1 December 2014: Participants examined progress in executing Articles 4 and 6 of the UNFCCC, which address engagement of stakeholders and public access to information at the national level, at a side event held on the sidelines of the Lima Climate Change Conference. ‘Engaging the Public in Climate Decision-Making: Learning from Local and National Experiences,’ emphasized the need to promote principles of equity, non-discrimination, accountability and redress.

The University of Lapland, Earthjustice, the Governance, Environment and Markets (GEM) Initiative and Centre for International Sustainable Development Law (CISDL) co-organized the event. Moderator Sébastien Jodoin, McGill University, noted it was the first in a series of events addressing the implementation of UNFCCC Article 6 (education, training and public awareness).

Sam Leiva, Climate Action Network (CAN), Latin America, described good practices in Chile, noting the government’s early engagement of civil society in the formulation of the national climate change action plan and inclusion of civil society representatives in official delegations. Maximo Ba Tiul, Consejo de Pueblos de Tezulutlán, Guatemala, emphasized close interlinkages between climate change and indigenous rights struggles.

Karen Holm Olsen, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), highlighted examples of good practice in promoting procedural rights in mitigation mechanisms such as the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), including: incorporating environmental and social safeguards and minimizing risks to investments in REDD+; and the inclusion of non-governmental organizations on the Green Climate Fund’s (GCF) board.

Sébastien Duyck, University of Lapland, discussed the international framework for procedural rights in climate policies, noting most progress has taken place at the regional level. He highlighted the recent decision by Latin American countries to negotiate a regional instrument on access to information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters.

Participants then convened in three breakout sessions to discuss ways of enhancing public engagement. The groups highlighted the need for, inter alia: inclusive, non-discriminatory, timely and accessible information and communication processes; addressing power imbalances by reaching out “beyond the usual suspects,” strengthening youth involvement and sharing good practices across regions; avoiding “siloing” of Article 6 issues; and translating technical concepts into accessible language.

The University of Lapland’s Northern Institute for Environmental and Minority Law, CISDL and Earthjustice are partners of the Human Rights and Climate Change Working Group, which works to promote human rights under the UNFCCC and its mechanisms. [IISD RS ENBOTS Coverage] [IISD RS Coverage of Lima Climate Change Conference] [Human Rights and Climate Change Working Group Website] [University of Lapland Website] [CISDL Website] [Earthjustice Website] [GEM Initiative Website]