Environmental accountability beyond the nation-state: The implications of the Aarhus Convention

This note aims to identify the broader implications of the Aarhus Convention and to influence the debate over disclosure policies by international and global institutions.

The new (1998) Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters represents an important development in global environmental governance, as it commits signatory governments – thirty nine countries and the European Community (EC)–to open and inclusive environmental decision-making processes, as opposed to the specific environmental outcome orientation of most previous multilateral environmental agreements.

This note informs a broader audience beyond the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and supports the implementation of the Aarhus principles in regions other than Europe.