The Aarhus Convention: An Implementation Guide (second edition)

More than a decade after its entry into force on 30 October 2001, the Aarhus Convention on Access to
Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters is
more important than ever. The Aarhus Convention remains the most ambitious venture in the field of
environmental democracy under the auspices of the United Nations. The Convention is the only international
legally binding instrument giving the public broad and concrete rights of participation in decision-making
and access to information and justice regarding the environment. Last year, the importance of these rights
was emphasized in the outcome document of the Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development.

The Aarhus Convention’s twin protections for environmental and human rights, and its focus on involving
the public, provide a mechanism for holding governments to account in their efforts to address the
multi-dimensional challenges facing our world today, including climate change, biodiversity loss, poverty
reduction, increasing energy demands, rapid urbanization, and air and water pollution.

The Guide is an essential reference for policy-makers, legislators and officials at all levels of government.
It contains important guidance for members of the public, including non-governmental organizations,
seeking to exercise their rights, as well as for those in the private sector engaged in activities that are subject
to the Convention. The Guide will equally interest practitioners and academics specializing in the issues
covered by the Convention, as well as States not currently party to the Convention.

The second edition of the Guide builds on the considerable experience amassed during the Convention’s
implementation. It provides practical examples and offers valuable insights from the findings of the Aarhus
Convention Compliance Committee, a unique body inspired by human rights treaty mechanisms.