Public get more say in environmental decisions
The UK public is set to get a greater say in controversial environmental decisions after the Government ratified a key UN convention.
The Aahus Convention gives the public the right to access environmental information, the right to participate in environmental decision making and the right to justice – including either a judicial or administrative review.
Friends of the Earth said the rights were a “major step forward” and urged the Government to ensure they are properly implemented and protected in domestic law.
It believes the public will now have a far greater say in controversial decisions such as the planting of GM crops or the granting of waste licenses.
Though the Aarhus Convention was signed in 1998, and came into force in 2001, the Government has delayed its ratification. It will now come into force in the UK on May 23.
A spokesperson for the Department of Environment and Rural Affairs, said that the ratification “confirms our commitment to the best principles of environmental democracy, both at home and abroad.”
She added that the UK was also encouraging other countries to improve their environmental democracy record, particularly those in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
Alison Dilworth, rights campaigner for Friends of the Earth said: “This important convention is finally becoming law in this country after a seven year delay, and people’s rights to protect the environment will become stronger as a result.
“The Government must ensure that these rights are properly implemented and enshrined in UK law.”
Specifically, Friends of the Earth is campaigning for better access to justice, arguing that the members of the public still face huge legal costs if they wish to go to court to protect the environment.
