The third extraordinary session of the Meeting of the Parties (ExMoP3) to the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus Convention) and the twenty-sixth meeting of the Convention’s Working Group of the Parties (WGP26) took place back-to-back and in person in Geneva, on 22-24 June 2022.

The Meeting of the Parties elected by consensus Mr Michel Forst as the independent Special Rapporteur on environmental defenders, in accordance with decision VII/9 of the Meeting of the Parties (ENG | FR | RUS) adopted at its seventh ordinary session (Geneva, 18–21 October 2021).

The Decision established a Rapid Response Mechanism to give persons who are harassed, penalised or persecuted for exercising their rights under the Convention, a quick and easily accessible complaint procedure. This is the first such mechanism specifically safeguarding environmental defenders to be established within a legally binding framework either under the United Nations system or another intergovernmental structure. This is a major step to counter persecution of environmental human rights defenders in the UNECE region, whose protection against harassment is enshrined under Article 3(8) of the Convention.

In addition to the election of the Special Rapporteur, the Meeting of the Parties convened a round table where delegates discussed the main trends, challenges, good practices and the way forward with regard to the protection of environmental defenders.

In the round table of environmental defenders the Commission presented its April 2022 Anti-SLAPP package (Directive and Recommendation).

The Meeting of the Parties:

• noted the situation in Belarus for civil society and environmental defenders, which continues to be gravely concerning;
• called on Parties to view environmental defenders as partners and to continue fulfilling their obligations under article 3, paragraph 8, of the Convention;
• encouraged Parties, civil society and other stakeholders to work to implement good practices and suggestions for the way forward in order to facilitate and support the work of the Special Rapporteur on Environmental Defenders.

More information:

•  Extraordinary session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention