The fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Escazú Agreement will take place in-person between April 21 and 24, 2026, in Nassau, Bahamas. It will be broadcast live.

UNDP LAC invites the following official virtual parallel events:

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TUESDAY, APRIL 21

9:00–10:30 a.m. (Bahamas)

Fostering Access to Environmental Justice through Open Justice: Lessons, Innovations and Pathways for Reform

Organized by: RIJA AND UNDP

Virtual via registration: https://forms.gle/cdpiknoaNrxFpxAi8

Language: English

As part of COP4 of the Escazú Agreement, the International Open Justice Network (RIJA) and UNDP in Latin America and the Caribbean are promoting a space for dialogue on one of the region's major challenges: how to strengthen access to environmental justice from an open-justice approach.

The meeting will bring together representatives from international organizations and the justice system to share experiences, identify common challenges and reflect on reform opportunities that place people at the center.

THURSDAY, APRIL 23

9:00–10:30 a.m. (Bahamas)

Regional Access to Justice: Lessons from the Escazú Agreement and the Aarhus Convention

Organized by: UNEP, World Bank, UNDP, and UNECE

Virtual via registration: Meeting Registration - Zoom

Language: English

The side event will offer an opportunity for representatives of the Parties to the Escazú Agreement and the Aarhus Convention, together with justice operators, legal professionals, civil society organizations, youth defenders and the academy, to discuss the challenges and opportunities to promote interregional and multi-stakeholder cooperation.

In particular, the session aims to present practical approaches, share good practices, and identify capacity-building needs related to improving access to justice in environmental matters. By articulating experiences from Europe and the Latin America and Caribbean regions, the event seeks to strengthen legal and institutional frameworks to effectively protect environmental rights and safeguard human rights defenders in environmental matters

FRIDAY, APRIL 24

9:00–10:30 a.m. (Bahamas)

Innovative Approaches to Access to Information and Participation: Good Practices and Lessons Learned from UNDP Environmental Projects in Latin America and the Caribbean
 

Virtual via registration: Meeting Registration - Zoom

Language: Spanish with translation into English

The objective of this virtual side event is to highlight good practices and lessons learned from a broad range of environmental projects implemented by UNDP in the region that have promoted the principles of the Escazú Agreement, in particular access to environmental information, public participation in environmental decision-making, and access to environmental justice.

The sharing of these experiences will enable other countries and initiatives to learn from the innovative approaches adopted to operationalize these standards and strengthen the social and environmental benefits. The main target audience of the event will therefore be the governments of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Access the side events agenda here.