Trinidad & Tobago advances environmental rights with Escazú Agreement implementation, CANARI urges action

The Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) has expressed strong support for Trinidad and Tobago’s formal adoption of the Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean, known as the Escazú Agreement, which came into effect in the country on April 27, 2026. The organization describes this development as a significant milestone in advancing environmental democracy and safeguarding the fundamental right to a safe and healthy environment.

A CANARI press release noted the Government’s position, as outlined by Minister of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development, Dr. the Honourable Kennedy Swaratsingh, that accession reflects “… a clear and deliberate commitment to strengthening environmental governance, promoting transparency and ensuring that all citizens have a meaningful voice in environmental decision-making;”.

While welcoming this statement, the institute stressed that such commitments must now be translated into concrete and measurable outcomes.

The Escazú Agreement sets out binding obligations related to public access to environmental information, participation in decision-making processes, and access to justice. It also places particular emphasis on the protection and support of environmental defenders.

CANARI highlighted that effectively implementing these provisions goes beyond aligning policies, requiring meaningful reforms in how information is disseminated, how decisions are made, and how justice systems are accessed.

These changes, the organisation emphasized, are essential to upholding human rights, especially for vulnerable and frontline communities that are most affected by environmental challenges.

The institute also welcomed Minister Swaratsingh’s acknowledgment that implementation “is not a solitary effort,” as well as the Government’s intention to work alongside civil society and regional partners.

CANARI said it views this collaborative approach as critical to ensuring the Agreement delivers real impact, and the organization reaffirmed its readiness to assist the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, while continuing to work closely with civil society groups, community organisations and other stakeholders.

CANARI further underscored that the true value of the Escazú Agreement will be measured by tangible improvements in people’s everyday lives. Achieving this, it said, will require consistent political commitment, sufficient resources and active public involvement. Ultimately, the organisation stressed that success will not be defined by ratification alone, but by clear evidence of enhanced environmental governance and lasting benefits for both citizens and the environment.