The Escazú Agreement, also known as the Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean, is an international treaty signed by 25 nations of the Americas.
This historic agreement represents a significant step forward in the protection of the environment and human rights in Latin America and the Caribbean. By promoting transparency and accountability, the agreement aims to increase public participation in decision-making processes, ensure that environmental decisions are made in the public interest, and hold decision-makers accountable for their actions. However, the effective implementation of the agreement in the Caribbean has been challenging due to various factors.
Almost 5 years after being adopted in Escazú, Costa Rica, there are still many barriers to effective implementation in the Caribbean region. Whether it’s the lack of awareness and understanding of the agreement among stakeholders, including government officials and the general public, the lack of political will, or the limited resources and capacity of governments and civil society organisations, it puts climate justice at risk.
The Escazú Agreement involves the participation of everyone in our region. This is why we are inviting you to join us in a Community Hangout to discuss the challenges of acceptance of the agreement in the Caribbean.
During this Community Hangout, you will get to hear from journalists, activists, Elected Representatives of the public, and researchers who have been working really closely towards the implementation of the Agreement in the Caribbean. Our speakers will also share their experiences and insights and possible solutions to overcome the many challenges.
We encourage you to join us and participate in this exciting event!
🗓 Thursday 23rd March, 2023
⏰ 11am (Suriname time) | 10am (Trinidad and Tobago time) | 9am (Jamaica time) | 8am (Belize time)
👩🏽💻 Join us on Zoom and Facebook LIVE
Meet our speakers
Danielle Andrade-Goffe, Jamaica
Danielle Andrade-Goffe is a Jamaican Attorney-at-Law and partner in the law firm Goffe Law with extensive experience in environmental law. Her areas of expertise include environmental policy, litigation, advocacy, legislative drafting and environmental law education.
From 2015 to 2022, she served as an Elected Representative of the Public for the Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters for Latin America and the Caribbean (The Escazú Agreement).
Nicole Leotaud, Trinidad and Tobago 
Nicole Leotaud has over 25 years of experience in environmental governance and management across the Caribbean. She is currently Executive Director of the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) and has also held positions in other non-profit organizations, government, the private sector, and academia. A conservation biologist by training, she has worked on participatory governance and management of terrestrial and marine ecosystems, green and blue economies, civil society space and strengthening, rural livelihoods, and local green-blue enterprises, building resilience to climate change and natural disasters, and environmental and climate justice.
André Habet, Belize 
André Habet is a freelance journalist and writer from Belize as well as a senior research assistant at the Sir Arthur Institute of Social and Economic Studies, working with Dr. Patricia Northover.
He has published articles in Belize’s national newspapers ‘The Reporter’ and ‘Amandala,’ and is currently a Climate Justice Journalism Fellow with Climate Tracker’s Caribbean team. He received his Ph.D. from Syracuse University in Composition and Cultural Rhetoric, where he completed a dissertation analyzing climate policy as a future narrative.
Adrián Martinez, Costa Rica 
Adrián is the Director and founder of La Ruta del Clima. Co-coordination of the Climate Action Network – Loss and Damage Working Group. Alexander von Humboldt – ICC Alumni. Ph.D. candidate at the University of Eastern Finland. Master in Environment, Development, and Peace. Researcher on public participation, human rights, loss and damage, and international climate law.
- Read also: Jamaica needs to ratify the Escazú Agreement
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