Public Participation in International Forums

Compendium of case studies of good practice on promoting public participation in international forums

Public Participation in International Forums. A Snapshot on the Almaty Guidelines
ENG FRE RUS

International workshop on involving the public in international forums

Checklist of measures to be borne in mind when developing a national action plan to systematically promote the principles of the Convention in all international forums dealing with matters relating to the environment ENG FRE RUS

27th meeting of the Working Group of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention (26 - 28 June 2023)

The Working Group at its 27th meeting held a thematic session focusing on the following:

1. Environmental impact assessment in a transboundary context;

2. International trade-related decision-making; and

3. The issue of balanced and equitable participation and different modalities for engaging stakeholders in international decision-making;

4. Updates on Promotion of the principles of the Convention in relation to a legally binding instrument on business and human rights under the Human Rights Council, in Sustainable Development Goals-related processes and in climate- and plastic related international forums;

5. Updates on subjects to be addressed by upcoming forums, including environmental-related processes under the General Assembly, such as the Sustainable Development Goals Summit, scheduled for September 2023, and the Summit of the Future, scheduled for September 2024.

All documents relevant to the thematic sessions are available from the following page: https://unece.org/environmental-policy/events/twenty-seventh-meeting-working-group-parties-aarhus-convention

26th meeting of the Working Group of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention (22 - 23 June 2022)

The Working Group at its 26th meeting held a thematic session focusing on the following:

1. Promotion of the Convention’s principles in international decision-making on legally binding instrument on plastics (e.g., with regard to the marine environment and air pollution)

2. Promotion of the Convention’s principles in international decision-making on legally binding instrument on business and human rights, covering States' obligations with regard to the responsibility of business actors under their jurisdiction
3. Updates on promotion of the principles of the Convention in processes under the Convention on Biological Diversity, with the focus on the post-2020 global biodiversity framework, and

4. Updates on promotion of the principles of the Convention in international forums in the context of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.  

All documents relevant to the thematic sessions are available from the following page: https://unece.org/info/Environmental-Policy/Public-Participation/events/365937

25th meeting of the Working Group of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention (3 May and 7 and 8 June 2021)

The Working Group at its 25th meeting held a thematic session focusing on the following themes:

1. Promotion of the Convention’s principles within the context of International decision-making on geoengineering

2. Promotion of the Convention’s principles within the context of International decision-making on biosafety
3. Promotion of the Convention principles in international decision-making in the COVID-19 context

All documents relevant to the thematic session are available from the following page: https://unece.org/environmental-policy/events/aarhus-convention-wgp-25

24th meeting of the Working Group of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention (28 - 29 October 2020)

The Working Group at its 24th meeting held a thematic session focusing on the following themes:

1. Promotion of the Convention’s principles in the policies of international trade negotiations
2. Promotion of the Convention principles within the context of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
3. Update on the promotion of the Convention principles in international financial institutions
4. Update on the promotion of the Convention principles in the UNFCCC processes
5. Update on stakeholder engagement in UNEP and in the United Nations Environment Assembly
6. Update on the promotion of principles of the Aarhus Convention in the high-level political forum on sustainable development and Sustainable Development Goal-related processes

All documents relevant to the thematic session are available from the following page under PPIF session tab: https://unece.org/info/Environmental-Policy/Public-Participation/events/349835

23rd meeting of the Working Group of the Parties (26-28 June 2019)

The Working Group at its 23rd meeting held a thematic session focusing on the following themes:

1. Promotion of the Convention’s principles in the policies of international financial institutions
2. Cross-cutting issues to enhance access to information and/or public participation in international forums3. Promotion of the Convention principles within the context of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
3. Promotion of the Convention principles within the context of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
4. Update on the promotion of the Convention principles in the UNFCCC processes
5. Update on stakeholder engagement in the United Nations Environment Assembly
6. Update on the promotion of principles of the Aarhus Convention in the high-level political forum on sustainable development and Sustainable Development Goal-related processes.

All documents relevant to the thematic session are available from the following page under PPIF session tab: https://unece.org/info/Environmental-Policy/Public-Participation/events/18129

22nd meeting of the Working Group of the Parties (19-21 June 2018)
The Working Group at its 22nd meeting held a thematic session focusing on the following themes:

1. Promotion of the Convention’s principles in international decision-making on chemicals and waste (Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, Minamata Convention on Mercury and SAICM)2. Update on the promotion of the Convention principles in the UNFCCC processes3. Update on stakeholder engagement in the United Nations Environment Assembly and the UNEP access to information policies4. Update on the promotion of principles of the Aarhus Convention throughout developing, implementing and monitoring implementation of SDGs5. Update on the promotion of the principles of the Aarhus Convention in the IFIs processes. All documents relevant to the thematic session are available from the following page under PPIF Thematic session tab: https://unece.org/info/Environmental-Policy/Public-Participation/events/18118

21st meeting of the Working Group of the Parties (4-6 April 2017)

The Working Group at its 21st meeting held a thematic session focusing on the following themes:

1. Promotion of the Convention’s principles in international decision-making on environment and health matters
2. Update on the promotion of the Convention principles in the UNFCCC processes
3. Update on stakeholder engagement in the United Nations Environment Assembly and the UNEP access to information policies
4. Update on the promotion of principles of the Aarhus Convention throughout developing, implementing and monitoring implementation of SDGs

In view of the sixth session of the Meeting of the Parties (Budva, Montenegro, 11-14 September 2017 ) the 21st meeting of the Working Group of the Parties also discussed a draft decision on promoting the application of the principles of the Convention in international forums. 

All documents relevant to the thematic session are available from the following page under PPIF Thematic session tab: https://unece.org/info/Environmental-Policy/Public-Participation/events/18015

20th meeting of the Working Group of the Parties (15-17 June 2016)

The Working Group at its 20th meeting featured a thematic session that focused on the following themes:

1. Promotion of the principles of the Aarhus Convention in the UNFCCC processes with the focus on lessons learnt from the COP-21 and preparations for the COP-22
2. Recent developments in promoting the principles of the Aarhus Convention in the policies of international financial institutions
3. Update on stakeholder engagement and access to information policies of the UNEP
4. Update on the promotion of the Convention’s principles through developing, implementing and monitoring implementation of SDGs

The report of the 20th meeting of the Working Group and presentations and background documentation discussed during the thematic session are available under PPIF Thematic session tab here. 

19th meeting of the Working Group of the Parties (17-19 June 2015)

The thematic session on promoting the application of the principles of the Convention in international forums held during the 19th session of the Working Group of the Parties focused on the following four themes:
1.    Public participation in the UNFCCC processes on the road to Paris
2.    Update on stakeholder engagement and access to information policies of the UNEP
3.    Promotion of the Convention’s principles in trade negotiations
4.    Promotion of the Convention’s principles through developing, implementing and monitoring implementation of SDGs.

The presentations and background documentation discussed during the thematic session are available under PPIF thematic session tab here. The report of the 19th meeting of the Working Group, including the agreed outcomes of the thematic session, is available here.

17th meeting of the Working Group of the Parties (26-28 February 2014)

In view of the fifth session of the Meeting of the Parties (Maastricht, 30 June-2 July 2014), the 17th meeting of the Working Group of the Parties discussed a draft decision on promoting the application of the principles of the Convention in international forums and held a thematic session with a focus on:

1. Follow up from the previous thematic session

2. ECE Multilateral Environmental Agreements. 

The presentations and background documentation discussed during the thematic session of the 17th meeting of the Working Group are available under PPIF thematic session tab here. 

16th meeting of the Working Group of the Parties (Geneva, 19-21 June 2013)

At the 16th meeting of the Working Group of the Parties, the thematic session focused on three themes:

1. Follow up from the previous thematic session
2. The new United Nations Environment Assembly
3. Policy reviews by international financial institutions

The presentations and background documentation discussed during the thematic session are available under PPIF thematic session tab here. The report of the 16th meeting of the Working Group, including the agreed outcomes of the thematic session (agenda item VII), is available here (ENG, FRE, RUS).

15th meeting of the Working Group of the Parties (3-5 September 2012)

The first thematic session on promoting the principles of the Convention in international forums was held during the 15th meeting of the Working Group of the Parties (3-5 September 2012). Inter alia, the thematic session covered: 

1. Public participation before, at and after Rio+20
2. Measures taken at national level to systematically promote public participation in international forums
3. Public participation in IFI-funded projects

Task Force on Public Participation in International Forums (2005-2011)
At their second meeting, the Parties established the Task Force on Public Participation in International Forums to consult with international forums regarding the Almaty Guidelines. The consultation process was conducted over a thirteen-month period from June 2006 to July 2007. Further information about the consultation process and its outcomes is available here.
At their third meeting (Riga, 11-13 June 2008), the Parties adopted a decision (ENG FRE RUS) welcoming the work of the Task Force to date and renewing its mandate for a further three years.
The Task Force, led by France, met six times: 23-24 February 2011, 29 June 2010, 6 July 2009, 8-9 November 2007, 9-10 November 2006 and 24-25 November 2005. Since the fourth session of the Meeting of the Parties (Chisinau, 29 June-1 July 2011),  the Convention's work on promoting the application of the principles of the Convention in international forums now continues directly under the authority of the Working Group of the Parties (see decision IV/3 above).  
Documents and presentations from the Task Force's meetings and workshops may be found below:
Documents of the sixth meeting of the Task Force and workshop
Documents of the fifth meeting of the Task Force and workshop
Documents of the fourth meeting of the Task Force
Documents of the third meeting of the Task Force
Documents of the second meeting of the Task Force
Documents of the first meeting of the Task Force
 

Consultation process  (2006-2007)
Over a thirteen month period between June 2006 to July 2007, the Task Force on Public Participation on International Forums carried out a consultation process with international forums regarding the Almaty Guidelines.
In undertaking the consultation process, Parties to the Aarhus Convention hoped to obtain the views of other international forums on the Almaty Guidelines and also to learn from their experiences in the area of access to information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters.
The initial focus of the consultation process was a written questionnaire. The questionnaire was organised around five broad, open-ended questions designed to allow representatives of forums, including their stakeholders, to provide comments on the Guidelines and to share relevant experiences. The deadline for responses to the questionnaire was 17th September 2006.
The results from the consultation process was intended to provide Parties to the Aarhus Convention with further guidance in implementing their obligation to promote the application of the principles of the Aarhus Convention in international forums and to assist them in reviewing the Guidelines if appropriate.
Responses received from the international forums and other relevant correspondence are available here. A synthesis of the responses, including more detailed addenda, was prepared by the Aarhus Convention secretariat and is available here. 
Following the outcome of the initial consultation process, an international workshop with interested international forums and their stakeholders was held in Geneva on 20-21 June 2007. The main aim of the workshop was to provide a forum within which Aarhus Parties and representatives of various other international forums (from governments, secretariats and other stakeholders) might meet together to exchange experiences of their practices with respect to the themes of access to information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice.
As well as hearing presentations by prominent experts in the area of public participation in international forums, participants had the opportunity to take part in interactive issues-based discussion groups. The Almaty Guidelines (ENG FRE RUS) were a key background document and the Aarhus Parties received feedback on them, in the context of the consultation process. The workshop was conducted in English with French and Russian interpretation provided during most of the sessions.
Through decision III/4 adopted at their third meeting (Riga, 13-15 June 2008), Parties requested the Task Force to prepare a compendium of case studies of good practice on promoting public participation in international forums. The compendium of case studies collected to date is available here.
Documents from the consultation process and international workshop

Background