OTTAWA (CANADA), July 11, 2023 — The virtual meeting “Towards effective environmental governance: Access to information, participation, and justice” jointly organized by ParlAmericas and Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) was held on July 11, 2023, to examine the challenges and opportunities related to advancing environmental governance in the region.

As the regional agreement that recognizes, protects, and promotes the rights of access to information, participation, and justice in environmental matters, the Escazú Agreement is crucial in guiding inclusive and effective environmental governance in Latin America and the Caribbean. In this vein, the welcoming remarks by the Honourable Senator Rosa Galvez (Canada), President of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network on Climate Change, and the Honourable Valerie Woods, MP (Belize), Speaker of the House of Representatives and PGA Board Member highlighted the importance of parliamentary participation in the regional and global forums in which such agreements are negotiated.