Événement Réunion d'organe d'administration
8th session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention, 5th session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol on PRTRs, their joint High-level Segment and associated meetings
17 Nov 2025 – 21 Nov 2025
Lieu: Palais des Nations | Room Tempus
The eighth session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus Convention), the fifth session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (Protocol on PRTRs), their joint High-level Segment and associated meetings will take place in meeting Room Tempus, Palais des Nations from 17 to 21 November 2025.
About this Session
The eighth session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus Convention), the fifth session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (Protocol on PRTRs), their joint High-level Segment and associated meetings will take place at Room Tempus, Palais des Nations from 17 to 21 November 2025.
The five-day series of meetings in Geneva will bring together around 300 representatives of Governments, international organizations, civil society and other stakeholders to discuss achievements and remaining challenges in advancing transparency, public participation in decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters. The meetings will provide a platform for Parties, Signatories, international organizations, civil society and other stakeholders to discuss achievements and challenges in effectively engaging the public in promoting environmental democracy, digital transformation, circular economy and sustainable development.
The two upcoming sessions will feature a Joint High-level Segment where delegations will focus on the role of the Aarhus Convention and its Protocol in advancing public rights to tackle the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. Through the joint declaration, they will reaffirm their commitment to promote environmental democracy and its key components, such as, access to information, public participation in decision-making, access to justice and protection of environmental defenders, as essential prerequisites for building a sustainable future for present and future generations. → Consult the draft declaration.
A number of substantive decisions are expected to be adopted at the events, together with the future work programmes guiding the activities of both treaties in the next intersessional period for 2026-2029.
Side Events
A series of side events will be organized on the margins of the eighth session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention, the fifth session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol on PRTRs and their Joint High-level Segment taking place in a hybrid or online format from 17 to 21 November 2025.
The side events will cover a wide range of important topics. Their informal setting will allow participants to share diverse experiences related to the implementation of the Aarhus Convention and the Protocol on PRTRs, fostering mutual learning and exchange. → Register for the side events via this form.
- Regression, non-regression and conflict of interest in climate policy: the role of the Aarhus Convention in climate law and policy accountability
17 November, 13:30-14:45 CET | Room H.207-208-209 and Online, English only | EJNI, Green Legal Impact, EarthJustice, CIEL, ClientEarth, Wildlife and Countryside Link
The side event will focus on the role of the Convention in climate law and policy accountability. - The Aarhus Convention on the ground: implementation and adaptation of the principles of environmental democracy
18 November, 8:30-9:45 CET | Room H.207-208-209 and Online, English only | Arnika, Socio-Ecological Fund and other partners
The side event will discuss the progress of the Aarhus Convention from the perspective of civil society, presenting various reports on the implementation of the Convention. - Defending the Planet, Defending Rights: Women Leading Environmental Justice
18 November, 8:30-9:45 CET | Online, Zoom (separate registration), English only | UN Women
The side event will will highlight the voices and experiences of Women Environmental Human Rights Defenders from Armenia, Ukraine, and Kyrgyzstan, exploring how the Aarhus Convention’s pillars—access to information, participation, and justice—can advance feminist climate justice. - Promoting transparency and participatory approaches to biosafety-related decision-making
18 November, 13:30-14:45 CET | Room H.207-208-209 and Online, English only | UNECE, CBD, Austria
The side event will aim to celebrate the entry into force of the GMO Amendment and raise awareness of the Amendment’s provisions and their role in promoting transparency and participatory approaches to biosafety-related decision-making. - Defending the defenders: Awareness raising, Testimonies and Mutual Learning
19 November, 8:30-9:45 CET | Room H.207-208-209 and Online, English only | EEB, Arnika, Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland and other partners (BE LIFE project) - Children, youth and Aarhus rights in the light of the growing recognition of the right to a healthy environment
19 November, 13:30-14:45 CET | Room H.207-208-209 and Online, English only | YEE, CRIN, CIEL, Earthjustice, Slovenia
The side event will explore how the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment can strengthen the implementation of procedural rights under the Convention with a special focus on children and youth. - The role of the Aarhus Centres in advancing Convention’s implementation
20 November, 8:30-9:45 CET | Room H.207-208-209 and Online, English only | OSCE - Multistakeholder support for Escazu and Aarhus implementation
20 November, 13:30-14:45 CET | Room H.207-208-209 and Online, English only | World Bank, UNDP, ECLAC, UNECE
The side event will discuss the challenges and opportunities of promoting multistakeholder and cross-regional cooperation. The session will also showcase good practices related for enhancing access to information, public participation, and access to justice in environmental matters. - Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTRs) in Action: Tools and Country Experiences
21 November, 13:15-14:45 CET | Room H.207-208-209 and Online (separate registration), English only | OECD, IOMC - Mesurer l’effectivité du droit de l’environnement: le rôle des indicateurs juridiques dans une démocratie environnementale
21 November, 19:00-20:30 CET | Online, Zoom, French only | CIDCE
Highlights
Links
- 8th session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention, 5th session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol on PRTRs, their joint High-level Segment and associated meetings
- Press release: Governments and stakeholders reaffirm environmental democracy as cornerstone for tackling the triple planetary crisis | UNECE | 24 November 2025
- Press Release: Governments and civil society to discuss advancing transparency, public participation and access to justice in environmental matters at Geneva meetings | UNECE | 10 November 2025
- Environmental Human Rights Defenders and the Role of Geneva | GEN