Towards Implementing '10th Principle of Rio Declaration' in Japan

Ayako Fujii of the Nanohana Project Network
Copyright Makiko Imai

An international symposium on the 10th Principle of the Rio Declaration titled "Towards an Effective Guarantee of Green Access" and organized by the Green Access Project was held on March 30 and 31, 2013, in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, and introduced advanced domestic and international projects. The 10th Principle of the Rio Declaration, one of 27 principles adopted at the 1992 Earth Summit, stipulates citizens' rights to participate in decision-making and have access to information and to justice to bring about a sustainable society.

Ayako Fujii of the Nanohana Project Network reported on the network's activities since the 1970s, including nature conservation around Lake Biwa and nationwide production of biofuel from rapeseed blossoms. She communicated a powerful message, saying "One key to long-term collaboration between the public and government is to get everybody involved bybuilding a mechanism that is widely enjoyable and usable. If we can share thoughts with the government and media, they will continue to provide us with support." The Aozora Foundation, established following the lawsuit over air pollution in the Nishiyodogawa area, pointed out that citizens facing a pollution problem are often forced into a vulnerable position, because of the lack of timely information sharing as well as the time-consuming settlement process.

Japan has not yet ratified the Aarhus Convention, adopted in 1998 to implement the concepts of the 10th principle of the Rio Declaration. Participation by the public is also indispensable to solve nuclear power issues. The direction Japanese society chooses to take in the future will be a closely watched issue.

Makiko Imai
Rio+20 NGO Forum Japan
Environmental Partnership Council

Related JFS article:
NGO Network in Japan Works to Promote Aarhus Convention
After Rio+20 -- How to Deliver the Voices of Civil Society to Decision-makers?
Japanese Private Citizen Sector Efforts Toward Rio+20