Towards greater transparency and citizen participation: The importance of the Escazú Agreement
“The Escazú Agreement represents a key opportunity for the democratisation of climate justice in Latin America and the Caribbean. While its implementation faces challenges in protecting environmental defenders, especially young people and children, it remains an urgent priority. Although obstacles persist, advancing its ratification and effective implementation, as in Colombia, can break the cycle of violence and impunity, ensuring the right of present and future generations to a healthy environment. With concrete actions, the agreement can become a driving force for a more just and resilient future.” – Juan David Amaya
What is the Escazú Agreement and why is it important for children’s rights?
The Escazú Agreement (child-friendly version) is a pioneering treaty in Latin America and the Caribbean that aims to guarantee the rights of access to information, public participation, and access to justice in environmental matters. In force since 2021, the Escazú Agreement is crucial for environmental protection and human rights in the region.
Last April, the Third Conference of the Parties (COP 3) to the Escazú Agreement convened in Chile to assess the progress, challenges, and the necessary steps for its effective implementation. As a Colombian environmental activist and advocate for children's rights, I participated in COP 3 to stress the urgency of my country's ratification and implementation of the Agreement, as well as to demand the inclusion of younger generations in decision-making processes.
Alongside over 700 participants - including State representatives, civil society organisations, youth activists and Indigenous environmental defenders - we engaged in high-level discussions on strengthening access to environmental information, public participation and justice in environmental matters.
The Escazú Agreement is a cornerstone for children's environmental rights, as it establishes clear mechanisms for their access to information, participation in environmental governance and protection when they take action as environmental or human rights defenders. Its implementation is critical, not only for safeguarding the right to a healthy environment, but for ensuring intergenerational equity and resilience in the face of ecological crisis.
Challenges faced by Colombia
Colombia is a country of stunning beauty, with landscapes ranging from the majestic Andes, to the Amazon rainforest and towards the Caribbean and Pacific coasts. Its extraordinary biodiversity also makes it one of the most ecologically diverse nations in the world.
However, the country also faces a severe crisis in terms of human rights and environmental protection. Colombia has repeatedly ranked as the most dangerous country in the world for environmental defenders, recording the highest number of killings globally, according to Global Witness (2024). Violence against those who protect the land and its ecosystems continues to rise, with numerous cases of threats, attacks, and criminalisation. In addition to violence, illegal mining, deforestation, and other unsustainable practices have led to alarming environmental degradation. The country’s diverse ecosystems and the presence of numerous Indigenous communities also make environmental governance more complex.
The ratification and implementation of the Escazú Agreement in Colombia are essential to addressing these environmental harms and human rights challenges.
While progress has been made to develop policies and mechanisms that better protect environmental defenders, challenges remain not only in Colombia but across the LAC region. There is a need for stronger coordination between organisations and institutions, as well as more inclusive and effective citizen participation.
What does proper implementation look like?
At COP 3, several key points were identified for effective implementation, including strengthening institutional capacities, securing adequate financial resources, and providing legal mechanisms for individuals and communities to seek redress for environmental harms. A strong emphasis was also placed on the protection of human rights defenders.
But words on paper must also translate into concrete actions at both national and international levels. We need a continued commitment to protect both the environment and human rights, along with the diverse groups of people who defend them. By working together, we can move towards a future where the principles of the Escazú Agreement are properly valued.
The protection of children acting as human rights defenders
At COP 3, States approved the Action Plan on Human Rights Defenders in Environmental Matters, a landmark instrument outlining specific measures to safeguard environmental defenders, including children and youth. While the plan provides a robust framework for safeguarding, a complementary protocol is needed to further strengthen protection measures, to ensure effective access to justice, and to guarantee reparations for those affected by environmental conflicts. This recommendation has been widely discussed among civil society and aligns with calls made by defenders during COP 3.
Child human rights defenders are increasingly at the forefront of environmental activism, raising their voices in witness as their futures are threatened. But this bravery is often met with threats, intimidation and even violence. The Escazú Agreement (together with the Action Plan on Human Rights Defenders) provides critical tools to address these risks. For example, the Plan includes provisions for establishing safe spaces where young defenders can share their experiences, access psychological and legal support, and receive training on risk prevention. The Agreement also emphasises the creation of educational programmes that raise awareness about the risks faced by environmental defenders and the role they play in upholding environmental and human rights.
Strengthening protection and participation
Despite these advances, further action is needed to ensure a comprehensive and rights-based approach to youth environmental leadership and protection.
Key recommendations include:
Establishing permanent safe spaces within national human rights institutions where young environmental defenders can access legal assistance, psychological support and security protocols.
Enhancing legal frameworks to explicitly recognise and protect child and youth environmental defenders, ensuring that cases of violence and intimidation are effectively investigated and sanctioned.
Expanding early warning systems and risk assessment mechanisms tailored to the realities of young defenders, particularly in high-risk regions.
Strengthening the role of youth champions and ensuring their direct engagement in the design and monitoring of public policies related to environmental governance.
Protecting people and planet
The Escazú Agreement is a key instrument for strengthening environmental democracy in Latin America and the Caribbean. Its ratification and implementation in Colombia would ensure greater protection for environmental defenders, effective access to justice in environmental matters and transparency. In a country where the climate crisis and biodiversity loss are urgent issues, advancing on Escazú is not an option - it is a necessity.
Juan David Amaya is a Climate Adviser at CRIN and a socio-environmental activist based in Colombia. He is a founding member of Life of Pachamama, working towards building a resilient, just, and equitable society.