:quality(75)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/elcomercio/QSUVAOY37ZAAVPVYQZBYFIG77Y.JPG "Escazú Agreement has just become Law in Colombia")
President Gustavo Petro sanctioned (endorsed) this Saturday afternoon the project by which the Escazú agreement is ratified, signed in 2019 by the government of Iván Duque, but which had not been ratified by the last Congress.
With the sanction by the head of state, this agreement becomes fully effective in Colombia and as such will be mandatory.
“It has been approved as law International Treaty of Escazú, which seeks to protect the environment and environmentalists. congratulations to Congress and to Colombian society”, said President Gustavo Petro after the approval
“Escazú is a treaty developed by 24 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean which seeks to improve “access to information, public participation and access to Justice in environmental matters in Latin America and the Caribbean”, according to the text of the agreement. in the Congress of the Republic of this international agreement.
I sign the Escazú treaty, it is already a law of the Republic.
Power to citizens to defend Life and Nature. pic.twitter.com/F2Ht4e5SxB
– Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) November 5, 2022
This agreement establishes the implementation of rights for public participation in environmental decision-making processes. And it is also key to protecting environmental leaders.
After the signing and approval of the agreement, Petro said that it guarantees any citizen access to information on state or private projects and initiatives that have to do with environmental damage.
He added that some protection criteria are established for activists and defenders of the environment in the country and some possibilities for society’s participation in decisions that affect the environment are determined.
Petro said that this is a law that “basically gives power” to citizens based on the defense of nature, the planet and life.
The sanction of the new law was made by President Gustavo Petro minutes before boarding a plane to Egypt, where he will participate in the COP27 environmental summit.
Source: Elcomercio
I, Ronald Payne, am a journalist and author who dedicated his life to telling the stories that need to be said. I have over 7 years of experience as a reporter and editor, covering everything from politics to business to crime.
