COP 3 of the Escazú Agreement Reinforces the Commitment to Recognize, Protect and Promote All the Rights of Human Rights Defenders in Environmental Matters

• Sustainable development and human settlements

At the conclusion of the third meeting of the Conference of the Parties, the countries agreed on the urgency of integrating and strengthening the gender perspective in the Agreement and adopted various decisions regarding the regional treaty.

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The third meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 3) to the Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean- known as the Escazú Agreement - concluded today at the main headquarters of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), reinforcing the commitment to recognize, protect and promote all the rights of human rights defenders in environmental matters.

At this three-day meeting, the States Parties approved the Action Plan on Human Rights Defenders in Environmental Matters, an unprecedented road map that seeks to highlight a set of priority areas and implement strategic measures to advance towards the full and effective implementation of article 9 of the Escazú Agreement on human rights defenders in environmental matters.

Article 9 of the treaty establishes, among other things, that each Party shall guarantee a safe and enabling environment for human rights defenders in environmental matters to act free of threats, restrictions and insecurity. Parties must also take measures to recognize, protect and promote their rights and prevent, investigate and sanction attacks, threats or intimidation.

On the first day of the Conference, Dominica officially became the 16th State Party to the Escazú Agreement, upon confirming it had deposited its ratification at the United Nations headquarters in New York. Thus, the Caribbean nation joined forces with Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Grenada, Guyana, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Uruguay. Meanwhile, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Peru were among the countries that participated as observers.

The COP 3 of the Escazú Agreement brought together more than 700 people on site, between delegations from the 15 States Parties and nine observer countries; members of the public, including numerous young people and representatives of indigenous peoples; and officials from the United Nations and international organizations. Hundreds of people also followed the event online.

During the meeting's closing session, the Director of Legal Affairs at Uruguay's Environment Ministry and Chair of the Presiding Officers of the Escazú Agreement, Marcelo Cousillas, stressed that the treaty's national implementation is one of the main challenges faced by States Parties and called for working to persuade more countries to join the regional agreement.

"There are 33 countries that have been willing to participate in this gathering. We have more work ahead to invite them, help them and strengthen civil society in those countries, in order to enable an understanding of the scope and advantages of this agreement, which rests on dialogue and cooperation," he affirmed.

Meanwhile, Joara Marchezini, an elected representative of the public, acknowledged that while there is still much to be done, important progress has been made, such as the Action Plan on Human Rights Defenders in Environmental Matters, which will help change the future of the region.

"The future will be marked by the implementation," she indicated.

Anixh de Pablo, an indigenous leader from the Plurinational Ancestral Government of the Q'anjob'al, Chuj and Akateko peoples in Guatemala, demanded the inclusion of elements and mechanisms that would ensure indigenous peoples' participation. She also urged States Parties to create and institutionalize mechanisms for the full and effective participation of environmental defenders in their national plans, to allocate the resources needed to guarantee that participation, and to design processes for periodically evaluating those plans.

Carlos de Miguel, Officer-in-Charge of ECLAC's Sustainable Development and Human Settlements Division, called for continuing to build on this charted course together. He warned that there are still 183 million people living in poverty in the region, which means there is still much work to be done.

"Latin America and the Caribbean has to change its development model so it can grow without affecting the environment. We must invest more and better and create quality jobs so that everyone can have well-being. This means implementing the Escazú Agreement in territories," he emphasized.

The final day of this meeting included a special session on access to justice in environmental matters - one of Latin America and the Caribbean's major challenges - and another on the importance of ensuring optimal public participation in environmental impact assessment.

At the COP 3, the States Parties approved a draft decision in which they welcome all measures, initiatives and activities aimed at integrating and strengthening the gender perspective in matters related to the Escazú Agreement. They also encourage Parties to continue to promote the full and effective participation of women in all their diversity, including indigenous women, and the incorporation of a gender equality perspective into the Agreement's implementation.

In addition, the countries renewed for another two years the mandate of the current Presiding Officers of the Conference, made up of Uruguay as Chair along with Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Mexico and Saint Lucia as Vice-Chairs.

The fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Escazú Agreement will take place on April 22-24, 2026 at ECLAC's headquarters in Santiago, Chile.

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