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Environmental rights and conflicts over raw materials in Latin America: the Escazú Agreement is ready to come into force in 2021
Umweltrechte und Rohstoffkonflikte in Lateinamerika: das Escazú-Abkommen kann 2021 in Kraft treten
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Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik -SWP- Deutsches Institut für Internationale Politik und Sicherheit
Abstract On 5 November 2020 Mexico ratified the so-called Escazú Agreement, a treaty between Latin American and Caribbean states on establishing regional transparency and environment standards, as the eleventh country to do so. The prescribed quorum of ratifications has thus been attained, and the agreeme... view more
On 5 November 2020 Mexico ratified the so-called Escazú Agreement, a treaty between Latin American and Caribbean states on establishing regional transparency and environment standards, as the eleventh country to do so. The prescribed quorum of ratifications has thus been attained, and the agreement can come into force in 2021. This will launch an innovative multilateral instrument that is intended to create more citizen participation and improve the assertion of citizens’ rights in environmental matters. In Latin America, economic interests dominate when it comes to the exploitation of raw materials; furthermore, there is a large number of conflicts over resources. The agreement thus offers affected indigenous tribes and human-rights defenders more opportunities for information, participation and access to the justice system in environmental matters. Despite this binding first step, some leading countries in the region have so far failed to ratify the agreement. Many of them are reluctant to join, arguing that certain provisions violate their national sovereignty and their freedom of decision. For Germany and Europe, the agreement offers new leverage for drafting supply chain laws. (author's abstract)... view less
Keywords
Latin America; environmental law; international agreement; environmental protection; commodity policy; environmental damage; conflict potential; land law; indigenous peoples; political participation; human rights; economic policy; pressure-group politics
Classification
Special areas of Departmental Policy
International Relations, International Politics, Foreign Affairs, Development Policy
Free Keywords
Umweltschutzauflage; Normensetzungsfunktion internationaler Akteure; Rohstoffabbau; Transparenz politischer/administrativer Prozesse; Sozialer Konflikt; Ökologischer Konflikt; Staatsbürgerrechte; Zugang zur Justiz; Zugang zu Regierungsinformationen; Internationale wirtschaftliche Interessendivergenzen
Document language
English
Publication Year
2021
City
Berlin
Page/Pages
8 p.
Series
SWP Comment, 4/2021
DOI
https://doi.org/10.18449/2021C04
ISSN
1861-1761
Status
Published Version; reviewed
Licence
Deposit Licence - No Redistribution, No Modifications