Statement on the Environmental Rule of Law at the Open Ended CPR

We welcome UNEP's work on environmental rule of law focused on advancing justice, governance and law for environmental sustainability.  This body of work lays the foundation for democratic governance and stronger environmental legal and policy frameworks.  Stronger environmental laws at the local, national and international levels are a sine qua non to addressing the environmental and inequity crisis facing our planet.  At the same time, a rights‐ based approach to environmental protection embeds the environmental rule of law in the transcendental values of justice, equality and non‐discrimination.