Judicial Colloquium “Adjudication of cases related to climate change and air quality” took place in person in Geneva, Palais des Nations, on 26 - 27 (morning) April 2022. The event was held back-to-back with the fourteenth meeting of the Convention's Task Force on Access to Justice that will take place on 27 (afternoon) - 28 April 2022.
The Colloquium gathered high-level representatives of judiciary, judicial training institutions, other review bodies and experts from 24 countries. Its objective was to strengthen capacity of judiciary to effectively handle cases related to climate change and air quality and explore trends and good practices related to adjudication of these cases, in particular with regard to standing, scope of review and remedies.
The meeting thereby supported attaining of target 16.3 of Sustainable Development Goal 16 on promoting the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensuring equal access to justice for all, Sustainable Development Goal 13 on climate action and other relevant goals and targets. The meeting also addressed the role of the UNECE Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus Convention) and other relevant international law in this context.
The Judicial Colloquium was convened by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme pursuant to decision VII/3 of the Meeting of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention, which called on promoting a network of judiciary, judicial training institutions and other review bodies in the pan-European region. The meeting was organized in cooperation with IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law, Global Judicial Institute on Environmental Law, European Union Forum of Judges for the Environment, Organization for Co-operation and Security in Europe and other partner organizations.
For further information about the meeting, please contact the secretariat public.participation[at]un.org.