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Fifteenth meeting of the Task Force on Access to Justice under the Aarhus Convention

Fifteenth meeting of the Task Force on Access to Justice under the Aarhus Convention

Environmental Policy

Public Participation

4 April (pm) - 5 April 2023

04 - 05 April 2023

Salle XVIII, Palais des Nations Geneva Switzerland

The fifteenth meeting of the Task Force on Access to Justice took place from 4 April 2023 (afternoon) to 5 April 2023 in Geneva (Palais des Nations, Building E, Salle XVIII).

The Task Force aimed to provide a platform for exchanging information, experiences and good practices with regard to key recent developments in the implementation of the Convention’s pillar on access to justice and possible measures to remove barriers hampering its implementation.

The thematic sessions of the meeting focussed on access to justice in cases related to climate change and biodiversity protection. The Task Force discussed current trends, good practices, barriers, challenges, and innovative approaches in these areas. Furthermore, the delegates continued discussion on access to justice in energy-related cases; took stock of measures removing barriers related to costs, access to assistance mechanisms and timeliness of the review procedures; and learnt about recent and upcoming developments. The Task Force also considered tools to promote effective access to justice such as (a) access to independent environmental expertise; (b) dissemination of information on access to review procedures, collection of relevant data and statistics and access to relevant case law using e-justice initiatives, modern digital technologies and other tools; and (c) multi-stakeholder dialogues to remove existing barriers.

The outcomes of the meeting are expected to support countries’ efforts in the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals, in particular Sustainable Development Goals 13 (Climate action), 14 (Life below water), 15 (Life on land) and 16 (Peace, justice and strong institutions) with its target 16.3 (Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all).

Hashtags for the meeting @UNECEAarhus: #AarhusConvention, #AccesstoJustice, #SDG16.3

The meeting was preceded by 2023 Judicial Colloquium (Geneva, 3-4 (morning) April 2023) for representatives of judiciary, judicial training institutions and other review bodies.

For additional enquiries about the meeting, please contact the secretariat at public.participation[at]un.org (subject line: 15TFAJ request).

Documents

Provisional agenda is available below. Other meeting documents will be uploaded here as soon as they become available.

The background material for the meeting includes relevant information derived from 2021 synthesis and national implementation reports, survey on measures to enable effective access to justice in environmental matters and analytical studies, the Convention-related case law database as well as the Convention’s Implementation Guide, relevant Aarhus Clearinghouse resources, relevant Compliance Committee reports, and other material.

Additional material by partners:

Item 2 (a): Climate Litigation in Europe: A summary report for the European Union Forum of Judges for the Environment published by the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and the European Union Forum of Judges for the Environment

Item 2 (b): Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, agreed at the 15th meeting of the Conference of Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD/COP/15/L25)

38528 _ AC/TF.AJ-15/Inf.1 - Provisional Agenda _ 375165 _ English _ 773 _ 372930 _ pdf

Provisional agenda is available below. Other meeting documents will be uploaded here as soon as they become available.

The background material for the meeting includes relevant information derived from 2021 synthesis and national implementation reports, survey on measures to enable effective access to justice in environmental matters and analytical studies, the Convention-related case law database as well as the Convention’s Implementation Guide, relevant Aarhus Clearinghouse resources, relevant Compliance Committee reports, and other material.

Additional material by partners:

Item 2 (a): Climate Litigation in Europe: A summary report for the European Union Forum of Judges for the Environment published by the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and the European Union Forum of Judges for the Environment

Item 2 (b): Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, agreed at the 15th meeting of the Conference of Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD/COP/15/L25)

38528 _ ECE/TF.AJ-15/Inf.1/Add.1 - Provisional Programme _ 376869 _ English _ 773 _ 377780 _ pdf

Provisional agenda is available below. Other meeting documents will be uploaded here as soon as they become available.

The background material for the meeting includes relevant information derived from 2021 synthesis and national implementation reports, survey on measures to enable effective access to justice in environmental matters and analytical studies, the Convention-related case law database as well as the Convention’s Implementation Guide, relevant Aarhus Clearinghouse resources, relevant Compliance Committee reports, and other material.

Additional material by partners:

Item 2 (a): Climate Litigation in Europe: A summary report for the European Union Forum of Judges for the Environment published by the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and the European Union Forum of Judges for the Environment

Item 2 (b): Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, agreed at the 15th meeting of the Conference of Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD/COP/15/L25)

38528 _ AC/TF.AJ-15/Inf.4 - Key outcomes of the 15th meeting of the Task Force on Access to Justice _ 377536 _ English _ 773 _ 378377 _ pdf

Provisional agenda is available below. Other meeting documents will be uploaded here as soon as they become available.

The background material for the meeting includes relevant information derived from 2021 synthesis and national implementation reports, survey on measures to enable effective access to justice in environmental matters and analytical studies, the Convention-related case law database as well as the Convention’s Implementation Guide, relevant Aarhus Clearinghouse resources, relevant Compliance Committee reports, and other material.

Additional material by partners:

Item 2 (a): Climate Litigation in Europe: A summary report for the European Union Forum of Judges for the Environment published by the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and the European Union Forum of Judges for the Environment

Item 2 (b): Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, agreed at the 15th meeting of the Conference of Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD/COP/15/L25)

38528 _ Decision VII/3 on access to justice _ 375609 _ English _ 773 _ 373941 _ pdf

Provisional agenda is available below. Other meeting documents will be uploaded here as soon as they become available.

The background material for the meeting includes relevant information derived from 2021 synthesis and national implementation reports, survey on measures to enable effective access to justice in environmental matters and analytical studies, the Convention-related case law database as well as the Convention’s Implementation Guide, relevant Aarhus Clearinghouse resources, relevant Compliance Committee reports, and other material.

Additional material by partners:

Item 2 (a): Climate Litigation in Europe: A summary report for the European Union Forum of Judges for the Environment published by the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and the European Union Forum of Judges for the Environment

Item 2 (b): Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, agreed at the 15th meeting of the Conference of Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD/COP/15/L25)

38528 _ Decision VII/3 on access to justice _ 375609 _ French _ 780 _ 373942 _ pdf

Provisional agenda is available below. Other meeting documents will be uploaded here as soon as they become available.

The background material for the meeting includes relevant information derived from 2021 synthesis and national implementation reports, survey on measures to enable effective access to justice in environmental matters and analytical studies, the Convention-related case law database as well as the Convention’s Implementation Guide, relevant Aarhus Clearinghouse resources, relevant Compliance Committee reports, and other material.

Additional material by partners:

Item 2 (a): Climate Litigation in Europe: A summary report for the European Union Forum of Judges for the Environment published by the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and the European Union Forum of Judges for the Environment

Item 2 (b): Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, agreed at the 15th meeting of the Conference of Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD/COP/15/L25)

38528 _ Decision VII/3 on access to justice _ 375609 _ Russian _ 864 _ 373943 _ pdf

Provisional agenda is available below. Other meeting documents will be uploaded here as soon as they become available.

The background material for the meeting includes relevant information derived from 2021 synthesis and national implementation reports, survey on measures to enable effective access to justice in environmental matters and analytical studies, the Convention-related case law database as well as the Convention’s Implementation Guide, relevant Aarhus Clearinghouse resources, relevant Compliance Committee reports, and other material.

Additional material by partners:

Item 2 (a): Climate Litigation in Europe: A summary report for the European Union Forum of Judges for the Environment published by the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and the European Union Forum of Judges for the Environment

Item 2 (b): Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, agreed at the 15th meeting of the Conference of Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD/COP/15/L25)

38528 _ AC/TFAJ-15/Inf.2 - Item 3: Analysis of energy-related cases for improving implementation of the Convention: scope and methodology draft outline _ 377177 _ English _ 773 _ 377318 _ pdf TFAJ_Inf2_Outline_analysis_energy_cases_clean_2upload.docx (application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document, 40.27 KB) docx

Provisional agenda is available below. Other meeting documents will be uploaded here as soon as they become available.

The background material for the meeting includes relevant information derived from 2021 synthesis and national implementation reports, survey on measures to enable effective access to justice in environmental matters and analytical studies, the Convention-related case law database as well as the Convention’s Implementation Guide, relevant Aarhus Clearinghouse resources, relevant Compliance Committee reports, and other material.

Additional material by partners:

Item 2 (a): Climate Litigation in Europe: A summary report for the European Union Forum of Judges for the Environment published by the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and the European Union Forum of Judges for the Environment

Item 2 (b): Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, agreed at the 15th meeting of the Conference of Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD/COP/15/L25)

38528 _ AC/TF.AJ-14/Inf.2 - Item 4: Overview of the status of and obstacles encountered in the implementation of article 9 of the Convention _ 377178 _ English _ 773 _ 377320 _ pdf

Provisional agenda is available below. Other meeting documents will be uploaded here as soon as they become available.

The background material for the meeting includes relevant information derived from 2021 synthesis and national implementation reports, survey on measures to enable effective access to justice in environmental matters and analytical studies, the Convention-related case law database as well as the Convention’s Implementation Guide, relevant Aarhus Clearinghouse resources, relevant Compliance Committee reports, and other material.

Additional material by partners:

Item 2 (a): Climate Litigation in Europe: A summary report for the European Union Forum of Judges for the Environment published by the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and the European Union Forum of Judges for the Environment

Item 2 (b): Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, agreed at the 15th meeting of the Conference of Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD/COP/15/L25)

38528 _ AC/TF.AJ-14/Inf.3/Rev.1 - Questionnaire on measures to enable effective access to justice in environmental matters _ 377180 _ English _ 773 _ 377323 _ docx

Provisional agenda is available below. Other meeting documents will be uploaded here as soon as they become available.

The background material for the meeting includes relevant information derived from 2021 synthesis and national implementation reports, survey on measures to enable effective access to justice in environmental matters and analytical studies, the Convention-related case law database as well as the Convention’s Implementation Guide, relevant Aarhus Clearinghouse resources, relevant Compliance Committee reports, and other material.

Additional material by partners:

Item 2 (a): Climate Litigation in Europe: A summary report for the European Union Forum of Judges for the Environment published by the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and the European Union Forum of Judges for the Environment

Item 2 (b): Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, agreed at the 15th meeting of the Conference of Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD/COP/15/L25)

38528 _ Responses to the 2022 survey on measures to enable effective access to justice in environmental matters _ 377199 _ English _ 773 _ 377398 _ pdf

Provisional agenda is available below. Other meeting documents will be uploaded here as soon as they become available.

The background material for the meeting includes relevant information derived from 2021 synthesis and national implementation reports, survey on measures to enable effective access to justice in environmental matters and analytical studies, the Convention-related case law database as well as the Convention’s Implementation Guide, relevant Aarhus Clearinghouse resources, relevant Compliance Committee reports, and other material.

Additional material by partners:

Item 2 (a): Climate Litigation in Europe: A summary report for the European Union Forum of Judges for the Environment published by the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and the European Union Forum of Judges for the Environment

Item 2 (b): Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, agreed at the 15th meeting of the Conference of Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD/COP/15/L25)

38528 _ AC/TF.AJ-15/Inf.3, AC/TF.AJ-15/Inf.3/Add.1 - Draft report on the outcomes of the survey on measures to enable effective access to justice in environmental matters and its Addendum _ 377206 _ English _ 773 _ 377421 _ pdf 15TFAJ_Inf3_Add1_Survey_selected practices.pdf (application/pdf, 430.51 KB) pdf

Provisional agenda is available below. Other meeting documents will be uploaded here as soon as they become available.

The background material for the meeting includes relevant information derived from 2021 synthesis and national implementation reports, survey on measures to enable effective access to justice in environmental matters and analytical studies, the Convention-related case law database as well as the Convention’s Implementation Guide, relevant Aarhus Clearinghouse resources, relevant Compliance Committee reports, and other material.

Additional material by partners:

Item 2 (a): Climate Litigation in Europe: A summary report for the European Union Forum of Judges for the Environment published by the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and the European Union Forum of Judges for the Environment

Item 2 (b): Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, agreed at the 15th meeting of the Conference of Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD/COP/15/L25)

38528 _ AC/TF.AJ-15/Inf.3, AC/TF.AJ-15/Inf.3/Add.1 - Draft report on the outcomes of the survey on measures to enable effective access to justice in environmental matters and its Addendum _ 377206 _ English _ 773 _ 377649 _ docx

Statements and Presentations

Item 3: Access to justice in energy-related cases

Written statement by Khazer ENG RUS

Item 4: Stocktaking of recent and upcoming developments.

Written statement by ELUK, ENG

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