Shaping our world

Every person of present and future generations has the right to live in an environment adequate for his or her health and well-being. Sustainable development, a key element of a healthy environment, is not just an abstract notion to be left to political leaders. It also requires active citizen participation in the environmental policy-making and implementation processes.

In 1998 European governments and the European Commission worked to empower their citizens by adopting the convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice, known also as the Aarhus Convention . This convention recognises the right to a healthy environment.

In order to contribute to the protection of that right, it acknowledges the following rights of citizens in environmental concerns.

Right to Know 

Right to Participate 

Right to Justice 


Questions and answers prepared by Svitlana Kravchenko and Mary Taylor
from the European ECO Forum
<www.participate.org>