PREPARATORY MEETING OF EXPERTS

 

First Floor Meeting Room

Palais Wilson

Geneva

Monday 14-Tuesday 15 2002

 

Chair: Judge Thomas Mensah

 

Joint Rapporteurs: Prof. Philippe Sands and Dr Adriana Fabra

 

Monday 14 January 2002

 

08.45-09.00

 

Welcome: Mr Z Kedzia, OHCHR.

 

09.00-11.00

Session 1

Introduction, overview and theoretical framework

Professor Dinah Shelton

Introduce the theoretical linkages between human rights and environmental issues. Set out the human rights and environmental frameworks at the international level, noting differences of each, similarities,  what one can learn from the other, and the historic lack interaction. Provide and overview of the developments since Rio at international and selected domestic levels. Look at the way Rio principles have affected the international debate on human rights and the environment.

 

11.00-11.15

 

Coffee

 

11.15-12.30

Session 2

Integration in the decision-making of international agencies

Dr Adriana Fabra

How has the approach to HR+Env developed in the UN agencies and other international organisations (incl. WB, IMF) since Rio. Look at the HR approach taken towards environmental issues in a growing number of policy review mechanisms, including the Dams Commission and WB Inspection Panel.

 

12.30-14.00

Lunch

Lunch Hosted by the High Commissioner for Human Rights

 

14.00-15.30

Session 4

An integrated normative approach

Justice P. N. Bhagwati

Consider the trends of including human rights and environment issues in national constitutions and examples of how the two have been integrated in national case law.

 

15.30-15.45

 

Coffee

 

15.45-17.00

Session 5

Information, participation, and access to justice: the model of

Aarhus

Professor Jonas Ebbesson

Highlight the particular success of Rio in inspiring ‘procedural’ rights relating to information, participation and access to justice. Focus on the model of Aarhus and possibilities for similar instruments outside Europe.

 

17.00-17.15

 

Break

 

17.15-18.30

Session 6

Human rights and environmental issues in the context of sustainable development

Prof Philippe Sands

The integrated approach to HR+env in Rio came out of the sustainable development debate.  Coinsider future linkages between the two.

 

 

 

Tuesday 15 January 2002

 

 

09.00-10.00

Session 7

Human rights and environmental issues in the context of sustainable development

(Con’t)

 

10.00-10.15

 

Coffee

 

10.15-11.30

Session 8

Human rights, environment and indigenous populations

Saami rep, Prof EI Daes

Consider the special position of indigenous populations in both the environment and human rights debates. Identify lessons from how both debates intersect in the context of indigenous populations.

 

11.45-13.00

Session 9

Obstacles to integration

Professor Michael Anderson

What has experience shown to be the obstacles and challenges to the integration of HR+Env?

 

13.00-14.15

 

Lunch – independent

 

14.15-17.00

Session 10

Drafting of the Preparatory Meeting’s output document

 

 

 

 

 

Expert Seminar on Human Rights and the Environment

Palais Wilson

14-16 January 2002

 

External participants

 

1.                  du Bois, Francois, Prof,

2.                  Fabra, Adriana, Dr,

3.                  Shelton, Dinah, Prof,

4.                  Bhagwati, P. N., Justice,

5.                  Mischenko, Vera, Ms,

6.                  Kamto, Maurice, Prof,

7.                  Szekely, Francisco, Dr,

8.                  Kravchenko, Svitlana, Prof,

9.                  Ouhachi-Vesely, Fatma-Zohra

10.              Anderson, Michael

11.              Momtaz, Djamchid

12.              Oposa, Anthony

13.              Mensah, Thomas

14.              Mehta, M. C.

15.              Sands, Philippe

16.              Daes, Erica Irene

17.              Razzaque, Jona

18.              Asenjo, Rafael 

19.              de Botero, Margarita Marino

20.              Hassan, Parvez

21.              Ebbesson, Jonas

22.              Lamba, Davinder

23.              Bächler, Günther

24.              Lador, Yves

25.              Kiss, Alexandre

26.              Mr Daniel Taillant