The entry into
force
Parties
and Signatories to the Convention - list
Parties
and Signatories to the Convention - map
Signatories
to the PRTR Protocol - list
Signatories
to the PRTR Protocol - map
OPENING
THE DOORS TO DEMOCRACY
|
On 30 October
2001, a celebration of the entry into force of
the Aarhus Convention took place in the Palais
des Nations, Geneva.
|
Double click for big size |
Representatives of governments, intergovernmental
organizations and NGOs took part in the celebrations,
which included a champagne cocktail hosted by
UNECE. After a number of keynote speeches and
a short film
on the Convention, a ceremony symbolising
the entry into force of the Convention took
place. The ceremony
involved opening "THE
DOORS TO DEMOCRACY" to mark the beginning
of a new era in which environmental
democracy
is recognized in international law. A short
film of the celebration will soon be available
here. A
number of European Environment
Ministers, head of important intergovernmental
and non-governmental
organizations sent a statement
in support of the Convention. A compilation
of the statements can be
downloaded here.
|
Mr. Kaj Barlund,
Director, Environment and Human Settlements Division,
opened the celebration. Mr. Barlund delivered
the statement
of the Secretary-General of the United Nations,
Mr. Kofi Annan, in which the Secretary-General
described the Convention as the most ambitious
venture in environmental democracy undertaken
under the auspices of the United Nations. |
Double click for big size |
|
Following the opening by Mr. B?rlund, a Video
News Release - a short film on the Convention
- was shown. You can see the
film with Real Player.
|
Double click for big size |
Double click for big size |
Double click for big size |
|
The first keynote speaker was Mr. Bozo Kovacevic,
Minister
of Environmental
Protection and Physical
Planning, Croatia.
He said inter alia that "the
entry into force
of the Aarhus
Convention is
a historical landmark and an unprecedented
example
of
the international community's successful
quest
towards more effective protection of
the
environment.."
Full
statement
|
Double click for big size
|
Double click for big size |
Ambassador
Jean-Marie Noirfalisse, Permanent Representative
of Belgium to the United Nations, then delivered
a statement
on behalf of the European Union. He said inter
alia: "This day ... marks a beginning,
in that the vitality of the exercise of the 3
important legal rights of the Convention will
undoubtedly influence political development within
the UN-ECE region, beyond the environment sector...
In addition, the EU recalls its earlier statements
that the Aarhus Convention may attract public
attention, beyond the ECE-region, and underlines
Art. 19, para 3 of the Convention that also other
Members of the United Nations may accede to the
Convention..." |
|
Between the keynote addresses, the guests had time
to meet and discuss
|
 |
Ambassadors to the United
Nations
of
Denmark,
Germany and Belgium
The Chairman of the Meeting
of the
Signatories to
the
Convention, Mr. Francesco
La Camera (Italy),
talking to
Sofie H. Flensborg,
Aarhus
Convention
Secretariat.
|
|
|
Ms Anna Golubovska, special adviser to Mr.
Serhii Kurykin, Minister of the Environment,
Ukraine, spoke on behalf of the Minister who
had to cancel his planned trip at the very last
minute. She said inter alia "the day that
the Aarhus Convention enters into force is a
great day for the environment. But it is also
a great day for democracy - not just representative
democracy, but a new and more participatory
form of democracy in which the crucial role
of many social actors is recognized."
Full
statement
|
Double click for big size
|
|
|
The Deputy Director for the Regional Office
of the United Nations Environment Programme,
Ms. Francoise Belmont, delivered a
statement of behalf of the Executive Director
of UNEP, Dr. Klaus T?pfer: "I wish to congratulate
the Economic Commission for Europe for the entry
into force today of the Aarhus Convention, the
first legally binding instrument for access
to information, public participation and and
justice in environmental matters. Such an achievement
is of global significance... Today is an important
landmark for the environment. The Convention
gives us a golden opportunity to pursue our
environmental endeavours from the right approach."
|
|
A statement
from the United Nations High Commissioner for
Human Rights, Ms. Mary Robinson, was delivered
by Ms. Stephanie Grant, Chief, Research and
Right to Development Branch. She said inter
alia: "The Convention is a remarkable achievement
not only in terms of protection of the environment,
but also of the protection of human rights...
The Convention touches on the fundamental issues
of democracy and the rights of people to protect
their well-being and that of their children."
|
|
|
|
Considering the central involvement of environmental
NGOs in
the negotiation
process of the Convention
and its
implementation, the floor was then given
to the
Secretary-General of the European Environmental
Bureau,
Mr. John Hontelez, who
delivered a
statement on behalf
of the European ECO
Forum. Among other things,
he said: "So
the UN-ECE work, first on the Sofia Guidelines,
later on the Aarhus
Convention, was characterized
by
openness and recognition of the role of
environmental
organizations in the preparatory process. While
we regretted
the
weaknesses in the final result,
we have become strong
advocates of the
Convention.
We campaign for its ratifica-
tion
and accession
in the entire pan-
European region, as
well as
in regional and international bodies. We will
not be
satisfied with formal introduction in
national laws only."
|
|
Double click for big size
|
Some special decoration, produced
for the occasion - What
people are saying about the Aarhus Convention
Cornelia Quennet-Thielen,
Germany, member of the Advisory Board and secretary
to the Aarhus Convention, Jeremy Wates
|
 |
 |
The last two
keynote speakers were Mr. Willem Kakebeeke, Chair
of the Advisory board for the Convention and Chair
of the Convention negotiations
and
Magda Toth Nagy, Public Participation Programme
Coordinator of the Regional Environmental Center
for Central and Eastern Europe. |
 |
|
THE DOORS CEREMONY
|
 |
"Because
the Convention is about the rights not only of
today's but also future generations, we have invited
some children to come and open the doors to democracy.
I would now like Sarah and Sofie to come forward
and open the doors to democracy." |
|
"Excuse me, Mr. Convention
Secretary, the doors
won't open!"
"Good Heavens! Won't open? What do you
mean won't open?"
"They're stuck."
"We paid a lot of money for those doors.
Wait till I find the man who made them."
"Can we ask our friends to come and help
us?"
"Oh well, if you must. I don't know, it
is hard to get a good carpenter these days.
OK, Dhanya, Tamsin, Anna, let's see if you can
get those doors open."
|
 |
|
"We need somebody stronger! Where
are Jack and Corin?"
|
|
"What is wrong with these doors? Where are Sofie and
Subashini? Sofie, I thought you did a trial run
with these?" |
|
"Well, they worked
perfectly well when we did the dress rehearsal.
But I think the doors to democracy can only be
opened and the Convention properly implemented
if governments give it their full support" |
|
"Aah! That could be the explanation.
Croatia, Ukraine, Italy, can you help us? We
need to get these doors open."
|
|
"Well, this is a mystery. Can
anyone suggest how we might get these doors
open? Perhaps we need the support of the NGOs!
John, Svitlana, Fe, come and help us." |
|
"Well, now that we have the key stakeholders
all working together, maybe we can really open
the doors to democracy. OK, everybody, one,
two, three, PUUULLL!!!" |
|
And finally the doors begin to open.... |
|
|
"Thank you everyone
for your actively participatory approach. Let
it be a symbol of good
co-operation between governments
and civil society, between young and old, between
secretariats and the rest of the world. Of course
when we go to Johannesburg, we will
need all nine
major groups of Agenda 21 to be politically correct
but let us cross that
bridge when we come to it..." |
"I
am convinced that future generations will remember
what happened on 30 October 2001."
Kjell
Larsson, Minister of the Environment,
Sweden
|
|