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AARHUS CONVENTION

Convention on Access to Information,
Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice
in Environmental Matters

Press Releases

2007

21 May	UN Commissions promote the Information Society - From Declaration to Implementation
21 May	Managing the environmental footprint of the Information Society
18 January	Aarhus membership climbs to forty: Germany to become 40th Party to environmental rights treaty

2006

3 March

European Community ratifies pollutant right-to-know treaty

2005

18 October	Geneva International Academic Network Finances a Joint UNECE / University of Geneva Environment Research Team
27 May	Environmental rights treaty body pushes forward environmental democracy agenda
26 May	Parties adopt amendment on public participation in decision-making on genetically modified organisms
24 May	Parties to the Convention hold second meeting (Almaty, Kazakhstan, 25-27 May 2005)
25 February	Aarhus Convention ratified by the European Community - Four EU member States also to become Parties to environmental rights treaty

2004

7 September	Finland has become the latest country to ratify the Aarhus Convention. Following on the heels of ratifications by the Czech Republic and Slovenia, this brings the total number of Parties to the Convention to thirty
13 July	A new “environmental democracy” clearing house – aarhusclearinghouse.unece.org – is being launched by the UNECE
23 June	UNECE hosts side-event on PRTR at European Environment and Health Ministers Conference in Budapest
14 May	Green groups challenge governments over compliance with treaty obligations

2003

10 December	Environmental democracy discussed at the World Summit on the Information Society
31 October	UNECE Aarhus Convention takes hold in the European Union
23 May	More Signatories to the new UNECE Protocols as Fifth Ministerial Conference "Environment for Europe" wraps up in Kiev
21 May	34 countries sign new Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers
21 May	New United Nations treaty on pollution information disclosure to be adopted and signed today
20 March	Public to play a role in enforcing international law
31 January	Governements reach agreement on new United Nations Treaty on pollution information disclosure (РУССКИЙ)

2002

29 November	New right-to know treaty on pollution takes shape
21 October	First Meeting of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention - Opening remarks by Mrs. Brigita Schmognerova, Executive Secretary, UNECE
18 October	Governments and Environmentalists gather at launch of United Nations Convention on Environmental Democracy
27 August	UNECE holds side-event on participatory democracy and good governance at World Summit on Sustainable Development
26 August	Side event at the World Summit on Sustainable Development: Participatory democracy and good governance as fundamental tools for a human rights approach to sustainable development

2001

29 October	Environmental rights not a luxury - Aarhus Convention enters into force
9 August	Aarhus Convention starts count-down to entry into force
6 July	Governments, industry and environmental groups debate transparency in new chemicals law
16 March	Environmental rights Convention embraces electronic information age
28 February	Negotiations on new information law on pollution start today

If you need any further information or have any questions to the material, please contact public.participation@unece.org