Gomez Betancur, Senior Attorney at the Center for International Environmental Law, and Alexandra Cólon-Amil Communications Campaign Specialist at the Center for International Environmental Law where key measures will be taken to protect the rights and work of environmental defenders This Forum will be especially significant because it is the first time it is held in the insular Caribbean one of the regions that suffers and will disproportionately suffer the effects of the climate crisis which intensifies the pressure on the environment and those who risk their lives to defend it a regional instrument aimed at implementing strategic actions to ensure the safety of environmental defenders taking measures to recognize and protect their rights and sanctioning attacks or threats against them The Environmental Defenders Forums have been established for the creation They function as regional platforms for participation and public discussion to expose the challenges faced by environmental defenders and explore routes and proposals to address these issues Currently, there are dozens of documented socio-environmental conflicts in the insular Caribbean involving a variety of industries — from hydrocarbon extraction and mineral mining to infrastructure development and tourism there is little information on the situation of environmental defenders and their work in this region’s socio-environmental context which contributes to the false perception that “nothing happens in the Caribbean.” In more than a decade, authoritative reports in this field have recorded three lethal attacks on environmental defenders in a single Caribbean country these figures are “partial reflections” of the violence against environmental defenders There are structural challenges preventing comprehensive documentation and detection of specific cases such as the limited presence of civil society organizations in specific areas attention tends to focus on lethal attacks overshadowing severe aggressions such as forced disappearance The Third Environmental Defenders Forum offers a unique opportunity to “shine a light” on the multiple risks faced by environmental defenders in the Caribbean whose work and safety are increasingly indispensable as the climate emergency worsens advocating for the inclusion of the Escazú Agreement’s standards as basic legal guarantees when specifying the obligation of States to protect the work of environmental defenders has convened the event #EscazúEnLaCorteIDH to share how we have conceived this advocacy strategy and our expectations regarding the Court’s Opinion We will be providing updates about this event and key moments of the Forum in Saint Kitts and Nevis on our social media TwitterBluesky Este blog se encuentra disponible en Español aquí.  Land & Resources Program (PLR) seeks to protect and defend the environment and human rights against the adverse impacts of development We work at all levels – from international to grassroots – to ensure that the laws and policies governing development activities are consistent with those protecting the environment and human rights and to hold governments and corporations accountable for their actions ECLAC has unveiled a new online platform to support States Parties and the public in implementing the Escazú Agreement and advancing environmental goals in the region The newly launched website of the Escazú Agreement Committee to Support Implementation and Compliance provides a gateway for Escazú Agreement Member States and the public to request support to implement the Agreement and report instances of non-compliance including a communications platform.  This initiative aims to enhance monitoring and follow-up procedures while promoting transparency and engagement among stakeholders It facilitates the process for submitting communications checking their status and reviewing past communications in the communications repository.  The Escazú Agreement, formally known as the “Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean” was adopted in Costa Rica in 2018 The agreement has been signed by 24 countries and has 16 Parties It is a legally binding treaty to enhance environmental protection Its overarching goal is to ensure that every person enjoys the right to a healthy environment and to sustainable development through access to information public participation and access to justice It is also the first treaty in the world to include specific provisions protecting environmental defenders.  This new Committee website and its communications platform were launched during the fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 3) to the Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean in Santiago, Chile in April. It complements the Observatory on Principle 10 the treaty’s clearing house providing an overview of relevant and key references on access rights applicable to the countries of the region This includes provisions and other information of interest that the constitutions strategies and national policies of the 33 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean The negotiation had begun much earlier, at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in 2012, with the adoption of Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean which "seeks to ensure that every person has access to information can participate in the decision-making process and has access to justice in environmental matters with the aim of safeguarding the right to a healthy and sustainable environment for present and future generations." A key point to understanding the Escazú Agreement is that it provides guiding principles for nations to develop legal and governmental instruments that promote its main goals: access to information and justice in environmental matters, and participation in the decision-making process. The agreement offers a set of instructions for governments to enforce through legislative emphasising that "each Party shall seek to adopt the most favourable interpretation" of the guidelines Some items offer a more specific idea of how the treaty may be implemented the following stand out: a 30-business-day deadline for authorities to respond to requests for environmental information; the necessity to designate impartial entities or institutions to promote transparency in access to environmental information; the obligation to present the terms of a decision to the relevant public before adopting it; and the requirement for authorities to identify the public directly affected by a project or activity and facilitate their participation as well as to ensure that decisions adopted in environmental matters are documented in writing Adriana Vasquez stated that the main beneficiary of the agreement is the population of Latin America particularly the most vulnerable groups and communities "This agreement benefits nature conservation because it recognises the interrelationship and interdependence of the three dimensions of sustainable development," she said "[It also] represents a mechanism for the protection of environmental movements ensuring that activists can carry out their activities without putting themselves at risk." In April 2024, States Parties gathered for third meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 3 and committed to an Action Plan on Human Rights Defenders in Environmental Matters This plan included a roadmap with "a set of priority areas and strategic measures to advance towards the full and effective implementation of Article 9 of the Escazú Agreement on human rights defenders in environmental matters." However numerous challenges still prevent the agreement from being fulfilled Notably, not all Latin American nations signed the agreement, and only 16 out of 25 nations have ratified it since it came into force on April 22, 2021. (The complete list of nations that have signed, ratified, and are State parties is available here.) While signing the deal indicates a country's interest in the treaty's terms ratification imposes binding legal commitments A country that has ratified the agreement must incorporate it into its legal framework and implement concrete actions to ensure compliance with the agreement's objectives Osprey Orielle Lake, executive director at Women's Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN) told FairPlanet that ratification leads countries to be "legally bound to protect environmental defenders and provide access to environmental information and justice."  One example is Argentina, which ratified the treaty in January 2021. Two years later, the government announced the first National Plan for the Implementation of the Escazú Agreement in Argentina a document that lists dozens of concrete measures to achieve the Escazú goals although most of them still use vague terms like "promoting" or "boosting," without specification the country committed to promoting access to public information based on an existing law while technically aligning the different internal sectors of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MAyDS) to generate updated information such as making information about pollutant emissions and transfers available online and promoting the participation of indigenous communities in environmental decision-making processes that could potentially affect them Another country democratically advancing the implementation of the Escazú Agreement is Chile. In its Participatory Implementation Plan of the Escazú Agreement actions are divided by responsible institutions And while the plan includes similar broad goals and/or administrative measures aimed at strengthening the Environmental Impact Assessment System," it also outlines more concrete measures Some of the most notable measures include developing educational and didactic materials about the main contents of the agreement as well as creating specific training programmes for different audiences on the legal framework Vasquez affirmed that some countries refrain from ratifying the deal for several reasons lobbying from extractive industries and other economic interests as well as economic inequality and social exclusion "The environmental agenda in many governments is not a priority which reflects a lack of commitment on the part of institutions and decision-makers with respect to the process not only of ratification Brazil is expected to have its own version by the fall of 2024.  The toolkits provide a comprehensive guide to each country's laws and civil rights They outline the violations and threats faced by environmental defenders in an accessible manner and include lists of public institutions and projects addressing issues like violence against women with detailed contact information for each service Lake explained that the toolkits were designed to help women in various territories understand how to apply the Escazú Agreement within their unique contexts and navigate their countries' laws effectively is one of many efforts to provide land defenders especially women in the Latin American region with resources to protect themselves while advocating for their territories and communities Lake also noted that while the toolkits share similar information they are tailored to address the specific sensitivities and characteristics of each country "We intend for these toolkits to be resources for how the Escazú Agreement can be implemented in relation to laws and policies that already exist in various countries including whether or not a country signed or ratified the agreement," she said.  The importance of these initiatives is endorsed by Patricia Gualinga, spokesperson for Mujeres Amazónicas Defensoras de la Selva and WECAN Steering Committee Member for the Escazú Agreement. During the official launch of the toolkit, Gualinga, an indigenous woman from the Kichwa People of Sarayaku in the Ecuadorian Amazon emphasized that her community has been defending their territories against extractive industries at great personal risk particularly for the women on the front lines she stated that Escazú Agreement is an "instrument in the defence of human rights but above all in the defence of women defenders of nature and the Amazon rainforest." that "governments and companies continue to carry out the same practices to the detriment of rights."  Regarding the role of women in the implementation of the Escazú Agreement the Sarayaku leader regrets that female voices are not being taken into consideration "I personally believe that indigenous women are not being heard and are not being taken into account in the discussions on the agreement," she said "It is very important to take into account women from the territory because they are the ones who suffer the most violence "The government should respect international laws and treaties Image by Elianna Gill I hereby confirm that I wish to receive FairPlanet's newsletter. I have read, understood and confirm FairPlanet's Privacy Policy. *.Spread the wordsRepublish articleBy copying the embed code below, you agree to adhere to our republishing guidelines.  HomeDestinationsInterestsTop Places to Travel by MonthSearchMenuBest time to go to Costa Rica An authentic Halloween tradition of Costa Rica is an authentic local tradition that has deep historical roots and was revived two decades ago October 31st is officially known as the National Masquerade Day Giant costumed puppets march the streets with music and dances Large puppet heads are prepared by local artists with craft paper and various materials Escazu artisans are especially renowned for creating unique masks They are the masters behind traditional Costa Rican folk characters like El Diablo and la Muerte There is also el Padre sin Cabeza la Segua which appears in front of men and women who stay up late a female ghost that wonders along river banks and scares kids you can also see masks of various popular culture characters at the parades especially those that are loved by children you can watch large masquerade parades in the towns of Escazu at Escazu Central Park the masquerade is normally held on Plaza Mayor de Cartago the museum aims to promote this vibrant tradition of masquerades and showcase the beauty of its origins opens with a mesmerizing concert of Costa Rican music featuring the San José Concert Band Admission is completely free for residents and nationals This vibrant tradition dates back to pre-Colombian customs and the Giants and Big-heads parade held during the San Fermin festival The first masquerade was held in Cartago in 1824 The event was abandoned for nearly a century and was at risk of disappearing October 31 was officially declared the Dia de la Mascarada Tradicional Costarricense Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced the opening of Hyatt Centric San José Escazū the first Hyatt Centric-branded hotel in Costa Rica Primely located in the vibrant Escazú neighborhood of Costa Rica’s capital city lifestyle hotel with 161 rooms and suites offers access to boutique shops and key corporate offices within the Plaza Tempo Shopping & Business Center The hotel’s central location offers savvy travelers the ideal homebase to explore San José’s city center as well as natural sites like La Paz Waterfall Gardens “We look forward to introducing guests to the vibrant local culture and international influence available right here in the heart of San José,” said Natalia Zora is set to meet the growing demand for accommodations in the region by providing a getaway to embrace the spirit of pura vida and put guests in the center of the action so they never miss a moment of adventure.” Translating to “pure life,” pura vida is the Costa Rican motto for embracing all the magic life has to offer as is also Hyatt Centric San José Escazú’s design inspiration The new hotel’s modern décor and art reflects a sensory journey that moves from the Cerros de Escazú (hills of Escazú) to the urban epicenter of the city as well as the history and identity of the region with artwork created by local Costa Rican artists in collaboration with Artflow Gallery incorporating cultural sculptures and the conceptualization of glass found in the hotel’s common areas Guestrooms and suites showcase the vibrant colors of the Costa Rican landscape through shades of orange copper and green as drawn from the sunrise over the mountains and the contrasting views of the forest and city lights below Guests will find curated artwork in guestrooms such as ceramic wall decor and small ceramic bath amenities as well as watercolor canvases All guestrooms are outfitted for comfort with a creative and compact design with inviting seating areas and a host of thoughtful amenities from complimentary Wi-Fi and minifridges to plush bathrobes and Drybar hair dryers Many guestrooms offer vivid views of the city and mountains Hyatt Centric San José Escazú gives guests a taste of local flavors and craft cocktails at two dining venues that feature ever-evolving menus embodying the essence of the destination All day dining is available at ground floor restaurant offering a blend of Costa Rican specialties and international favorites made with locally sourced ingredients The outdoor terrace at Cense Restaurant provides an alfresco dining experience with an intimate manually incorporate woven designs of square knot ropes into a large canvas that encompasses the surrounding mountain landscape capturing the essence of interconnection and stability 19-49 Lounge Bar & Café serves freshly brewed Costa Rican coffee and light snacks during the day and signature cocktails with unique local ingredients Hyatt Centric San José Escazú is an ideal destination for all types of gatherings from corporate events to special celebrations with over 6,000 square feet of flexible event space The experienced events team ensures every detail is covered from technology and complimentary Wi-Fi to in-house catering The hotel also offers complimentary parking electric vehicle charging and a fitness studio to continue your routine away from home As the first Hyatt Centric branded hotel in Costa Rica Hyatt Centric San José Escazú joins seven other Hyatt Centric properties across Latin America and the Caribbean World of Hyatt is providing members with even more ways to be rewarded by offering the opportunity to earn 500 Bonus Points for qualifying nights at Hyatt Centric San José Escazù from November 20 part of World of Hyatt’s new hotel member offer Additional participating hotels and their offer stay periods can be found at worldofhyatt.com/newhotelbonus and members can earn on top of other offers You must be logged in to post a comment 350 Published Articles 1017 Edited Articles 495 Published Articles 783 Edited Articles This full-service new property is located in the lively Escazú neighborhood of Costa Rica’s capital city Let’s dive into the details of the new Hyatt Centric San José Escazū The Hyatt Centric San José Escazú is the first-ever Hyatt Centric-branded hotel in Costa Rica It joins 7 other Hyatt Centric properties in Latin America and the Caribbean as well as over 60 branded hotels around the world The new hotel has 161 rooms and suites with modern décor and views of the city or mountains Guestrooms and suites include the colors of the Costa Rican countryside in shades of orange as well as curated artwork in the form of ceramic wall decor All guestrooms have a seating area and a variety of useful amenities “We look forward to introducing guests to the vibrant local culture and international influence available right here in the heart of San José,” said Natalia Zora general manager of the Hyatt Centric San José Escazú With the Hyatt Centric San José Escazū now officially open, you’ll have the option of redeeming World of Hyatt points for award nights at the property From our research, award availability at the property seems to be wide open. In fact, using MaxMyPoint we see standard room and suite availability for December with point prices ranging from 12,000 to 15,000 points per night for a standard room and suites starting at 20,000 points Cash rates at the hotel start at $160 over the next 2 months, but those are likely to go up as the hotel establishes itself. As a Category 3 property, this might be a decent use of Category 1-4 free night certificates when cash rates are on the higher side The Hyatt Centric brand makes its debut in Costa Rica today with the arrival of the Hyatt Centric San José Escazū which has a prime location in the downtown vibrant district of Escazū in Costa Rica’s capital It is always a good thing when more Hyatt hotels open in desirable destinations especially when you can get a good deal by using points to pay for your stay Juan has extensive experience in writing and editing content related to credit cards He has been honing his expertise in this field for over a decade His work has been featured in various prestigious publications View the discussion thread. By Luisa Gomez Betancur, Senior Attorney, and Lani Furbank The right of every person to participate in decisions that may affect their lives and the environment is at the core of environmental democracy To engage meaningfully and safely citizens must be able to access information and voice opinions and concerns openly without fear of reprisals communities have the right to access justice to challenge and appeal any of these environmental decisions when their rights have been infringed the Escazú Agreement stands out as the only international treaty that explicitly recognizes the “public” as a stakeholder entitled to meaningful participation in the work to construct This means the biannual Escazú COP offers civil society and community members a unique platform where their involvement can lead to substantial influence and tangible outcomes CIEL joined dozens of regional and international partners at Escazú COP3 to advocate for a robust Action Plan on human rights defenders and draw critical connections between the scope of the Escazú Agreement and the ongoing Advisory Opinion (AO) process at the Inter-American Court of Human Rights on the climate emergency and human rights Here are the key outcomes from Escazú COP3: At Escazú COP3, a key item on the agenda involved discussing and adopting the draft Action Plan on human rights defenders in Latin America and the Caribbean This plan outlined priority areas and strategic steps to fulfill  Article 9 of the Escazú agreement which requires States to ensure a secure and supportive atmosphere for individuals and organizations that advocate and protect human rights in environmental issues resulting from a two-year public consultation process — which CIEL took part in along with regional and international partners — was adopted at Escazú COP3 marking a significant milestone in protecting human rights defenders in Latin America and the Caribbean While there is still room for improvement to broaden public participation and more fully integrate demands by Ethnic and Indigenous Peoples this plan will serve as a regional roadmap to strengthen four priority areas:  Our advocacy now will focus on identifying a clear timeframe to ensure ambitious national implementation plans are developed and carried out effectively the Inter-American Court of Human Rights held hearings in Bridgetown as part of its advisory opinion process on the climate emergency and human rights These events and the forthcoming AO represent a historic opportunity for the Court to adopt the standards of the Escazú Agreement as Inter-American norms CIEL and partners hosted a side event at Escazú COP3 focused on defenders in the climate emergency and how the Court should ensure the protection of human rights for a group that faces disproportionate risks Panelists were joined by Court staff involved in the AO proceedings which allowed for timely insights into the process and its relevance to environmental defenders Chilean CSOs Corporación Fiscalia Medio Ambiente (FIMA) and Congreso Estudiantil Universitario de Sustentabilidad (CEUS) organized a Pre-COP event to bring together civil society and Ethnic and Indigenous Peoples to build networks gain a better understanding of diverse perspectives and assess priorities for the Escazú COP itself The inaugural Pre-COP panel led by CIEL focused on the critical role of defenders in the climate emergency and the just energy transition highlighting the unique vulnerabilities faced by women in these roles and advocating for gender-sensitive public policies to address the impacts of the crisis CIEL and partners launched a declaration emphasizing the historic opportunity before the Inter-American Court hundreds of organizations and individuals have come together to urge the Court to adopt the standards of the Escazú Agreement to guarantee access rights and facilitate the work of human rights defenders in the context of the climate emergency We will deliver this declaration to the Court at the second round of AO hearings which will take place in Brasilia and Manaus In addition to establishing the first Action Plan on Defenders there were several significant decisions at COP3: and Brazil have yet to ratify the agreement despite their positions at the top of the list of the most dangerous countries in the world for environmental and human rights defenders CIEL and partners will be working to implement and integrate the Escazú Agreement throughout the region We’re closely following the case at the Colombian Constitutional Court considering ratification of the agreement; working with partners to support States in their work on the Action Plan on defenders; and intervening at the next round of hearings for the Inter-American Court’s Advisory Opinion in Brazil on May 27 A conflict between two neighbors in Escazu ended in a tragic murder The victim was identified as Otoniel Orozco Mendoza this Monday at the Rio Palma condominium in Guachipelin “We heard a loud argument outside; as we looked out we could see where the neighbor was shooting the other neighbor the other neighbor continued to shoot him without fear,” said one of the witnesses According to people who live in the condominium the problems between the suspect and the victim had been going on for a while Although previous conflicts had not escalated to physical violence strong words and constant threats created a tense atmosphere the police had been called in to mediate the disputes but no previous intervention had succeeded in defusing the conflict Otto already had many things against him for years He bothered him every time he (Otto) went out He even questioned how it was possible that a Nicaraguan could live in a place like this,” the neighbor added neighbors went out to call emergency services and tried to help the victim It was very surprising; nobody imagined that this problem would end up like this several neighbors approached them and asked them to get along for their own sake and for the good of all the neighbors,” pointed out a person who lives in the condo Neither the Police Force nor the OIJ acted The Escazu agreement is designed to protect biodiversity and environmental defenders in Latin America and the Caribbean guarantees people’s right to obtain environmental information and to participate in decision-making that affects their lives and environment It requires countries to ensure access to justice when those rights are violated and to establish systems to prevent environmental harm or provide redress It is the world’s first legally binding instrument containing specific provisions on environmental defenders – requiring governments to provide safe and enabling conditions for the defenders and ensuring that those responsible for violence and intimidation against them are investigated and prosecuted Upholding the rights established in the Escazú agreement could contribute hugely to reversing the cycle of violence and environmental destruction in the Amazon This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page In addition to adopting a decision to this effect at the third meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the regional treaty (April 22-24 the topic was analyzed in depth at a dialogue convened by ECLAC and the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs of Mexico which poses the urgency of integrating and strengthening the gender perspective of ensuring the full and effective participation of women in all their diversity and of preventing discrimination and gender-based violence against women who are environmental defenders This represents a significant milestone for sustainable development in Latin America and the Caribbean To analyze this topic, the Dialogue “The fundamental role of women and the mainstreaming of the gender perspective in the implementation of the Escazú Agreement” was held on the sidelines of the COP 3 convened by the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs of Mexico and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) along with the Foreign Ministries of Chile and Colombia which has been forged over the last 45 years via the agreements approved by governments at the meetings of the Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean the Foreign Minister of Mexico – which is the country that promoted the decision’s adoption – indicated that this proposal is aligned with the principles of Mexico’s Feminist Foreign Policy which entails an approach that is more humanistic pacifist and focused on protecting human rights which includes the protection of and the right to a healthy environment “The decision on mainstreaming the gender perspective in the Escazú Agreement arises from the undeniable recognition of the relationship between gender equality environmental protection and the right to information and to justice This initiative serves to render visible the critical participation that we women have had in the entire process of drafting the Escazú Agreement as well as its entry into force,” she emphasized in a pre-recorded message participants presented the experiences of Mexico with comments from the elected representative of the public for the Escazú Agreement as well as specialists from the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the GIZ office in the Southern Cone The speakers stressed the importance of creating synergies with all relevant stakeholders to promote structural and ambitious responses starting with the full and effective participation of women and of the Machineries for the Advancement of Women and the incorporation of a gender-equality perspective into the implementation of the Agreement particularly in national implementation plans and road maps It is also urgently necessary to develop gender statistics and build national capacities prevent discrimination and gender-based violence against women defenders and also create a safe environment for the defense of human rights in environmental matters The third meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 3) to the Escazú Agreement took place at ECLAC’s main headquarters on April 22-24 The election of representatives of the public for the Escazú Agreement was held through the Regional Public Mechanism on 2 and 3 November 2022 The Secretariat of the Escazú Agreement congratulates the six new elected representatives of the public: In accordance with the rules for the elections the electoral register was composed of all persons registered in the Regional Public Mechanism on 22 August 2022 Each voter had one vote to elect any candidate each voter had to sign up to the electronic voting platform. The two persons receiving the highest number of votes in each of the sub-regions were elected as representatives no more than one person elected as representative could be from the same country (national or resident) or of the same sex The Secretariat of the Escazú Agreement would like to thank everyone that participated in the process and invites all to continue supporting the implementation of the Escazú Agreement in Latin America and the Caribbean In the regional and international context of the climate emergency, the entry into force of the Regional Agreement on the Access to Information, Public Participation, and Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin American and the Caribbean (Escazú Agreement) is of special significance This agreement arrives in a critical moment and has the potential to become a fundamental tool to stimulate the debate related to the environmental crisis and its links with the defense of human rights In addition to the climate emergency, environmental human rights defenders are facing a severe crisis due to persecution and executions at alarming levels; in 2020, they represented 69% of the total murders of human rights defenders and Efigenia Vásquez in Colombia demonstrate the need to enable a safe environment for human rights defenders as a foundation for the exercise of the access rights established in the Escazú Agreement In its content, the Escazú agreement is inspired by the Aarhus Convention, agreed upon in 1998 by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Escazú adds the obligation of states to “ensure a safe and enabling environment for people groups and organizations that promote and defend human rights in environmental matters Although other regional human rights treaties, such as the American Convention on Human Rights have previously been used to safeguard human rights defenders the Escazú agreement stands out for the explicit recognition of the link between human rights and the protection of the environment this treaty does not have a direct clause of attribution to assign its supervision to the Inter-American Human Rights System The first right established in the agreement is access to environmental information which is defined as the possibility to “request and receive information from the authorities without giving reasons for their interest.” The treaty also establishes that environmental information can only be refused by reasons “legally established in advance and […] clearly defined and regulated and shall thus be interpreted restrictively.” Furthermore the agreement establishes the obligation of states to generate and publicize environmental information “in a systemic The second right established in the agreement is the right to participation in the environmental decision-making process This participation should be guaranteed in decision-making processes whenever the decision could have “a significant impact on the environment.” Also the participation procedures should be guaranteed “from the early stages so that due consideration can be given to the observations of the public.” Additionally the information provided with the public should be shared in a “clear the agreement establishes the right to access justice in environmental matters states should ensure “access to justice in environmental matters in accordance with the guarantees of due process” and make sure to include in their domestic legislation access to “judicial and administrative mechanisms to challenge and appeal” any decision or omission related to the right to access to environmental information participation in the environmental decision-making process or any other means that adversely affect the environment The treaty also specifies certain characteristics for these procedures the Escazú Agreement can become a fundamental instrument to fight climate change and strengthen the protection of human rights defenders The climate emergency can only be adequately addressed as long as the capacities and safety of those primarily exercising the rights to access to information participation in the decision-making process and justice are guaranteed: the environmental human rights defenders The Escazú agreement shows the preoccupation and commitment of states to defend environmental rights and those who assume these standards Help us continue this critical and urgent work with a donation This site is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution - Non-Commercial - No Derivative Works 3.0 Unsupported | Privacy Policy The third meeting of the Conference of the Parties to Latin America and the Caribbean’s first environmental treaty was inaugurated by Chilean President Gabriel Boric the Action Plan on Human Rights Defenders in Environmental Matters will be presented The third meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 3) 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 – began today at ECLAC’s headquarters in Santiago on the precise day that International Mother Earth Day is celebrated worldwide This event – which will run through April 24 – has brought together authorities and official representatives of countries that are already part of the region’s first environmental treaty as well as observer countries experts from regional and international organizations with the aim of making further progress on building more sustainable development the result of regional cooperation and a shared vision in which prosperity for all human rights guarantees and care for Mother Earth would go hand in hand The meeting was officially inaugurated at the headquarters of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) by the President of the Republic of Chile Gabriel Boric; the Director of Legal Affairs at Uruguay’s Environment Ministry and Chair of the Presiding Officers of the Agreement Marcelo Cousillas; elected representative of the public Nicole Leotaud from Trinidad and Tobago; and Javier Medina Vásquez which is the United Nations regional organization serving as Secretariat of the Agreement the President of Chile stressed that the greatest challenge of our time is to confront the crisis that we ourselves have caused: the climate crisis we hope we can move forward with concrete actions on the Escazú Agreement and on a regional plan to protect the people groups and organizations that promote and fight for environmental protection on our earth,” he stated “Today those who suffer most acutely the impacts of the triple planetary crisis – climate change environmental pollution and biodiversity loss – are also those furthest from decision-making That is why we have the conviction that Escazú (the Agreement) is an opportunity to make progress on access to information to have greater public participation and greater coordination between the State and civil society,” Gabriel Boric emphasized In his opening speech – delivered on behalf of ECLAC’s Executive Secretary José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs – the institution’s Deputy Executive Secretary thanked the authorities and delegates present for their participation and explained that over the course of the three-day meeting Presiding Officers and the Committee to Support Implementation and Compliance will be presented along with national implementation road maps the Action Plan on Human Rights Defenders in Environmental Matters will be proposed for consideration and approval – a plan prepared in a participatory process under the leadership of the ad hoc Working Group coordinated by Chile Participants will also address distinct topics such as producing environmental information public participation in environmental impact assessment And the fourth meeting of the Committee to Support Implementation and Compliance will be held “The first challenge is to get all countries in Latin America and the Caribbean to be Parties the Escazú Agreement has been signed by 24 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean and has 15 States Parties Today we proudly celebrate that the Commonwealth of Dominica has joined the Agreement and although they are not able to be here with us we celebrate that their ratification has been deposited,” he announced Javier Medina added that the second major challenge is to make progress on the implementation of what is contained in the Agreement and protect the environment at the same time and especially people and groups in situations of vulnerability to have procedures that would facilitate the exercise of their rights to information participation and justice in environmental matters “The third challenge points to the fact that we live in the most dangerous region of the world for people who defend the environment Taking care of those who care for our environment means taking care of ourselves and ensuring our capacity to thrive We trust that by the end of these three days we will celebrate the decision to approve the action plan on the protection of environmental defenders,” he stated the Escazú Agreement has four fundamental pillars: three pertain to the rights of access (to information participation and justice in environmental matters) and the fourth is the protection of environmental defenders “That is why at this COP 3 we hope to approve an action plan on human rights defenders in environmental matters proposed plan to be implemented in the region within a six-year time frame in the last decade nearly 2,000 people who defend the environment were murdered in the world… And in the region we have the terrible dishonor of knowing that 3 out of every 4 of those murders occur in one of our countries I hope we can conclude this meeting with other expectations for environmental defenders for us all,” the Chair of the Agreement’s Presiding Officers affirmed elected representative of the public Nicole Leotaud indicated that we need to ensure implementation of the Escazú Agreement and its principles in key processes related to climate change and the ecological crisis strengthen environmental democracy and deliver justice and equity for people in Latin America and the Caribbean recognizing and embracing our differences in terms of race “We need to work collectively to advocate for the universal recognition of the right to a healthy safe and sustainable environment across the region and globally as a universal human right which is reflected in national constitutions and implemented by national laws and global treaties and agreements,” she added Following the inauguration, a special session on International Mother Earth Day was held Parliamentary Secretary for Legal Affairs of Antigua and Barbuda; Joel Hernández Undersecretary for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights of Mexico; Mercedes Monzón Deputy in the Congress of the Republic of Guatemala; Judith Nunta a Shipibo-Konibo indigenous leader in charge of the Indigenous Women Program of ORAU Brazil’s Ambassador in Chile; and Anita Montoute Permanent Secretary of the Department of Sustainable Development of Saint Lucia The speakers stressed the importance of this global commemoration – which is celebrated on April 22 of each year – and agreed that this date represents a call to action to shift to a more sustainable economy that would not only sustain people but also the planet and future generations Full implementation of the Escazú Agreement can contribute to protecting Mother Earth especially if the voice of all those interested in environmental matters is taken into account to guide public policies and actions related to administering natural resources The COP 3 of the Escazú Agreement will continue on Tuesday April 23 with the presentation of reports by the Presiding Officers the Secretariat and representatives of the public as well as the national implementation plans of Ecuador the Action Plan on Human Rights Defenders in Environmental Matters will be unveiled and a special session on access to environmental information will take place special sessions will be held on access to justice in environmental matters and on public participation in environmental impact assessment; reports by the Committee to Support Implementation and Compliance of the Escazú Agreement will be presented; and the decisions approved at the COP 3 will be discussed The full programme of the COP 3 of the Escazú Agreement is available on the event’s special website: https://acuerdodeescazu.cepal.org/cop3/en The meeting is being transmitted online in full via https://live.cepal.org/escazu The main panels of the COP 3 of the first environmental treaty of Latin America and the Caribbean will be broadcast live on April 22-24 The invitation on social media is to participate in the… The swearing-in ceremony and first meeting of the Committee elected during the first regional environmental treaty’s COP 2 took place at ECLAC’s headquarters in Santiago The seven elected members of the Committee to Support Implementation and Compliance of the Escazú Agreement formally assumed their functions today at a swearing-in ceremony held at the headquarters of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) in Santiago specialized and independent advice that contributes to the Agreement’s full and effective implementation the countries that are parties to the treaty elected seven top-notch people – four women and three men – from five States Parties and two non-Parties representing the three subregions of Latin America and the Caribbean (Mexico and Central America They are Guillermo Eduardo Acuña (from Chile); Mariana Blengio Valdés (Uruguay); Rita Leonette Joseph-Olivetti (Grenada); Patricia Madrigal Cordero (Costa Rica); Andrés María Napoli (Argentina); Carole Denise Angela Stephens (Jamaica); and Félix Wing Solís (Panama) The Committee’s swearing-in ceremony and first meeting was inaugurated by José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs the United Nations regional organization that serves as the treaty’s Secretariat; Marcelo Cousillas Director of the Legal Advisory Department of the Environment Ministry of Uruguay in its capacity as Chair of the Presiding Officers of the Escazú Agreement; María Cecilia Nicolini Sustainable Development and Innovation at the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development of Argentina which served as Chair of the Escazú Agreement’s COP 2; and Irene Murillo the Agreement’s elected representative of the public ECLAC’s Executive Secretary indicated that the region arrived here today after traveling a long road involving collaborative regional construction “We have equipped ourselves with a regional treaty and our commitment to its implementation is reflected in the fact that we are instating its subsidiary body established in Article 18 of the Agreement We should congratulate ourselves and thank and recognize all those who have participated and contributed to this achievement over all these years,” he stated He added that the Committee sworn in today plainly faces the challenging task of laying the foundation for its functioning to the benefit of the Parties and the region’s public and of striving to bring to life the tenets of the Escazú Agreement – an agreement that is so necessary for our region which has extraordinary natural wealth but is under serious stress the temperature increase caused by climate change could force 3.2 million more people into situations of poverty there was an intensification of illegal activities that harm the environment “The natural foundation of our socioeconomic system is being harmed and the most vulnerable people suffer the most That’s why we must work together to transform our development model so it can enable us to improve the quality of life of all Latin American and Caribbean people protecting our natural wealth,” José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs emphasized Marcelo Cousillas declared that today is an important day a day on which environmental democracy takes another step forward to put Latin America and the Caribbean’s first environmental agreement into operation “Last April (at the COP 2 of the Escazú Agreement) we reached an agreement and elected seven people from our region who are going to make up this Committee of experts,” he said Cecilia Nicolini indicated that the region is once again facing major challenges that threaten its stability and its democracy it is a bridge that beckons us to unite and work together to defend our territories,” Argentina’s Secretary of Climate Change underlined stated that the establishment of the Committee to Support Implementation and Compliance in parallel to the plans initiated by the States Parties puts us on the path to implementing the Escazú Agreement This is an innovative instrument tailored to the needs of Latin America and the Caribbean,” she said the Committee to Support Implementation and Compliance of the agreement elected a Chair Chilean Environment Minister Maisa Rojas spoke emphasizing that it is necessary to improve the making of decisions and their implementation because we are in a critical situation and need transformative changes “The last report of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) indicates that we still have a window of opportunity to ensure an inhabitable and sustainable future but that window is closing fast,” she warned “Chile is committed to the Escazú Agreement We are working to strengthen our environmental democracy with the conviction that a safe and peaceful environment is essential for building more prosperous inclusive and resilient societies,” Minister Rojas added through Minister Maisa Rojas and Undersecretary Maximilano Proaño and ECLAC – represented by its Executive Secretary José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs – signed a cooperation agreement to contribute to the Escazú Agreement’s voluntary contributions fund the Escazú Agreement has been signed by 24 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean and features 15 States Parties: Antigua and Barbuda The 24 countries that have signed it can proceed to deposit their instruments of ratification at any time at the United Nations central headquarters in New York The countries that did not sign it within the first stipulated time frame (between September 27 2020) can become Parties through accession (a one-step procedure that necessitates no signature) The instruments of accession have the same legal requirements and effects as ratification Receive a Daily or Weekly summary of the most important articles direct to your inbox, just enter your email below. By entering your email address you agree for your data to be handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy Latin American and Caribbean countries approved a new action plan to protect environmental defenders this week This occurred at the third Conference of the Parties (COP3) to the Escazú Agreement The Escazú Agreement is a legally binding regional treaty that aims to protect environmental defenders and promote public participation and access to information on environmental matters The conference brought together more than 700 people from state parties and civil-society organisations to youth activists and Indigenous environmental defenders Latin America and the Caribbean is considered by campaign groups to be the “most dangerous place in the world for activists” The regional action plan sets out priority areas and strategic measures for countries to enact article 9 of the Escazú Agreement which urges states to recognise and protect the rights of environmental defenders and prevent and punish attacks against them Graciela Martínez, regional campaigner for the Americas at Amnesty International tells Carbon Brief that the action plan is an “important step towards implementing the Escazú Agreement” Between 2012 and 2022, Latin America and the Caribbean saw 1,910 killings of environmental and land defenders, according to a 2023 report from campaign group Global Witness This accounted for 88% of such killings around the world during that decade The Escazú Agreement came out of the 2012 UN Conference on Sustainable Development and seeks to guarantee the right to a healthy environment and sustainable development for current and future generations by recognising the important role that environmental and human-rights defenders play in this regard The action plan agreed upon at COP3 will be implemented from 2024 to 2030 and comprises four priority areas each accompanied by strategic measures to comply with objectives:  Knowledge creation refers to understanding the situation of defenders and identifying mechanisms to prevent and punish violations of defenders’ rights Recognition measures require publicly acknowledging the work of defenders.   the action plan mandates parties to create and strengthen institutions to provide free legal assistance to environmental defenders and training for judges and prosecutors Jesús Maya a Mexican human-rights defender and youth representative at COP3 “This is more than necessary for us to be able to talk about environmental justice and justice for people.” Maya adds that the consultancy he manages, Eheco is working to ensure that the Escazú processes “takes into account alternative justice” such as “collective justice” – as violence can also be directed at entire groups not just individuals – and policies to preserve the “collective memory” of killed defenders which were created to uncover the truth about human rights violations committed by military dictatorships authoritarian regimes or internal armed conflicts Teresita Antazú López an Indigenous environmental defender of the Yanesha people of the central Peruvian rainforest tells Carbon Brief that Indigenous peoples had a number of demands at this COP According to López, who attended the COP3 as a member of the Interethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Jungle the highest priority was to ensure their effective participation in the negotiations going forward This includes having an Indigenous caucus to represent them and an Indigenous peoples rapporteur to report on violations in their territories “It is up to the younger generations to push [the Escazú Agreement] forward to achieve this vision of a Latin America with a strong environmental democracy.”  Piva also criticises accessibility of the COP for Brazilian organisations noting that negotiations are often held in Spanish and English and less frequently in Portuguese.  COP3 also addressed transparency and access to environmental information guardian of the cenotes – or deep natural wells – of Homún in the south-eastern Mexican state of Yucatán managed to shut down a 49,000-pig mega-farm on its territory after investigating the farm’s permits and receiving support from lawyers the places to touch and how to do it.” Article 6 of the Escazú Agreement states that “each party shall ensure the right of public access to environmental information in its possession in accordance with the principle of maximum disclosure” speakers said the Latin America and the Caribbean region still has shortcomings when it comes to disclosure Peru lacks training for officials and the budget for disclosures.  Speaking at the side event, Lourdes Medina a lawyer specialising in environmental and Indigenous rights said that if the right to access environmental information is not protected and guaranteed “Citizens’ participation in resistance cannot be guaranteed There is no adequate mechanism for access to justice and this produces different forms of violence against defenders.” During COP3, seven countries presented their national plans – either approved or in progress – to implement the Escazú Agreement. According to the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) Uruguay and Chile all presented their plans at the summit The COP also welcomed Dominica as the 16th party to the agreement Maya tells Carbon Brief that Mexico’s plan for implementing the Escazú Agreement is on hold due to the country’s upcoming national elections.  Piva says she is working with civil society organisations to get Brazil to ratify the agreement. She said that given Brazil’s size and its leadership in economic issues and regional networks such as Mercosur “If Brazil does not ratify or takes too long to ratify the agreement will lose strength because it needs the country as a strong negotiator.” According to the Coordinator of Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon River Basin (COICA), this COP succeeded regarding the inclusion of public participation Defenders and civil society organisations consulted by Carbon Brief highlight the need for the COPs on Escazú to be annual rather than biannual since protecting defenders is an urgent matter “I don’t think it’s fair that defenders already threatened or at risk [wait] more than two years to have [a tool] to demand that their countries protect them.” Australia election 2025: Where parties stand on climate change, energy and nature Analysis: Conservative election win could add 800m tonnes to Canada’s emissions by 2035 Experts: What do Trump’s tariffs mean for global climate action? 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Find out more about our newsletters here Published under a CC license You are welcome to reproduce unadapted material in full for non-commercial use credited ‘Carbon Brief’ with a link to the article The decision was adopted on the second day of the Third meeting of the Conference of the Parties in the first environmental treaty in Latin America and the Caribbean An Action Plan on human rights defenders in Latin America and the Caribbean was approved on the second day of the Third meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Escazú Agreement held on 22 to 24 April at the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) headquarters in Santiago The objective of the action plan is to highlight a set of priority areas and implement strategic measures to advance towards the full and effective implementation of article 9 of the Escazú Agreement on human rights defenders in environmental matters in 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 that each Party shall guarantee a safe and conducive environment for human rights defenders in environmental matters to act free of threats Parties must also take measures to acknowledge protect and promote their rights and prevent nearly 2,000 people who defend the environment were murdered globally and 3 out of 4 of these murders occurred in a country within Latin America and the Caribbean Director of Legal Affairs at Uruguay’s Environment Ministry and Chair of the Presiding Officers of the Escazú Agreement at the COP 3 inauguration on Monday The Action Plan was prepared by an open-ended Working Group with significant public participation especially by Indigenous Peoples and local communities Ecuador and Saint Kitts and Nevis and subject to consideration by the 15 States Parties of the Agreement The term for implementation is six years: from April 2024 to April 2030 The Plan is structured around four interrelated and complementary priority areas: knowledge creation; recognition; capacity-building and cooperation for national implementation of the action plan; and evaluation Each priority area includes a set of strategic measures proposed to achieve objectives international officials and representatives of the public and Indigenous Peoples agreed that in addition to complying with the Agreement’s provisions the Action Plan was of the utmost urgency and political relevance for Latin America and the Caribbean and an absolute ethical imperative given the dramatic situation experienced by human rights defenders in environmental matters in the region The meeting’s second session also included the presentation of reports by the Presiding Officers (chaired by Uruguay) the Secretariat (fulfilled by ECLAC) and elected representatives of the public A session was also held on national implementation of the Escazú Agreement in which the States Parties gave accounts of their progress in this regard and adopted a relevant decision Uruguay and Chile—shared their national plans either in construction and already approved for effective and progressive implementation of the treaty These plans included different strategies and actions aimed at widely announcing the foundation and scope of the Agreement updating and harmonising internal regulations and coordinating work by the various institutions and actors involved these countries emphasized their deep commitment to the treaty and its provisions thanked ECLAC for its technical assistance in national implementation processes highlighted the need to create internal synergy and called for the acceleration of efforts to fully comply with the Agreement a special session was held on access to environmental information focused on environmental information systems and registers of emissions and pollutant transfers with the participation of prominent experts in this area Special sessions will be carried out Wednesday 24 April on access to justice in environmental matters and public participation in environmental impact assessment as well as the presentation of reports by the Committee to Support Implementation and Compliance with the Escazú Agreement and the reading of decisions approved during COP 3 Environmental defenders from across Latin America and the Caribbean came together last week for the 2nd Forum on human rights defenders (Escazú Agreement) making evident their indispensable role in defending life on earth To make Escazú meet their needs and expectations the mechanisms to support implementation must receive adequate funds environmental defenders discussed the Plan in detail Key areas identified for strengthening the Plan were: The Plan of Action is ultimately in the hands of States It is expected to be presented at the next Conference of Parties in April 2024 for adoption ‘It will be essential that all States contribute to the voluntary funds to ensure the Escazú Committee can function effectively and confidently from the start,’ said ISHR’s Javier Urizar the Committee will also be defining its methods of work including how to receive communications safely and how to deal with the risk of reprisals against those engaging with the Committee The Forum closed after three days of discussion One major issue discussed was the need to fund environmental defenders in their work including in regard to the implementation of the Escazú Agreement ‘Why don’t States commit to directing the same amount as they spend on State initiatives to meaningfully address environmental degradation and climate change to funding independent civil society groups?’ notary and has a Bachelor in legal and social sciences he co-litigated the case that stopped the attempted coup d'Etat in the country Before ISHR he previously served as a human rights researcher (with a focus in the Inter-American System of Human Rights) an analyst for the Judicial Observatory of the Criminal Justice System and a paralegal at the International Justice Mission [email protected] Twitter @EleanorOpenshaw [email protected] Twitter @Javi_Urizar Women human rights defenders (WHRD) working on environment and climate justice from around the world gathered in Geneva to participate in the Women Human Rights Advocacy Week (WHRD-AW) between 16 and 21 September It's difficult to encapsulate such a complex year in a word but "interconnected" is one that comes to mind when reflecting on 2020 We are proud to have remained deeply interconnected with defenders and to have supported protected and amplified their work at the national Colombia – Sikuani Indigenous leader Benilde Carreno likens the destruction of her community’s native plants to “losing an arm or a leg” Her people, located in the Colombian Orinoquia, an eastern region on the border with Venezuela, have suffered not only from the rigours of 50 years of civil war and its aftermath, but also environmental damage from poorly planned reforestation projects and the opening of drug trafficking routes by illegal armed groups Carreno is now displaced from her reservation, living in exile in the capital due to threats against her life resulting from her activism But she hopes Colombia’s ratification of the Escazu Agreement on the environment will usher in a new chapter can be “a fundamental tool that will protect the leaders and caretakers of Mother Earth It will also allow her to qualify for state protection so that she can return to her community “The protections set out in the Escazu Agreement are fundamental for us,” she says. “We fought for this agreement and we are going to push it forward because I believe that if it is not enforced, ongoing killings of the defenders of Mother Earth will continue.” The Escazu Agreement is a legally binding international treaty that aims to promote transparency in environmental decision-making The first of its kind in Latin America and the Caribbean it also includes protections for environmentalists like Carreno — a welcome development in one of the most dangerous countries in the world for land defenders The agreement enshrined the rights of citizens to get information on industrial projects; ordered the creation of mechanisms for environmental justice and law enforcement and required signatories to monitor socio-environmental conflicts and provide mitigation and resolution strategies for them “This law gives power to the citizens, in the function of the defence of nature, the defence of the planet, the defence of life,” Colombian President Gustavo Petro said during a signing ceremony on November 5 Colombia’s Congress ratified the Escazu Agreement on October 11 – making it the 14th country in the region to do so – and Petro’s signature, pending a review by the Supreme Court, enshrines the treaty into Colombian law. His predecessor Ivan Duque signed the accord in 2019 but Duque’s administration never sought Congressional approval for formal ratification an NGO that advocates for the protection of biodiversity in Latin America said the accord will be key to environmental protections in the country “The participation of our Indigenous peoples and local communities and the guarantee of their territorial rights must be an indispensable pillar of conservation efforts,” she told Al Jazeera “The Escazu Agreement strengthens guarantees of the rights of these communities so that both participation and land rights are more effectively recognised.” Aida Quilcue, a senator with the left-wing MAIS party, which is part of Petro’s “Historic Pact” coalition, and a Nasa Indigenous leader from the region of Cauca, hailed the agreement’s ratification. She said it is a crucial step towards protecting activists, as well as advancing real peacebuilding in regions long-neglected by the federal government For years, Colombia was ranked as the most dangerous country in the world for environmental activists said in a September report that 322 environmental activists were murdered in Colombia between 2011 and 2021 And Cauca, where Quilcue is from, has emerged as one of the epicentres of such attacks, recording one of the highest rates of violence since a 2016 peace deal was signed by Bogota and Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebels Quilcue was the victim of an attack herself when unidentified gunmen fired on the government car she was travelling in “I strongly welcome the ratification,” she told Al Jazeera We Indigenous people have been on the front lines of this struggle we will not be able to achieve lasting solutions for saving the environment.” Petro has promised to reign in surging violence in the country through dialogue with armed groups, provide protection for social leaders, and make long-promised investments in areas racked by conflict as part of what he dubbed a plan for “total peace” He also has promised to target deforestation, which rose considerably under the previous administration, and to find economic alternatives to oil and mineral extraction — both industries that will be subject to more oversight under Escazu an environmental leader and defender of the Santurban Paramo described the new accord as a sharp departure from past policy the approval process [for extractive projects] was opaque and dominated by powerful industrial interests and occurred with little public oversight,” she said “The process for creating environmental protections has been top-down and haphazard Both Lopez and Carreno believe the Escazu Agreement presents an opportunity for developmental projects to be carried out hand-in-hand with residents, rather than imposed upon communities, a dynamic that in the past has led to violent land conflicts as well as the displacement of local residents and killings of activists Although hailed as a symbolic victory for Petro’s administration, implementation and enforcement of the new law may present significant challenges — especially in regions like Cauca and Choco where there is little state presence, illegal armed groups are fighting for territorial control It also is not yet clear how Colombia intends to enforce the agreement including which state agencies will lead investigations or bring charges in the case of potential violations While the process will be led by the Ministry of Environment enforcement also seems to fall under the jurisdiction of other governmental departments some business leaders and politicians have strongly criticised the accord the right-wing party of former President Duque claiming that the Escazu Agreement puts the country’s “national sovereignty as well as the business sector at risk” But for Lopez, the accord provides a sense of hope that she and other activists will face less persecution and violence “I have received death threats via social media as well as physical pamphlets,” she said the state creates mechanisms to provide protection for land defenders and to investigate these threats which currently happen in an environment of total impunity.” © Min Jeong Lee (Eomju) for ArtistsForClimate.org The Inter-American Court of Human Rights examines the Escazú Agreement's role in safeguarding environmental defenders a landmark move for climate justice and human rights The Escazú Agreement is the first regional environmental treaty in Latin America and the Caribbean. There are currently 15 State parties to the treaty It is also the first and only treaty in the world to explicitly mention human rights defenders establishing obligations towards environmental human rights defenders Latin America is simultaneously one of the areas that are most vulnerable to climate change and the most dangerous region in the world to be an environmental defender making this a timely treaty in order to support both climate action and offer activists better protections In order to support the protection of environmental defenders, ISHR filed an intervention on environmental defenders, in collaboration with CIEL, FARN regional and national organisations and human rights experts The obligation to effectively protect environmental human rights defenders The Inter-American Court of Human Rights has already recognised that States are obliged to protect human rights defenders arising from the general obligations to protect the rights to life and integrity of the person the Court has yet to expressly establish whether protecting environmental defenders is an obligation that also derives from environmental commitments made by States as these stakeholders are an indispensable partner in the fight against climate change This is an opportunity for the Court to recognise that in order to guarantee the right to a clean States must protect environmental defenders as violating their rights also violates the rights they are defending The Court is also called to elaborate upon the specific protection needs of Indigenous These groups face particular forms of attacks which must be addressed with cultural and gender perspectives taking into account not only the particularities of the attacks they suffer the existing jurisprudence of the Court on recognising collective rights along with the language used in article 9 of the Escazú Agreement – which establishes that ‘persons groups and organisations’ can defend human rights – provides an opportunity to firmly establish the existence of a collective right to defend human rights as well as the State’s obligation to set up and adapt their protection measures and mechanisms to ensure that collective protection is available when needed Environmental defenders and ‘access rights’ While the express mention of environmental defenders in the Escazú Agreement is extremely important The treaty contains several obligations for States to guarantee access to information to decision-making spaces and to justice in environmental matters These ‘access rights’ are applicable to all persons, but the Inter-American Court must reaffirm and elaborate upon its own jurisprudence related to their applicability for environmental defenders which states that: ‘defenders cannot properly defend environmental rights if they cannot exercise their own rights of access to information guarantees of non-discrimination and participation in decision-making‘ This is also an opportunity for the Court to clearly assert that private actors are also under the obligation to respect these rights which includes conducting meaningful consultations and ensuring the free prior and informed consent of communities affected by their projects Latin America is the region with the most and the oldest laws and protection mechanisms regarding human rights defenders so it was only logical that it would be the first region to adopt the first treaty that expressly protects them The Inter-American Court has also been a pioneer in this regard. It was the first regional human rights court to deal with human rights defenders’ cases and order structural reforms to better protect them The coming years will see an increase in three areas all linked with one another: climate crisis The Court must seize this opportunity and set an example for countries in the region and beyond on how to properly defend the rights of those that defend our rights Amicus 1 IACrtHR AO on CC and EHRDs [email protected] Which language would you like to use this site in A few days prior to the start of the third meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Regional Agreement on Access to Information Public Participation and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean (COP3) to be held in Santiago de Chile from 22 to 24 April Amnesty International notes with concern the worrying lack of protection that environmental human rights groups organizations and defenders continue to face in the region calls on all Latin American and Caribbean states that have not yet acceded to the treaty to do so as soon as possible It also calls on states that are party to the treaty to use this upcoming meeting to reaffirm their commitment to address the grave situation faced by these persons “Attacks against environmental human rights defenders in the Americas are constant and often deadly The fact that some of the most dangerous countries for environmental defenders are not yet party to the Escazú Agreement is evidence of their government’s unwillingness to address these threats States in Latin America and the Caribbean must urgently commit to upholding this regional treaty,” urged Ana Piquer Americas director at Amnesty International Attacks against environmental human rights defenders in the Americas are constant and often deadly States in Latin America and the Caribbean must urgently commit to upholding this regional treaty the government of Gabriel Boric took office with a marked human rights agenda including protection of the environment and environmental defenders While it would have been desirable for the government to establish a legal framework the recent announcement of a protocol for the protection of human rights defenders is welcome It is hoped that this instrument will be effective and aligned with the principles and standards contained in the Escazú Agreement states parties to the Escazú Agreement hope to approve a Action Plan on human rights defenders in environmental matters in Latin America and the Caribbean “The action plan could be an important step in addressing the risks faced by environmental groups It is imperative that states parties and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean take all necessary steps to reduce the serious risks they face This includes placing particular emphasis on the collective nature of their work and recognizing that protection needs to address both the collective and the individual dimension as well as the underlying causes of the violence they face it is essential to take steps to eliminate the rampant impunity that is unfortunately a consistent feature when it comes to attacks against human rights defenders,” said Ana Piquer The action plan could be an important step in addressing the risks faced by environmental groups For further information or to request an interview, please contact Carlos Mendoza: [email protected] +52 55 4145 7003 Together we can fight for human rights everywhere Your donation can transform the lives of millions If you are talented and passionate about human rights then Amnesty International wants to hear from you “Peru is a beggar sitting on a gold bench,” it is sometimes said The country possesses a wide variety of natural resources could help the country escape poverty and preserve the environment lack of transparency and a breakdown in dialogue often lead to negative environmental outcomes including clashes between communities and extractive companies In Peru, it is common for the extraction of natural resources to generate socio-environmental conflicts. According to a report by the Ombudsman’s Office, there are 194 conflicts in the country most of them centered in the mining sector These clashes result in the suspension of projects or their execution by force deaths occur due to confrontation between mining companies and community members The repression of local environmental movements also generates victims In response to the socio-environmental problems that have arisen, a series of laws were enacted, including Law N°28611, Law N°29263, and Law N°29785 The first law establishes a general framework for environmental regulation within Peru The second focuses on the modification of the Peruvian Penal Code with harsher penalties for those who break environmental laws The third law seeks to promote the inclusive participation of communities in extractive projects they have not proven to be sufficiently successful to date the need to seek more effective measures to resolve socio-environmental conflicts “reduce levels of corruption…[and] increase transparency surrounding investments.” This agreement is not only supported by many Latin American countries but also by the European Union and the OECD this agreement would help to promote sustainable investments With Maúrtua’s return to the ministry Ratifying Escazú would be a key step for Peru in resolving socio-environmental conflicts and promoting government transparency as officials would be aware that environmental information would be analyzed by interested citizens with no resolution to the numerous socio-environmental conflicts that arise throughout its territory Peru’s natural resources are an important asset and greater transparency can help to ensure that their use is responsible and sustainable Rodrigo Taipe was a summer 2021 intern at GFI and is a graduate of the University of Lima With a commitment to leading the way in efforts to curtail illicit financial flows and enhance global development and security Except where otherwise stated, content on this site is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative License © 2006-2025 Global Financial Integrity. Some rights reserved Global Financial Integrity® and the Global Financial Integrity Logo are registered in the U.S Global Financial Integrity is a 501(c)3 organizationOur Federal Employer Identification number is 45-3359420Our Legal Entity Identifier Number is 549300MPDLK0B4X28896 But the folks in the western San José suburb of Escazú always have witches to worry about crooked-nosed silhouette speeding off on a broom Escazú was “discovered” in 1561 by Juan de Cavallón though needless to say it had been there long before de Cavallón came along The name Escazú comes from the word itskatzu presumably an indigenous Huetar word meaning “a rock to rest on.” This was once a way station on the trail between Aserrí the area was fairly well populated with descendants of the early Spaniards Early records mention a José de Alvarado of Hacienda Santa Ana who transferred property to Petronila de Retes (a daughter or niece?) as a dowry who relied on selling “cures” to earn a living They were the nurses and midwives of this early era and they were usually knowledgeable in natural medicines using herbs even animal parts – sort of like the chicken soup and green tea of today Although curanderos existed in populated areas all over the country Escazú became especially noted for its cures and people came from far away to visit its witches Folks believed they had special powers or magic to effect cures and offer protection from hexes and the dreaded evil eye Curanderos could also restore wandering husbands make the insane sane and the cows and chickens more productive the Inquisition was burning witches at the stake and though the colonists disapproved of such extreme measures the early 1800s spawned anti-witch sentiment the medical profession became established and looked down on the competition the local government passed a law to prohibit the practice of curanderos who “defraud and cheat the public.`” However public reaction was so strong that the law was revised to say that they could practice so long as they didn’t use crosses or religious symbols Escazú placed a restraining order against Josefa B prostitution and practicing hexes and other bad beliefs.” “an old man with small eyes who sneezed all the time” was a well-known witch who was sought out for his cures He recommended powders to sprinkle in the path or slip into the coffee of someone you want to change was an expert on both the removal and the implementation of the evil eye Her potions included crushed cockroaches and scorpions and she was known for curing “female trouble.” Right on Avenida Central in San José you can visit the Church of Strong Prayer to the Holy Spirit (Iglesia de la Oración Fuerte al Espíritu Santo) Its literature promises that a “sacred rose” placed in the house for seven consecutive days will absorb all the badness within the home and family and that a dab of holy oil will get rid of your demons This is just one of many practitioners that promise cures The body of Otoniel Orozco, murdered in a neighborhood dispute in Escazú Nicaraguan authorities stated that this was a “hate crime” and called for a fair trial our Foreign Ministry has communicated with the Costa Rican Foreign Ministry the willingness of the Costa Rican authorities to prosecute and punish this horrendous crime,” said Nicaraguan government spokeswoman Rosario Murillo in a statement issued Wednesday Murillo also said she was “deeply shocked and outraged” by the incident The suspect had allegedly already insulted Orozco because of his origins as the victim was born in Nicaragua and became a Costa Rican citizen “He was killed out of hatred; because he was a Nicaraguan living in the condominium and I feel very proud of that,” said one of Orozco’s relatives who has been remanded in custody for three months faced several lawsuits filed against him by Orozco and his family It is presumed that part of the disputes and fights between the two families were due to xenophobia “He did not deserve what that demon did to him He had a company and Costa Ricans worked there He always lent a hand to the needy and always had God in his heart,” added the family member supported the thesis that the crime was motivated by xenophobia and “We are taking all the necessary steps to ensure that justice is done promptly and in full compliance with the situation We could not qualify it in any other way than xenophobia Ayala insisted that they believe there are other people who could have been involved and that they will ask for an investigation to include them in the process We encourage you to republish Dialogue Earth articles, online or in print, under the Creative Commons license. Please read our republishing guidelines to get started “The youth demand the ratification of Escazú,” reads a banner held by an activist in front of Peru’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in August 2022 Despite Peru signing the Escazú Agreement in 2018 its ratification has not been discussed in the national congress (Image: Alamy) As the first regional agreement dedicated to the protection of people who defend the environment and human rights, the Escazú Agreement was a milestone in Latin America and the Caribbean when it arrived in 2018 Approved that year by the UN’s Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the agreement officially entered into force two years ago as well as the active participation of countries and citizens in its processes The Escazú Agreement is open to all 33 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean Even after ratification, nothing yet ensures compliance. For example, a recently granted mining concession in Panama, one of the agreement’s earliest signatories and which ratified in March 2020, was reported to have ignored the public consultation guidelines established under its terms with citizens not informed prior to the project’s approval Against this backdrop of delays and inconsistencies which have caused uncertainty among observers and local populations the Escazú Agreement’s second Conference of the Parties (COP) is set to take place in Buenos Aires Some remain hopeful of progress at the meeting but what challenges does the agreement face and what will need to happen for it to become truly effective Since entering into force in April 2021 after reaching 12 ratifications, the Escazú Agreement has aimed to guarantee access to information, public participation and justice in environmental matters. However, since then, only three additional countries have ratified the pact: Chile, Belize and Grenada Progress is being made in some of the 15 countries to have ratified including the development of roadmaps for the agreement’s implementation in Chile Escazú is the only international environmental agreement with direct participation from elected representatives of the public elected via an open online vote organised by ECLAC is key in having a direct relationship with the agreement’s board and secretariat and in facilitating public engagement with it “The objective is to see how to ensure public participation and that it is regionally and geographically diverse, but clarity is still needed on how to do that,” said Mijael Kaufman Falchuk and one of the recently elected public representatives The implementation and compliance committee brings together experts in the region to advise the COP and work with states on carrying out of the agreement A roster of 10 candidates has been selected comprised of five men and five women of 10 nationalities – three from Central America and Mexico three from the Caribbean and four from South America The final election of the seven members will take place at the upcoming Buenos Aires meeting a human rights campaigner for the Americas at Amnesty International said there is an urgent need for greater political will on the part of some countries in the region to prioritise the protection of defenders “Human rights defenders play a fundamental role in the protection of our biodiversity and a key role in holding states accountable so it is important to recognise them and give them space to share their concerns,” Martinez said an Indigenous leader of the Huitoto people of the Colombian Amazon and member of the Coordinating Body of Indigenous Organisations of the Amazon Basin (COICA) said that there is an awareness of the severity of the problem in each country and therefore organisations located in at-risk areas and mechanisms to protect defenders must be strengthened as well as promoting the participation of women “Threats to those who defend territory continue and we only regret it when they are murdered,” Kuiru told Diálogo Chino it would be “hasty” to judge the impacts of the Escazú Agreement on the protection of environmental defenders “because not all countries have adopted it and those that have adopted it are in the process of discussing the measures to be applied.” Kuiru did, however, point to the First Annual Forum on Human Rights Defenders in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean the development of a regional action plan was proposed a project which is now underway and aims to facilitate implementation at national level Experts consulted by Diálogo Chino suggested that the rejection of the Escazú Agreement and the concerns around it in some nations are mainly linked to misinformation relating to its potential impact on commercial interests and the supposed loss of state sovereignty under such an international treaty Threats to those who defend territory continue and we only regret it when they are murdered The Escazú secretariat’s Carlos de Miguel insisted that such issues “have nothing to do” with the agreement He added that its detractors “should be informed about the content of the agreement and see its scope The subject with obligations [under the agreement] is the state: other actors such as citizens trade unions and academia are beneficiaries.” De Miguel pointed to experiences in Europe under the Aarhus Convention for comparison the convention addresses access to information public participation in decision-making and access to justice on environmental issues in European countries He highlighted that over more than 20 years in force “there has never been any similar discussion” over a loss of sovereignty sets a benchmark for what could be achieved in Latin America and the Caribbean under Escazú In Colombia – the country with the grim distinction of leading the global rankings of murders of environmental defenders – the situation took a turn when the current government of Gustavo Petro ratified the Escazú Agreement in October 2022 The treaty is now awaiting final confirmation from the country’s Constitutional Court environmental justice coordinator at the NGO Dejusticia the agreement’s arrival presents opportunities “Escazú comes at a time of high conflict in Colombia and helps because it makes the problem visible,” she said “It is an opportunity to strengthen what exists but without a consolidated peace policy [for the country’s long-running armed conflict] it can be difficult.” Santacoloma also highlighted the importance of Escazú’s promotion of access to information: “We are at a moment in which an improvement in access to environmental information is beginning to take shape Clear and timely information is needed to promote people’s participation.” As experts consulted by Diálogo Chino repeatedly commented the Escazú Agreement has marked a significant step forward in terms of regional coordination will depend on increased ratification and states’ willingness and ability to improve and implement environmental policies in their own territories Leslie Moreno Custodio is a Peruvian environmental journalist Select from our bespoke newsletters for news best suited to you We’ve sent you an email with a confirmation link 我们向您的邮箱发送了一封确认邮件，请点击邮件中的确认链接。如果您未收到该邮件，请查看垃圾邮件。 If you would like more information about the terms of our republication policy or permission to use content, please write to us: [email protected] We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. By continuing to use our site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Read our privacy and cookies policy for further information Dialogue Earth uses cookies to provide you with the best user experience possible Cookie information is stored in your browser It allows us to recognise you when you return to Dialogue Earth and helps us to understand which sections of the website you find useful Required Cookies should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings Dialogue Earth - Dialogue Earth is an independent organisation dedicated to promoting a common understanding of the world's urgent environmental challenges. Read our privacy policy Cloudflare - Cloudflare is a service used for the purposes of increasing the security and performance of web sites and services. Read Cloudflare's privacy policy and terms of service Dialogue Earth uses several functional cookies to collect anonymous information such as the number of site visitors and the most popular pages Keeping these cookies enabled helps us to improve our website Google Analytics - The Google Analytics cookies are used to gather anonymous information about how you use our websites. We use this information to improve our sites and report on the reach of our content. Read Google's privacy policy and terms of service This website uses the following additional cookies: execute and analyze marketing programs with greater ease and efficiency while enabling publishers to maximize their returns from online advertising Note that you may see cookies placed by Google for advertising under the Google.com or DoubleClick.net domains Twitter - Twitter is a real-time information network that connects you to the latest stories opinions and news about what you find interesting Simply find the accounts you find compelling and follow the conversations Linkedin - LinkedIn is a business- and employment-oriented social networking service that operates via websites and mobile apps A man at an Indigenous rights protest in Brasília in April 2019 Brazil is one of the deadliest countries in Latin America for environmental defenders but has yet to ratify the Escazú Agreement during which nearly 1,200 killings were recorded The goal of stopping this violence is at the core of the Escazú Agreement, the region’s first environmental treaty, which has so far been ratified by 15 countries and this year commemorates its third anniversary since entering into force Escazú seeks to guarantee the “full and effective” implementation of the rights to access information public participation and justice in environmental matters and to protect citizens’ right to live in a healthy environment as well as the active participation of states and citizens in its processes Colombia and Peru are among the region’s deadliest countries for environmental defenders countries that are already parties to the agreement are still working on setting up their plans for its implementation The latest nations to have ratified were Belize and Grenada in mid-2023 As the Escazú Agreement’s third Conference of the Parties (COP3) kicks off in Santiago, Chile, running until 24 April, Dialogue Earth speaks with four experts from different countries in the region for their take on the state of the treaty and the prospects for the meeting, during which a regional action plan to protect environmental defenders is likely to be approved Executive director of the Environment and Natural Resources Foundation (FARN) and Argentina’s representative on the Escazú Committee to Support Implementation and Compliance After the Escazú Agreement was ratified by 11 countries in 2021 and the steps that were foreseeable then are now being taken This includes the creation of the Committee to Support Implementation and Compliance – of which I am a member along with other representatives from the region – and the approval of an action plan for environmental defenders which is expected to be achieved at the Escazú COP in Santiago The big challenge now is to get more countries to endorse the agreement Much of the persecution of environmental defenders in Latin America and the Caribbean takes place in countries that have yet to approve it Escazú has to be a beacon leading the way for better access to environmental information on investments in the region There has to be a response from the countries that promote the agreement and show commitment to its implementation and has already announced an implementation plan which the government must now develop and implement Escazú public representative from El Salvador and Latin American representative for the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) Escazú was not brought about to create or bring in new rights it seeks compliance with those rights that have already been agreed upon It seeks to fill all the procedural gaps that exist in the environmental laws and regulations of our countries so that and the patterns of impunity that have historically been the norm in Latin America and the Caribbean can somehow be broken I believe we have a very great opportunity to promote legal empowerment and community advocacy I mean we have to break away from the idea that all human rights instruments are a matter for lawyers or NGOs It is essential that people take ownership of this instrument; that they exercise their citizenship and advocate for the rights of their community under what is already established within national and international standards I believe we must also be skilful in maintaining our pressure to make it clear that what is within the Escazú Agreement is also regulated in other existing instruments and project coordinator for the democracy and human rights NGO Nupef Institute The Committee to Support Implementation and Compliance of the Escazú Agreement is moving fast It will receive future complaints of non-compliance with the agreement and queries around its interpretation But it is not a punitive entity; if this committee doesn’t work well then we won’t have a truly regional agreement Some court sentences have already quoted Escazú particularly in the Inter-American Court of Human Rights This is important because it sets a precedent in terms of access to justice Sometimes we expect too much from the executive branch of governments; progress can be made in other areas we still have some points that need to be improved: many communities are still unable to actively participate in the implementation of the agreement We also need an action plan for environmental defenders that gives countries specific responsibilities [The action plan is currently being drafted and will likely be approved at COP this week.] We also need to discuss the possibility of having a gender plan since this has been worked on strongly with UN Women and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean – but this will probably be left for a future meeting Lecturer and researcher in international law and human rights at the Externado University of Colombia coinciding with the closing of the COP in Chile to clarify issues on the relationship between the Escazú Agreement and the principles of legal security and national sovereignty this is the main source of controversy among those [NGOs and politicians among others] who have expressed their opinion during Colombia’s process of ratifying the agreement [President Gustavo Petro approved a law to ratify it in 2022 but legal delays are holding up its final confirmation.] The hearing thus constitutes a historic scenario in which doubts and fears about the potential effects of the agreement’s ratification can be cleared up A proper understanding of the agreement’s scope depends on this and it is a crucial opportunity to clarify the rights of citizens protect the environment and fight one of the most serious scourges affecting the country: threats and aggressions against environmental defenders The ratification and subsequent implementation of the regional framework presented as part of the agreement will allow Colombia and all the region’s countries to ensure a stable and secure basis in which their inhabitants can be aware and act appropriately given the risks they face amid our planet’s environmental crisis Dialogue Earth is an independent non-profit dedicated to producing exceptional environmental journalism and informed conversations on urgent climate and environmental topics We have a network of specialist country editors located across South and Southeast Asia administrative and editorial hub in the UK If you would like more information about the terms of our republication policy or permission to use content, please write to us: [email protected] Lula Administration and Congress Should Work Together Toward Approval (São Paulo) – The administration of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva should rally legislators to approve the Escazú Agreement, more than 150 Brazilian and international organizations said today in a letter to Institutional Relations Minister Alexandre Padilha The regional agreement protects the rights of access to information and to justice as well as public participation in decision-making processes on environmental matters and contains specific provisions for protecting environmental human rights defenders The letter's signatories include organizations working with communities affected by environmental destruction and associated violence; groups working on environment and human rights; and academic institutions “The Lula administration took a very important step by sending the Escazú Agreement to Congress for approval last year,” said Andrea Carvalho “It now needs to engage lawmakers to ensure approval of a treaty that would further the government’s stated goal of protecting Brazil’s forests and taking a leading international role in fighting climate change.” In March 2018, 24 Latin American and Caribbean states adopted the Regional Agreement on Access to Information Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin American and the Caribbean Brazil signed the treaty that year but took no further action on it until May 2023 when President Lula finally sent it to legislators for ratification The agreement is currently under consideration by the foreign affairs committee in the Chamber of Deputies The agreement guarantees everyone’s right to access environmental information such as on environmental risks and environmental protection as well as to meaningfully participate in decision-making processes that affect their lives and the environment It also requires countries to ensure adequate access to justice when those rights are violated adopt measures to provide environmental defenders with a safe and enabling environment “so that they are able to act free from threat restriction and insecurity,” and hold accountable anyone who threatens or commits acts of violence and intimidation against them The perpetrators of these acts of violence are rarely brought to justice the 15 countries that have ratified the Escazú Agreement will gather in Santiago for the third Conference of the Parties (COP3) The Lula administration should send high-level officials as observers to show that Brazil is eager to join their efforts to protect the environment and those standing up to defend it across the region “Approving the Escazú Agreement should not be a partisan issue,” said Joara Marchezini project coordinator at Nupef Institute and member of the Escazú Brazil Movement “The agreement would benefit everyone by fostering government transparency and stronger protection for Brazil’s natural heritage and its defenders All parties in Congress should support it.” Iban Indigenous Resistance to the Timber Industry in Sarawak But the agreement has not lived up to its promises Although it was initially signed by 25 nations it was only ratified by 16 and among those who have still not ratified it are some of the most dangerous for environmental defenders Even supportive nations are failing to deliver Ecuador restructured its Ministry of Environment Water and Ecological Transition to include units dedicated to public participation and the protection of environmental defenders for the authorities to protect the rivers from mercury – a poisonous heavy metal miners use to extract gold – are falling on deaf ears “We are fighting mega-corporations who function on a transnational level so why not create resistance strategies on a trans-territorial level?” Lucia Ixchiu the Indigenous coordinator of the Americas-wide Black and Indigenous Liberation Movement (BILM) asked at the network’s second annual congress held in the community of Serena in the Ecuadorian Amazon Surrounded by blue morpho butterflies dancing at the confluence of the Piatura and increasingly polluted Jatunyaku rivers and leaders of Afro-descendent and Indigenous communities from across the continent gathered for a week of discussions on how to combat one of the most prominent threats of this moment: mining said that it is empowering locals to find alternatives to working for mining companies or illegally extracting gold In a new film by Eliana Lafone and Rebecca Wilson for Latin America Bureau environmental defenders discuss their territorial work and the Americas-wide alliance for racial and climate justice: We were among 100 international guests that Yuturi Warmi set up by women from the Kichwa Indigenous people hosted in their community during the BILM Congress like drinking stimulating wayusa (Ilex guayusa) tea each morning and energizing the body with stinging nettles It was clear through their popular handicrafts signature call-and-response warrior chant (“Fuerza fuerza Guardia Guardia!”) and their growing numbers that they are succeeding in reviving pride in their ancestral customs weaving ever tighter unity within the community This puts an economic and emotional strain on locals who are not paid for this time-consuming and dangerous work Local defenders therefore put their lives at risk to protect their territories but they themselves are left unprotected by the state Highlighting their work and monitoring threats against them through multimedia content raises their international profile helping to develop solidarity and vigilance information is shared across territories and wide participation in environmental matters is encouraged BILM informs their international audience on social media about environmental racism in Haiti the numbers of environmental activists killed on the continent and key points from environmental reports like that of the Federal University of Santa Catarina warning of an impending tipping point in the Amazon by 2050 Although the Brazilian government has created a campaign against fake news (Brasil Contra Fake) it is reliant on outlets like Mídia Ninja – which has 4.5 million followers on Instagram alone – sharing this information via the same social media channels where fake news circulates Independent media alliances have also been integral to ensuring defenders’ own words and demands are heard, without distortion by mainstream media, states or political parties. Having narrative control and a wide following proved to be particularly effective during the recent United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues where accounts of Indigenous peoples’ collective demands could be heard live by BILM’s and allied media’s hundreds of thousands of followers on social media and the most important takeaways were shared widely following the event International visibility for these demands puts added pressure on states to listen and act community work can inspire others further afield and information sharing can be facilitated between communities the Pacific coastal community of Santa Elena is adopting a new model for strengthening culture and tourism Just as Yuturi Warmi rescues traditional weaving and pottery techniques to reinforce local unity and generate income the community of Santa Elena has launched a restoration project with the ambition of encouraging pride and protection of local traditions and attracting eco-tourism to their territory as an alternative source of income to extraction The need for these alliances and networks is more important now than ever Given Latin America boasts extraordinary ecological diversity the region is exceptionally vulnerable to climate change and environmental degradation Climate-related impacts here converge with and exacerbate existing social disparities and political instability Natural resource extraction is becoming increasingly intertwined with violent organized crime and this violence is targeting marginalized communities and perpetuating existing inequalities in the region  As BILM members state on Instagram: ‘These networks allow us to spread information share our experiences and create strategies to help us defend our collective rights It not only strengthens solidarity between communities but also helps us mobilize and construct joint responses and demands in the face of the threats and injustices we face.’ While we wait for states to act on environmental protection and to implement existing mechanisms like the Escazú Agreement and UNPFII goals regional autonomous alliances like BILM are crucial for pushing this agenda forward and ensuring that strategies come from the grassroots these actors’ lives and livelihoods are on the line Rebecca Wilson is a journalist and translator interested in culture and the environment who’s based in Colombia and whose work has been published by NACLA The Line of Best Fit and Sounds and Colours She is Managing Editor at Latin America Bureau Eliana Lafone is a documentary filmmaker and journalist based in Colombia focused on human rights and the environment who has produced features for national channels in the U.K Citizen participation: a key achievement at the first COP to the Escazú Agreement Ecuador’s first Indigenous guard led by Kichwa women: Interview with María José Andrade Cerda The “fortress conservation” model is under pressure in East Africa, as protected areas become battlegrounds over history, human rights, and global efforts to halt biodiversity loss. Mongabay’s Special Issue goes beyond the region’s world-renowned safaris to examine how rural communities and governments are reckoning with conservation’s colonial origins, and trying to forge a path forward […] paving the way to provide greater protection to environmentalists across the Andean country.The Escazu agreement includes provisions to ensure the public's right to environmental information the right to participation in environmental decision making among others."This is a triumph for the youth and we hope to honor it with an implementation plan so that we can have more decisions by citizens on the environment and defend those who defend the environment," Environment Minister Susana Muhamad said in a statement.Colombia is one of the deadliest countries in the world for environmentalists with 322 environmental defenders killed for their work between 2012 and 2021 according to advocacy group Global Witness."The Colombian Congress' decision to ratify the Escazu agreement is a vital lifeline for defenders facing countless attacks in Colombia and who are risking their lives trying to defend their land and the environment," Shruti Suresh Global Witness' campaign strategy lead said in a statement.The ratification is a triumph for the government which sought to sanction the agreement within the first 100 days of President Gustavo Petro's administration.Petro hailed the outcome in a message published on Twitter."The international agreement of Escazu has been approved into law which will look to protect the environment and environmentalists Congratulations to Congress and Colombian society," he said.Prior to Colombia's Congress approving the agreement some 13 other countries in Latin America had ratified the Escazu accord while 24 have signed up to the deal.Colombia will push five actions in the short term following the ratification including a strategy to assist environmentalists and an information system regarding socio-environmental conflict the ministry of the environment said in a statement.Reporting by Oliver Griffin; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab , opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. , opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. © 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved Please read our republishing guidelines to get started Chilean President Sebastián Piñera at the ceremony for the appointment of new ministers last year (image: Alamy) For some years now, Chile has positioned itself as a leading light in Latin America on environmental issues. Last year it held the presidency of COP25 climate negotiations it promoted the Escazú Agreement – a Latin American and Caribbean regional accord designed to improve access to information and citizen participation on environmental issues and to protect environmental defenders But the Chilean government has since decided to withold its signature from the agreement The reasons it gave – including that it would be difficult to implement – have not convinced everyone Of the 33 countries to which the agreement applies have yet to make the ratification formal at the United Nations The two-year window for signing the agreement opened on 27 September 2018 and ended two months ago. Chilean President Sebastián Piñera had repeatedly called on the other countries to say yes to the agreement until the signing officially started Piñera attributes the U-turn to a dispute with Bolivia pending at the International Court of Justice over a corridor to the coast for the landlocked nation Signing Escazú would have allowed another possible lawsuit from Bolivia various international law experts have rejected the argument professor at the University of Chile’s Law School and director of the Environmental Law Centre But the government stuck by its new decision especially given Chile’s leadership role Chile since the creation of the Agreement in 2012 at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio under Piñera’s first term (2010-2014) This impetus was in line with Chile’s internal policies Changes in local environmental laws together the expansion of renewable energy coincided with the aim of promoting the first broad agreement on environmental issues in the region The country was one of the few at the time to promote Escazú Chile led Escazú negotiations with Costa Rica In addition to being a new kind of agreement for the region Escazú is important because of the way it was negotiated there were public consultations between each of the negotiation rounds,” Duran said this type of agreement does not allow for voices of third parties and is negotiated behind closed doors by specialised teams of the countries involved So it was that the text discussed during the second government of Michelle Bachelet (2014-2018) came to be widely known Sebastián Piñera had always intended to be a leader in the region on environmental issues “But later he realised that climate change generates conflicts for some sectors and puts investment at greater risk,” she says “It is possible that there is pressure from some business sectors that still believe that protecting the environment goes against economic development.” In September this year, the Chilean Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee received details of the refusal to sign the Escazú Agreement. There, Foreign Minister Andrés Allamand stated that the government had not changed its mind but that the terms of the agreement were “inconvenient” for Chile These inconveniences include the necessity for changes to made to Chilean environmental legislation that would generate legal uncertainty; the ambiguous and difficulty in complying with nature of its obligations and commitments; and the possibility that the country would be taken to international tribunals both the foreign minister and the environment minister were summoned to the Senate Environment Committee along with some specialists in the field that included Valentina Durán Minister Schmidt gave assurances that the government fully supports each of the foundations and principles underlying the Escazú Agreement “The problem is the way it was finally drafted which introduces significant uncertainties that cannot be resolved as it does not admit of any type of qualification” The minister also said the decision not to sign the agreement is that of the government as a whole and not of any particular ministry She said progress is being considered on signing a treaty on citizen participation transparency and access to environmental justice “with a greater standard of clarity and certainty than that currently established in Escazú” The big difference would be that the new document should provide certainty and clarity to all actors “without exposing the State of Chile to international tribunals due to ambiguities of interpretation in internal conflicts” As part of the clarification process, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, together with the Ministry of the Environment, released a document explaining the decision not to sign the agreement Escazú would condition Chile’s environmental legislation and introduce ambiguous It is possible that there is pressure from some business sectors that still believe that protecting the environment goes against economic development “They warn of a series of risks that are highly questionable which are more like laboratory hypotheses,” says Valentina Durán The agreement would not replace the rules of Chilean law as set out in the document “Escazú contemplates gradual progress in the implementation of access to information and the protection of defenders which should be done within the framework of each nation’s legislation,” she says Burdiles agrees that the arguments are debatable Although she acknowledges that in the original conception of the agreement the point about environmental defenders was not made as strongly as it eventually was in her opinion the rejection sends the very serious message that they do not deserve protection The government’s decision not to sign “the most important agreement of the last 20 years is very difficult to understand” Escazú’s representative for Chile at the UN’s Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) The positive side of Chile’s refusal to sign Escazú has been the visibility that the agreement has achieved at all levels “This is an indirect boon in which many youth organisations have become involved,” she says The Escazú Ahora Chile campaign began last March and mobilised thousands of citizens on social networks to push for the government to sign says it has gained a lot of strength recently Chileans agreed in a referendum to create a brand-new constitution after many took the streets last year demanding more rights and better social protections Environmental organisations are calling for the environment to be prioritised in the new document Both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of the Environment were consulted by Diálogo Chino for this article but both declined to make statements saying they had not spoken directly to the press on the issue Lorena Guzmán is a Chilean freelance science journalist If you would like more information about the terms of our republication policy or permission to use content, please write to us: [email protected] On the day of celebrations organized by ECLAC the region’s countries reaffirmed the importance of the first regional environmental treaty and their commitment to protecting the planet and the people who defend it The States Parties 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  – celebrated the treaty’s entry into force this Thursday, April 22, on precisely the same date on which International Mother Earth Day is commemorated Having reached the required number of ratifications on January 22 in accordance with the conditions stipulated under Article 22 all of the Escazú Agreement’s provisions go into effect as of today 24 countries in the region have signed the accord and 12 have already ratified it On the virtual day of celebrations organized by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) – the United Nations regional commission in charge of the Agreement’s Secretariat – authorities from the governments that have signed and ratified this legal instrument along with representatives of international organizations reaffirmed the importance of this agreement 2018 in the Costa Rican district that bears its name after six years of work and an open transparent and inclusive negotiation process They also renewed their commitment to protecting the planet and the people who defend it The event was inaugurated by ECLAC’s Executive Secretary a High-level Dialogue took place that included the participation of António Guterres United Nations Secretary-General (via a message); Mohamed Irfaan Ali President of Guyana; and foreign ministers ministers and high-level authorities from the other States Parties: Antigua and Barbuda Also participating as special guests were Inger Andersen Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP); Olga Algayerova Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE); Michelle Bachelet United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (via a recorded message); and Andrea Sanhueza and Danielle Andrade elected representatives of the public that has participated in the process The event also featured the special participation of artist and composer Carlos Vives Alicia Bárcena emphasized that the Escazú Agreement pays homage to Mother Earth and with it the region demonstrates its commitment to protecting the planet and those who “The Escazú Agreement compels us to reflect on the close link between human rights and the construction of a more sustainable It offers us a path of dialogue for advancing on implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at this very complex time that the region it guides our responses to be able to build better,” ECLAC’s highest authority declared Bárcena indicated that in order to address the planet’s current challenges and build a new future and a transformative recovery with equality and sustainability it is essential to strengthen the rule of law preventing social conflicts while our productive structure undergoes transformation “It is necessary to recover politics as an instrument of change to generate public goods and lasting compacts Compacts that invite the broadest and most diverse participation by social actors and that lay the foundation for building a welfare state We must tread together the path to sustainable development,” she stressed “The Escazú Agreement’s emphasis on the creation and strengthening of capacities and on cooperation contributes to tackling shared challenges and reinforces regional environmental governance is writing a new chapter in terms of strengthening environmental democracy and sustainable development,” Alicia Bárcena added Costa Rican Vice President Epsy Campbell indicated that the Agreement contains the minimum tools needed to ensure that natural resources are used properly to demand from authorities fair access to information on environmental matters that can directly affect the lives of citizens and to propose nature-based solutions to care for the health of ecosystems is a glorious date for the inhabitants of our Latin America and the Caribbean than to offer our reiterated commitment to human rights that tend to protect her honor her and respect her,” Campbell stated In a message sent to the meeting and read by Alicia Bárcena celebrated the fact that the Escazú Agreement is going into effect on International Mother Earth Day He indicated that it is a historic achievement for the region since it is not only the first environmental treaty of Latin America and the Caribbean but it is also the first to include provisions for the promotion and protection of human rights defenders in environmental matters “As we continue to tackle the shattering impacts of COVID-19 and step up efforts to curb the triple crisis of climate change biodiversity collapse and pollution of the natural environment the Escazú Agreement’s entry into force provides hope and inspiration and sets the stage for sustainable and resilient recovery,” he declared stated that both Latin America and the Caribbean should feel a sense of collective pride due to their continued environmental leadership as reflected in the adoption of this agreement “Guyana was the first country to ratify the Escazú Agreement our country endorses the right of access to environmental information it welcomes public participation in environmental decision-making processes it supports access to justice in environmental matters and it commits to working to ensure the right of every person to live in a healthy environment,” he said The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights sent a recorded message to the meeting in which she congratulated the countries that have ratified the agreement and encouraged the remaining Latin American and Caribbean nations to do so soon “In the face of environmental harm and injustice legal instruments like the Escazú Agreement are one of the most effective tools for holding States accountable and protecting the health of people and of the planet It provides a critical voice for environmental democracy and is aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’s commitment to leave no one behind I celebrate the significant public participation in the Agreement with the important support of ECLAC,” she stated composer and founder of Iniciativa Tras la Perla – presented a music video and sent a message in which he highlighted the connection between music and nature and its protection “Through music I have been able to understand something fundamental: biodiversity is the basis of culture The tradition to which my way of singing belongs has its roots in the indigenous rural man he who knew how to celebrate nature joyfully and inhabit it When we lose the diversity of life in nature we also lose the music that is based on it…I celebrate this Agreement a step forward in strengthening the instruments that we can have as a society for the task of caring for nature This Agreement is a decisive step in that direction,” he said The day of celebrations on the entry into force of the Escazú Agreement continued with three panels that addressed the history of the treaty in which participants recounted the journey involving six years of meetings and negotiations; the role of young people in the Agreement; and environmental defenders and the Escazú Agreement Having met the conditions required under article 22 the Escazú Agreement shall enter into force on 22 April 2021 coinciding with International Mother Earth Day reads a message on a wall during a protest by Indigenous communities in Quito The Escazú Agreement seeks to guarantee rights of access to information public participation and justice in environmental matters (Image: Juan Diego Montenegro / Alamy) Latin America has long been the most dangerous region for environmental defenders intimidation and assassination all-too-common threats for those who seek to protect the Earth and their territories In the face of slow progress at national levels to protect such activists, and to guarantee rights of access to environmental information, public participation and justice, the Escazú Agreement was launched in 2018. Open to all 33 Latin American and Caribbean countries, it aims to enshrine these rights at the regional level and entered into force in 2021 Ahead of an extraordinary conference of the parties (COP) to the Escazú Agreement head of the Policies for Sustainable Development Unit of the Escazú secretariat de Miguel leads research on climate change public policy and the use of economic instruments in environmental management and is part of the body that coordinates the agreement under the UN’s Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) de Miguel discussed the Escazú Agreement’s progress and opposition to it and weighed up the challenges and prospects for the treaty Carlos de Miguel: Beyond the approval of its rules of procedure [at last year’s COP meeting] a very important advance was made with the creation of an open-ended working group to further the protection of human rights defenders on environmental issues There has also been the election of six new public representatives for the agreement progress has been made with roadmaps for national implementation plans in Chile It has been an intense year of Escazú actions The agreement is a participatory and open process: anyone can participate provided that there are representatives in their region So the only restriction is physical capacity There are elected representatives who allow the concerns or recommendations of the public to be channelled the representatives are the ones who raise them [to the Escazú secretariat] In fact, the creation of the working group and defenders’ forum came from public participation and the advocacy of the elected representatives. Although at the last COP the main objective was to approve the rules of procedure progress was still made in these areas due to stakeholder participation It was organised jointly with the United Nations Environment Programme It helped to raise the problems and solutions on a regional or national scale which are important inputs that the working group will move forward The development of an action plan was proposed which is now under construction and which must be discussed and approved at the second ordinary COP in 2024 it has begun to work on the issues it covers I think it is necessary to disassociate the two The non-ratification of the agreement may be due to multiple reasons and disinformation processes But some actors in the government have already been making progress in several of the areas that the Escazú Agreement covers Strengthening the rule of law in any country will help to advance in the protection of environmental defenders ­– any state should be making progress in the protection of defenders What the agreement does do is to put a focus on the problem [of threats and murders of defenders] and countries that consider this to be important are paying special attention to ensure that this does not happen This has an impact on national priorities and on support among countries at the international level for this issue If we were doing so well with what we already have the things that are happening would not be happening What does it mean that something is “sufficient” because not all countries have everything that is included in the Escazú Agreement There are countries that have improved their regulatory frameworks [since signing] Nothing will be enough because we have not solved the problem It’s like saying “I already have a climate change law you will realise that this has nothing to do with it trade unions and academia are beneficiaries there is a connection with the private sector because the agreement recommends how the processes of participation in environmental impact assessments should be done well This is a discussion that has happened in Peru People said “very few countries have ratified as if to say that theirs was a different reality they said “our neighbouring competitors have not ratified” Countries continue to ratify the agreement but what is as important is the commitment of countries to sustainable development to protect their communities and to use resources in a sustainable way without destroying them If countries were to move forward like this obviously the agreement would be a more minor tool It is better if all the countries in the region are involved If you would like more information about the terms of our republication policy or permission to use content, please write to us: [email protected] Welcome to Carbon Brief’s Cropped. We handpick and explain the most important stories at the intersection of climate This is an online version of Carbon Brief’s fortnightly Cropped email newsletter. Subscribe for free here. “scientists say it’s too soon to estimate what the extent of global mortality will be” Sign up to Carbon Brief's free "Cropped" email newsletter four researchers from the University of Sydney wrote that “the damage done by heat underwater goes much further” than the reefs alone They have already noted changes in algae and water chemistry at their research station They added: “Much of the damage done this summer [to reef ecosystems] will take months or even years to manifest.” The magazine added that it is “both a feeding ground and travel route” for seabirds whales and other diverse marine species.  BOTTOM-TRAWLING BAN: Greece will ban bottom trawling – a destructive form of fishing – in its national marine parks by 2026 and in all of its marine protected areas by 2030, making it “the first country to pledge to this”, Euractiv reported Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis also announced two new marine national parks increasing the country’s protected waters by 80% Mitsotakis said: “The ocean has paid a heavy price for its service to humankind It has been a vital source of life and livelihood We have not been kind to it in return.” The announcement was made at the “Our Ocean” world conference in Athens the total number of ratifications increased in April to four with Belize and Seychelles joining early-adopters Palau and Chile Sixty countries must ratify the agreement before it can take effect Carbon Brief reports on the main outcomes of the ongoing Conference of the Parties to the Escazú Agreement established by Latin America and the Caribbean to protect environmental defenders.  The third Conference of the Parties (COP3) to the Escazú Agreement is taking place in Santiago The Escazú Agreement is a legally binding regional treaty established by Latin American and Caribbean countries in order to protect environmental defenders and promote public participation and access to information on environmental issues It has the support of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and came into force on 22 April 2021 Since then, 15 countries have ratified the agreement Latin America and the Caribbean accounted for 88% of the world’s environmental and land defenders killings over the previous decade, according to a 2023 report from campaign group Global Witness The region saw 1,910 killings of defenders between 2012 and 2022 On Tuesday, COP3 saw the approval of the regional action plan on human rights defenders in environmental matters The document sets out priority areas and strategies to enact article 9 of the Escazú Agreement which establishes that each party should take action to recognise and protect the rights of environmental defenders and prevent and punish attacks against them told Carbon Brief that the action plan “may be an important step towards the implementation of the Escazú Agreement” She added that the plan “provides more specific routes for the parties to meet” the agreement – for example establishing cooperation between parties and recognition of defenders.  the highest priority is to ensure their effective participation within the negotiations going forward As well as public participation and the protection of environmental and land defenders COP3 has also addressed transparency and access to environmental information.  “The participation of citizens in resistance cannot be guaranteed There is no adequate mechanism for access to justice and this produces danger and different forms of violence against defenders of human rights in environmental matters.” It added that “extreme heat kills more people in the US each year than all forms of extreme weather combined” One winemaker told the website: “If people don’t believe in global warming although FAO reports are consulted by international bodies the organisation “is also mandated to increase livestock productivity so as to bolster nutrition and food security” A FAO spokesperson told the outlet the institution “will look into the issues raised by the academics and undertake a technical exchange of views with them”.  ‘SOUND’ EVIDENCE: Energy Monitor covered a recent Nature study revealing that forest-based solutions are supported by more “sound” scientific evidence than other types of nature-based solutions The outlet noted that forest carbon credits have come under scrutiny for their accounting methods and their impacts on forest communities The study examined the mitigation potential of 43 nature-based solutions and found that four of them – all related to the conservation and restoration of tropical and temperate forests – “offer the greatest certainty in carbon mitigation potential” ‘BETTER’ MEAT: The World Resources Institute thinktank published a new report aimed at helping food companies achieve climate sustainability and ethical goals by sourcing “better” meat – where “better” refers to “environmental The report recommended six steps companies can take including calculating the emissions baselines of their food purchases assessing the potential environmental impacts of their new strategies and engaging with suppliers The report noted that “better” meat is often associated with higher environmental impacts alongside possible improvements in animal welfare It also laid out strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from meat production.  WILDLIFE CROSSINGS: A feature in CBS news explored how wildlife crossings throughout the US are reducing roadkill and helping preserve the genetic diversity of species GULLIES EXPANSION: BBC News explained how soil degradation has swallowed entire neighbourhoods in Latin America and Africa PROTECTING THE AMAZON: A documentary by Al Jazeera showed how the Indigenous Yanomami tribe fight to protect Brazil’s Amazon rainforest from illegal gold mining HIMALAYAN DISPUTE:  A CNN World multimedia article addressed how herders in a northern Indian community are losing their lands to climate change and border tensions with China Frugivores enhance potential carbon recovery in fragmented landscapesNature Climate Change New research found that fruit-eating animals – “frugivores” – play an important role in dispersing the seeds of carbon-dense trees but this is being put at risk by forest fragmentation Using ground-based data gathered in the Atlantic forest of Brazil scientists showed that large fruit-eating birds are responsible for dispersing the seeds of trees with the highest carbon-storing potential but that the animals are restricted from doing this when tree cover falls below 40% The restricted movement of large fruit-eating birds has the potential to reduce forest “biomass” – the total weight of plants in a given area – by up to 38% They concluded: “Active restoration (for example planting trees) is required in more fragmented landscapes to achieve carbon and biodiversity targets.” Impacts of fire and prospects for recovery in a tropical peat forest ecosystemProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Fires in tropical peatland forests lead to the proliferation of non-forest vegetation and the erosion of biodiversity – although some affected forests may show “some signs of recovery” after a 12-year period The researchers tracked ecosystem properties and biodiversity variables in a tropical peatland in Indonesia over 16 years The analysis showed that most ecosystems and biodiversity are “sensitive to recurrent high-intensity fire” The paper concluded: “If left uncontrolled fire may be a pervasive threat to the ecological functioning of tropical forests underscoring the importance of fire prevention and long-term restoration efforts.” Emergency policies are not enough to resolve Amazonia’s fire crisesCommunications Earth & Environment Emergency “fire bans” in Brazil – such as those implemented in 2019 – have been “largely ineffective” and must be combined with longer-term strategies to reduce the risks of fire Scientists compared the number of observed “fire counts” in the Brazilian Amazon over 2019-21 to the number of expected fires based on climatic conditions They found that while the 2019 ban did significantly reduce the number of fires the same intervention was “much less effective” in 2020 and 2021 The authors argued that solving the “fire crisis” will require “target[ing] the underlying causes of fire” engaging with local communities and building long-term management strategies and education campaigns Cropped 23 April 2025: Beef vs the Amazon; BRICS vs tariffs; Ag alphabet Cropped 9 April 2025: Trump’s tariffs; UK megafarm ‘blocked’; ‘Sus timber’ in Tasmania Cropped 26 March 2025: US birds in peril; UK ecologists ‘job fears’; Finance ‘fuelling’ deforestation Cropped 12 March 2025: Trump and timber; Food fights; Peru’s peatlands It is resolution 76/300 of 28 July 2022 the United Nations General Assembly recognized for the first time the human right to a clean The General Assembly affirmed that the promotion of the human right to a clean healthy and sustainable environment requires the full implementation of the multilateral environmental agreements under the principles of international environmental law It also recognized that the exercise of human rights to participate effectively in the conduct of government and public affairs and to an effective remedy The Escazú Agreement first environmental treaty of Latin America and the Caribbean aims to contribute to the protection of the right of every person of present and future generations to live in a healthy environment and to sustainable development Each Party commits to ensure this right as well as any other related and universally-recognized human right With the instruments of ratification of Mexico and Argentina deposited before the UN today the minimum number of States Parties was achieved meaning that the Regional Agreement will enter into force on April 22 The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) celebrated today the prompt entry into force of 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 – and it highlighted the region’s commitment to protecting sustainable development and human rights With the instruments of ratification of the United Mexican States and the Argentine Republic deposited at the United Nations Headquarters in New York the number of States Parties needed for the Agreement to enter into force was attained today the treaty will enter into force in 90 days a date coinciding with International Mother Earth Day “Today Latin America and the Caribbean celebrates its commitment to sustainable development and human rights At a time when the global and regional situation is marked by great complexity and uncertainty the Escazú Agreement is more necessary than ever because it bolsters the culture of dialogue and consensus to move ahead on the transformations needed to ensure that the recovery occurs within the framework of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” stated Alicia Bárcena The senior United Nations official participated in the Ceremony of Deposit of the Instrument of Ratification of the Escazú Agreement by Mexico that country’s Undersecretary for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights is a historic day for Latin America and the Caribbean because we are celebrating a step forward on implementation of the Escazú Agreement This is very encouraging,” ECLAC’s highest authority affirmed She highlighted that the Escazú Agreement is the first in the world to include provisions about human rights defenders in environmental matters – those who give their lives for life Alicia Bárcena recognized the strong commitment of the governments of Mexico and Argentina which today became States Parties to the Agreement and she highlighted the other 10 countries that ratified it earlier and made it possible for the Escazú Agreement to go into effect next April 22: Antigua and Barbuda she expressed her conviction that more countries from the region will join the treaty soon Latin America and the Caribbean is a culturally Its natural heritage is extensive and there are many opportunities for a transformative recovery with equality and sustainability that would bring greater well-being to our peoples,” Alicia Bárcena underscored reaffirmed the Mexican government’s commitment to the treaty’s implementation and stressed that the Regional Agreement is an important tool for giving a voice to young people persons with disabilities and vulnerable communities “This is a right that we environmentalists have pursued for years,” she emphasized The Escazú Agreement is the Latin America and Caribbean region’s first environmental treaty the only binding agreement adopted thus far that has emerged from the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) and it is the first in the world to contain provisions on human rights defenders in environmental matters Comunicado de la Oficina del Alto Comisionado para los Derechos Humanos (ACNUDH) en México