Escazú and You: Know Your Rights
Every Grenadian has the right to a healthy environment.
The treaty states that “Each Party [to the Agreement] shall guarantee the right of every person to live in a healthy environment.” (article 4, page 5). This means that the state of Grenada is responsible for ensuring that all of its citizens have access to basic necessities that are not polluted or contaminated. Healthy air, water, and food are fundamental rights on par with other human rights like dignity, equality, and freedom. These things that we often take for granted – fresh air, clean beaches, natural spaces to recreate in, land to till and waters to fish – are indeed privileges, and the Escazú Agreement allows for these resources to be maintained for our collective benefit. This is what the right to a healthy environment means.
Thanks to the Escazú Agreement, all citizens have the right:
To a healthy environment, free of pollution and contamination
To request and receive accessible and comprehensible information about environmental issues, without having to declare a special interest, and to challenge if that information is denied
To transparency from government regarding information about environmental risks, including disclosure of whether government has the requested information
To be involved in discussions and decision-making processes that affect them and their immediate environment, including environmental impact assessments
To receive relevant information in a timely manner to allow them to prepare for decision-making processes
To a legal framework that allows them to comment on environmental information provided by government and private entities
To access counsel and be guaranteed fair procedures and effective remedies on matters of environmental justice
To not be discriminated against in legal processes
To be protected against retaliation, harassment, criminalization, and violence when speaking up about environmental issues
To uphold these rights, the State - in our case, Grenada - has several obligations to its people. The State has to:
Align national laws and policies with the principles of the Escazú Agreement.
Enhance institutional and technical capacities for effective implementation.
Develop and report on a national action plan relevant to the Escazú Agreement.
Establish monitoring mechanisms for tracking compliance and progress.
Collaborate and cooperate with international partners to promote environmental protection.
This process is not without its challenges. In-country implementation of the Escazú Agreement can be limited by financial and technical resources available in the state, political and industrial resistance to oversight and transparency, and ongoing threats to environmental defenders. However, if implemented successfully, it can strengthen environmental governance at all levels, improve public trust and relationships with government and development entities, and of course, increase protections for natural resources and the communities which depend on them.
Grenada's Status in implementing the Escazú Agreement
〰️
Grenada's Status in implementing the Escazú Agreement 〰️
Grenada signed the Escazú Agreement in September 2019 and ratified it in March 2023. Ratification is what gives a treaty “teeth” and makes it legally binding. As of March 2023, the state of Grenada is now accountable to its citizens and the rest of the Latin American and Caribbean region to comply with the principles of the Escazú Agreement.
The Government of Grenada has begun the process of implementing the Escazú Agreement locally, starting with a "Baseline Assessment of the Laws, Policies, and Practices in Grenada related to the Escazú Agreement". This assessment will inform the implementation roadmap, and the process is being guided by a national Project Steering Committee made up of key actors like the Ministry of Climate Resilience, the Environment and Renewable Energy, the Central Statistical Office, and Grenada Land Actors.
You can find the full document and details for providing feedback here: DRAFT_Cover page and Document Escazu Exec Summary 11_FEB_2025.pdf - Google Drive
-
These sources provide valuable insights into the Escazú Agreement and its role in environmental governance and human rights protection across Latin America and the Caribbean.
-
Links to articles in local media about the Agreement, written by GLA and other members of the public.