21st EU-NGO Forum 2019
Human Rights: Building a Fair Environmental Future
Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, Rue du Fossé aux Loups 47B, 1000 Brussels
Tuesday 3 December 2019
09.00 -09.30
Opening remarks
Eamon Gilmore, EU Special Representative for Human Rights
09.30 -10.30
PLENARY Session I
Human Rights for good environmental decision making - Insights from the Escazú Agreement and the Aarhus Convention
Moderator: Henriette Geiger, Director DEVCO B – People and Peace, European Commission
Jonas Ebbesson, Chairperson of the Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee, Sweden
Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples
Claudelice Silva dos Santos, Sakharov finalist, Human rights and environmental activist, Brazil
10.30 –11.00
BREAK
11.00 -13.00
Access to information and freedom of expression
Institutional, legal and political challenges in access to information at the national level, identifying key allies and opponents. Case studies dealing with access to information and free prior and informed consent of indigenous peoples, as well as access to information from the perspective of a campaigning CSO and an investigative journalist project.
Moderator Tom Gibson, CPJ
Keynote: Marc Giacomini, DMD Global, EEAS
Keynote: Jeremy Wates, Secretary General of the European Environmental Bureau, former Secretary to the Aarhus Convention
Panellists
Joan Carling, Indigenous Peoples Major Group (Philippines/Denmark)
Laurent Richard, Journalist, Green Blood investigation, France
Patricia Gualinga, Indigenous activist from the Ecuadorian Amazon
Laura Bretea, Policy Officer, Freedom of Expression and Media, European Commission
Imelda Abano, Journalist and Founding President Philippine Network of Environmental Journalist (PNEJ)
Due diligence – Emerging practices and challenges
How much do the EU’s business and human rights agenda, partner country policies and Corporate Social Responsibility contribute to environmental human rights? What is the role of environmental HRDs and consumer rights activists?
Moderator: Debbie Stothard, FIDH
Panellists
Luisa Ragher, EEAS Global 1
Olivier De Schutter, Université Catholique de Louvain
Elard Selestine Mawala, IPIS, Tanzania
Ingrid Thorsnes, Senior Adviser for the Council on Ethics for the Government Pension Fund Global
Xavier Sol{/tip}, Director, Counter Balance
Risks and solutions to protect and empower environmental HRDs
Identifying key risks faced by environmental HRDs and their coping and survival strategies | reviewing international and regional policy responses and good practices to protect environmental HRDs
Moderator: Chiara Adamo, European Commission
Keynote: Michel Forst: “risks facing environmental HRDs worldwide”
Live testimonies from NGOs
Sharif Jamil, Buriganga Riverkeeper, Bangladesh
Neftali Reyes Menez
Promo Somwong ( Bee)
Protection International Thailand Representative
Presentation of key mechanisms:
Jaime Vidal Melero, Inter-American Commission
Furkat Tishaev, Office of CoE Commission for HR
Heller Waltraud,FRA
Christine Mardirossian, European Commission
Federica Donati, Coordinator of the Equality, Non-Discrimination and Participation Unit, OHCHR
13.00 -14.30
LUNCH
14.30 -17.00
Coffee break included
Open Forum
The first 30 minutes will be used to identify participants’ priorities, followed by a moderated discussion.
YOUTH
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
WOMEN
17.00 - 17:30
Keynote speech
Josep Borrell, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice President of the Commission, European External Action Service, European External Action Service (EEAS)
17.30 -18.00
‘Starlight Stadium’ Game
18.00 -19.00
Cocktail reception
Wednesday 4 December 2019
08:00 - 09:00
‘Starlight Stadium’ Game
09:00 - 09:30
Opening Remarks
Jutta Urpilainen, Commissioner for International Partnerships, European Commission
Kate Gilmore, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights , Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
09.30 -10.30
PLENARY Session II
Looking into the future: Human Rights and Environment Nexus
Moderator: Lotte Knudsen, Managing Director, European External Action Service
Mr Diwigdi Valiente, Climate Activist, Guna indigenous peoples of Central America, Panama
Drici Tani Younes, Envrionmental Activist, Initiator social media challenge #Trashtag, Algeria
Salla Saastamoinen, Director DG JUST Dir. A Civil and Commercial Justice, European Commission
Video message from David Boyd, United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment
10.30 –11.00
BREAK
11.00 -13.00
Regional working groups on human rights and environment
An opportunity for direct exchange between NGOs and relevant personalities, as well as regional networking. Using the ‘speed dating’ approach, the session will address the most pressing challenges identified by the participants in the different regions.
ASIA/PACIFIC (EN) | AFRICA (EN, FR) | NEIGHBOURHOOD EAST & CENTRAL ASIA (EN) | MIDDLE EAST & NORTH AFRICA, ARAB-PERSIAN GULF (EN, FR) | AMERICAS (EN, ES) |
Regional working groups on human rights and environment
An opportunity for direct exchange between NGOs and relevant personalities, as well as regional networking. Using the ‘speed dating’ approach, the session will address the most pressing challenges identified by the participants in the different regions.
ASIA/PACIFIC (EN)
AFRICA (EN, FR)
NEIGHBOURHOOD EAST & CENTRAL ASIA (EN)
MIDDLE EAST & NORTH AFRICA, ARAB-PERSIAN GULF (EN, FR)
AMERICAS (EN, ES)
13.00 -14.30
LUNCH
14.30 -16.00
Brief presentation and discussion of success stories in civil society and indigenous peoples’ participation in consultation and policy debates, and in ensuring accountability of officials and private sector actors.
Moderator: Nadia Costantini, EEAS
Panellists
{tip title="Dmitry Berezhkov" content="Dmitry Berezhkov, UiT Master Student and Former Vice-President of the Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East (RAIPON)."}Dmitry Berezhkov, indigenous activist from Kamchatka, Russia
Trinh Le Nguyen, PanNature, Vietnam
Leslie Amanzuru, Friends of Zoka, Uganda
Maria Isabel Dajome Banguera, Fenix Recycling Association, Colombia
Marie-Ange Kalenga, Campaigner, FERN
An exchange of views on the options available to environmental HRDs, based on recent case studies of judicial redress, complaints to an ombudsman, corporate internal mechanisms and mediation.
Moderator:Debbie Stothard, FIDH
Panellists
Patrycja Pogodzinska, Project Manager – Legal Research, European Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA)
Miriam Miranda, Indigenous leader, OFRANEH, Honduras
Rizwana Hassan, Director of Bangladesh Environment Lawyers' Association
Maya Barkhudaryan, Analyst, Civil Society Institute, Armenia
Brief presentations of success stories and identification of key factors.
Keynote: Hannah Neumann, MEP
Moderator: Chiara Adamo, European Commission
Testimony
Representatives from civil society will present a two minute testimonial on creative new ways of engagement
Hernán Saenz Cortés, Innovative collective protection initiatives OXFAM
Mauricio Angel, Protection International
Rachel Owens, Head of EU Office, Global Witness, Belgium
16.00 -16.30
BREAK
16.30 -17.00
Closing Session
Marjeta Jager, Deputy Director-General, DG DEVCO, European Commission
Christian Leffler, Deputy Secretary General, European External Action Service