THIRD WORLD NETWORK BIOSAFETY INFORMATION SERVICE
Dear Friends and Colleagues
Pocket Guide to Support Effective Access to Information and Public Participation Regarding LMOs/GMOs
This pocket guide is an informal tool that seeks to help Governments and stakeholders strengthen their capacities for effective access to information and public participation in decision-making processes regarding living modified organisms (LMOs)/genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
The pocket guide was developed primarily for countries that are Parties to both the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity (Cartagena Protocol) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus Convention), including its amendment on public participation in decisions on the deliberate release into the environment and placing on the market of genetically modified organisms (GMO amendment).
The Aarhus Convention’s aim to promote access to information and public participation is closely related to article 23 of the Cartagena Protocol, which requires that Parties promote and facilitate public awareness, education and participation concerning the safe transfer, handling and use of LMOs in relation to the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, also taking into account risks to human health.
Section 1 of the guide describes the benefits of providing effective access to information and public participation in decision-making. Section 2 highlights systemic challenges countries may come across when seeking to advance on public participation and access to information. Section 3 describes priority areas to improve access to information and public participation to better implement the Aarhus Convention, its GMO amendment and the Cartagena Protocol.
The guide can be downloaded here: https://bch.cbd.int/protocol/outreach/Pocket%20Guide.pdf
With best wishes,
Third World Network
131 Jalan Macalister
10400 Penang
Malaysia
Email: twn@twnetwork.org
Websites: http://www.twn.my/and http://www.biosafety-info.net/
To subscribe to other TWN information services: www.twnnews.net