Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Access to justice in environmental matters'

This thesis brings together six works published between 2003 and 2007 which consider public involvement in environmental matters. The later works focus on access to justice, one of three elements of public involvement. The works support the thesis that aspects of public involvement and, in particular access to justice in environmental matters, remain elusive for many individuals and groups in society; something that is inconsistent with both domestic and international law. They include analysis of why the need for participation arises and how it should be secured. By publishing primary research and new commentary the publications identify the gaps in the provision of public involvement in environmental matters and offer options for change. They have also informed further research and debate. The publications are brought together in this submission in chronological order, which illustrates how the hypothesis develops. The works are critically appraised in an introductory chapter. Public involvement is first discussed in The Prestige oil disaster, another example of the West living beyond its means (Environmental Law & Management 15[2003]1 16 (Jan 2003). LawText Publishing, Banbury, UK) and sets the backdrop for the later works. It highlights some of the key environmental problems of our time including, for instance, that environmental protection remains subservient to the pursuit economic development. Getting to the real EIA (Journal of Environmental Law, (2003) Vol 15, No. 2, p. 141 Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK) considers the role of public involvement in major land use development decision making by analysing one of the key participatory areas of public involvement; environmental impact assessment (EIA). EIA places emphasis on access to information and public participation in helping to prevent rather than alleviate adverse socio-environmental impacts. It is argued in Getting to the real F£IA that for the major development projects requiring EIA, public participation is nominal in nature and that, often, IS entirely absent. While Getting to the real EIA considers information and participation, access to justice is the focus of the third work; Civil law aspects of environmental justice ((2003) Environmental Law Foundation, London, UK). The work is based upon primary research which was necessary once it became evident that there was little, if any, data on how effective the judicial system is in securing access to environmental justice. The search conclusions were critical of the present judicial system highlighting that, in practice, a legal remedy was often unavailable to individuals and communities in challenging environmental decisions and resolving environmental problems; the most significant barrier being prohibitive expense. This was to such an extent that the UK Government was not meeting its international obligations. The failure to provide effective access to the courts as highlighted in Civil law aspects prompted the publication of the later work; The cost of doing the rights thing (Environmental Law & Management 16[2004]2 p. 59 (Mar 2004). LawText Publishing, Banbury, UK) which reviews the problems of access to environmental justice and then proposes innovative ways of starting to resolve those inherent in the legal justice system, including liability for an opponent's costs' if any legal challenge is ultimately unsuccessful. As the arguments surrounding funding constraints on access to justice were crystallising, the need to produce a substantive text clarifying the environmental rights and responsibilities of all interested parties became clear. This prompted the publication of A Practical Approach to Environmental Law ((2005). OUP, Oxford, UK) which is, in the main, a practitioner's text. However, the text also seeks to explain and raise awareness of the environmental rights that are available in the UK and the notion that public involvement in environmental decision-making has a central role. For instance, Chapter .2 Environmental rights and principles which is incorporated into this submission, outlines the main aspects of information, participation and access to justice and explains their relevant judicial and governmental application. While A Practical Approach to Environmental Law is novel in its comprehensive approach, its primary purpose is to inform readers, in an objective way, of the present legal position. Its inclusion in this submission is to illustrate how the arguments raised in the earlier publications have been presented to a wide audience. The final published work, ‘Current concerns in environmental decision making’ (Journal of Environment and Planning Law [2007] p. 536 Sweet & Maxwell, London, UK), places the argument of limitations of access to justice alongside the parallel and associated problems of an unwilling public protector and a conservative judiciary. It revisits the need for public participation in environmental matters by highlighting the reluctance of public bodies and the courts to take the issue of environmental justice seriously. It also argues that recent efforts in access to justice are largely superficial and that fundamental change remains necessary. The final paper was presented at the University of Kent, Critical Lawyer's Conference on 24 February 2007. The submitted works follow a distinct .theme by exploring the application of public involvement in environmental matters highlighting what is the main criticism of the public participatory provision in the UK the provision of access to the courts without prohibitive expense. The works have also been directly related to practical experience and work in seeking to improve the position. In drawing the published works together in one volume it has been helpful to outline some of the underlying issues relating to public involvement including what is meant by public participation, any levels and limitations to the rights now said to be conferred. This analysis has been provided in an expanded introduction which also includes a' critical appraisal of the main published works. Paul Stookes 22nd April 2008

In 1992, Caribbean states were among over 150 states, who adopted, by consensus, the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development. Principle 10 of that Declaration emphasises the role of participatory rights at a national level in the achievement of the goal of sustainable development. It articulates what are now commonly referred to as the three 'pillars' of procedural participation in environmental matters: access to information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice. In the two decades which have followed since the Rio Declaration, regional studies have demonstrated that Caribbean countries continue to struggle with the meaningful implementation of these procedural environmental rights. The focus of this study will be on the evaluation of the mechanisms relating to access to justice and public participation in two Commonwealth Caribbean countries: Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica. The objective is to understand the gaps or deficiencies which exist in the legal frameworks of the selected states which may create barriers to the effective implementation of these access rights. The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters will be used as the primary yardstick to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the current domestic regimes. Finally, recommendations for reform are made which can help to improve the strength and implementation of the procedural rights in the selected jurisdictions.

Every person is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in international human rights instruments without distinction of any kind: this includes race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. In particular, every person is entitled to access justice to vindicate his or her rights. Although age is not expressly mentioned as one of the prohibited grounds of discrimination, particular provisions provide for special legal protection for minors. In addition, other particular instruments have been adopted to protect the rights of minors. The right to an effective judicial remedy for acts violating fundamental rights is guaranteed to minors by human rights instruments. The notion of ‘access to justice’ is used here in reference to an individual’s opportunity to enjoy equal access to legal services necessary for the protection of one’s rights and interests regardless of one’s means. It also implies the mechanism by which an individual may seek legal assistance including, among other things, drafting formal documents (wills, contracts), In reality,the effective enjoyment of rights is not possible when the holders of the rights have limited access to justice, i.e. access to judicial remedies in cases where their rights have been violated.
Thesis (LLM (Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa)) -- University of Pretoria, 2011.
http://www.chr.up.ac.za/
nf2012
Centre for Human Rights
LLM

The South African law and legal system can and should be a mechanism through which the lives of all resident there are enhanced through the safeguarding and advancement of the fundamental rights guaranteed in its Bill of Rights. This thesis focuses on ‘legal aid’ service delivery (broadly speaking) for the indigent in a particular locality by and through registered law clinics, other legal services providers and via other means in civil rather than criminal matters. In this regard there continue to be very substantial differences between the proper access to civil justice requirements of constitutional South Africa and the actual situation which has existed since the dawn of South Africa’s democratic era which continues unabated. Justice and equality are promised to all in South Africa, yet due to gaps in the ‘net’ of free legal services provided to the indigent, the ability to pay for legal services in civil cases often remains the deciding factor. This study examines the constitutional obligations which, it is argued, apply to the provision of free civil legal services to impoverished people in South Africa. This research considers the law as a vector for necessary positive transformation in the daily lives of those resident in South Africa, which is considered within the country’s woefully unequal socio-economic situation. It builds upon existing research and court authority which show the function of access to justice as an important promoter of the type of society envisaged by the South African Constitution - one where the enjoyment of justice and equality are within the reach of all. However, at present, if one can afford the expensive services of lawyers in civil matters, then access to justice is far more readily attainable. But the opposite is true where someone is denied meaningful access to justice through a lack of legal representation because they cannot afford prohibitively high lawyers’ costs (and disbursements) and no adequate alternatives are provided for by the state or through other means. In these circumstances a vulnerable, unrepresented litigant in a civil case faces a greatly increased likelihood of being denied proper access to a daunting and intricate legal system. There are two main reasons for concentrating on free legal services to the ‘needy’ in civil rather than criminal matters. In the first place, all available statistics show that a huge proportion of legal aid services in South Africa has been and continues to be dispensed in criminal rather than civil cases. Secondly, there has been minimal research or case authority in South Africa on legal aid and other free legal services for impoverished people in civil matters. This thesis examines the state of free civil legal service provision and the need for such assistance within the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, one of South Africa’s largest metropoles. This analysis includes an empirical study of the requests for free civil legal services in a particular year by qualifying potential clients in eThekwini and the degree to which free legal service providers are meeting or failing to meet those needs. The study considers the legal service provision in such matters by legal non-governmental organisations, state-supported legal service providers and the work of legal professionals in private practice acting pro bono. The thesis then proposes a model for eThekwini for coordinating (and concurrently improving) civil legal aid services, pro bono legal work and other forms of free legal assistance - like community service by senior law students and law graduates - in response to the particular needs and circumstances facing the indigent there. When referring to the concept of ‘legal aid services’, this research concentrates on legal advice, assistance and representation to indigent clients. However, the promotion of legal rights awareness to such clients is often necessary to open their eyes to the possibility of legal avenues, where appropriate, to improve their situations. Therefore this study also considers - albeit to a lesser degree - this more indirect form of legal assistance through the dissemination of legal knowledge in an accessible form to clients who would qualify for legal aid assistance. The work concludes by briefly postulating the likely appropriateness (and/or limitations) of the aforementioned ‘free civil legal service model for the indigent’ beyond eThekwini.

Obesity is a growing issue in the United States, and it affects millions of people. Obesity-related illness accounts for billions of dollars in medical expenses each year, heightening the need for prevention and intervention strategies. Physical activity is essential in maintaining a healthy weight, yet population groups have unequal access to physical activity opportunities. This research utilizes an environmental justice framework to examine variations in access and quality of recreational facilities among different socio-demographic groups in Danville, VA. Data for this research include secondary and primary sources. Race data were obtained from the 2010 U.S. Census. The Physical Activity Resource Assessment (PARA) tool was utilized to audit all recreational facilities within the City of Danville for features, amenities, and incivilities. Telephone survey data provided individual level-BMI, physical activity minutes per week, and variables of socioeconomic status, including income, education attainment, employment status, and gender. Analysis included ANOVAs, linear, and bivariate logistic regression. Predominant block group race was a significant predictor of incivilities at physical activity outlets. Proximity to recreational facilities was not a predictor of physical activity or BMI. Interventions must be made to improve the quality of recreational facilities in black or African American block groups.
Master of Science

Master of Public Health
Department of Kinesiology
Andrew T. Kaczynski
Background: Parks are key community assets for promoting physical activity, especially in low income areas where other accessible, low cost resources may not be available. However, some evidence suggests these integral resources are not equitably distributed. The primary purpose of this study was to examine disparities in park availability, features, and quality across socioeconomically and racially diverse census tracts (CTs) in Kansas City, Missouri (KCMO). Methods: All parks in KCMO were mapped using GIS shape files provided by the City of KCMO. Park features and quality were determined via on-site audits using the Community Park Audit Tool. Data from the American Community Survey were used to designate all 174 CTs within KCMO as either low, medium, or high income and percent minority. MANCOVA was used to analyze differences in park availability, features, and quality across income and race/ethnicity tertiles. Results: Low income CTs contained significantly more parks (M=1.46) than medium (M=1.25) or high (M=1.00) income CTs, but also had more quality concerns (e.g., vandalism) per park. High income CTs contained more playgrounds per park (M=.69) than low (M=.62) and medium (M=.52) income tracts. There were more basketball courts per park in high minority CTs (M=.59) than low (M=.13) or medium (M=.30) minority CTs, and more trails per park in low (M=.60) and medium (M=.55) minority CTs than high (M=.39) minority CTs. Finally, there were more sidewalks around parks in low (M=.87) and high (M=.74) income CTs than medium (M=.61) income CTs. Conclusions: This study adds to an important body of literature examining income and racial disparities in access to active living environments. Park availability was greater in low income areas, but several key park characteristics were less common in low income or high minority areas. Future research should consider the quality of park facilities and amenities and the composition of neighborhoods around parks, as well as how disparities in access to park environments are associated with physical activity and health outcomes. Public health and parks and recreation researchers and practitioners should work together to examine policies that contribute to and that might rectify disparities in access to safe and attractive parks and open spaces.

Although environmental justice research has traditionally focused on environmental disamenities and health hazards, recent studies have begun to examine social inequities in the distribution of urban amenities such as street trees and parks that provide several direct and indirect health benefits to local residents. This thesis adds to this knowledge by evaluating distributional inequities in both distribution and access to parks in Pinellas County, the most densely populated and one of the most racially segregated counties in Florida. An important objective was to determine if neighborhoods with lower levels of park access are more likely to contain a significantly higher proportion of racial/ethnic minorities and low-income residents. The analysis uses precise locations of parks, street network data, and block group level census socio-demographic information. Parks are classified into three categories based on park size (acres). For the first research question, park service areas are constructed to determine the socio-demographic composition of residents closest to each park based on a 400-meter walking distance along the road network. Park service areas allow the calculation of potential park congestion, in acres per person, and the analysis of statistical associations between socio-demographic characteristics and park acreage. The results indicate less congested parks and higher acreage for racial/ethnic minority residents and those below poverty level, with respect to White residents and those above the poverty level. The second research question examines inequities in the geography of park access as measured through the creation of network-based buffer zones based on walking distances from each park. Statistical analysis, including basic comparisons and a multivariate least squares regression, indicate significantly lower accessibility to parks for residents who are Hispanic and 65 or more years in age. Parks are significantly more accessible to neighborhoods containing a higher proportion of individuals in poverty, vacant houses, and those within the cities of Clearwater or St. Petersburg. This research contributes to a growing body of literature on park inequity by using walking distances on local streets to define park service areas and focusing on an urban area (Pinellas County, Florida) that has not been examined in past studies of environmental justice.

Despite the directions of regulatory agencies, that prompt a sufficient provision of green spaces in the urban context, research claims that the access to parks depends on the Socio-Economic-Status (SES) of the inhabitants of the city. Therefore, the uneven access to the green areas, known as Environmental Inequality, has been recognised as an Environmental Injustice. In this study, a qualitative approach was employed to assess the presence of the Environmental Inequality between two neighbourhoods with different SES in the city of Rome; consequently, the interest was to investigate how does the inequality occur given a satisfying quantity of green space. Ten citizens were selected to participate in semi-structured interviews with the aim to understand their attitudes and perspectives towards the local green parks and to verify if the inhabitants perceived any inequality. The results indicate the presence of the Environmental Inequality based on the SES of the inhabitants of the two neighbourhoods, in consequence of qualitative factors such as maintenance and lack of facilities. A perceived Inequality was also found within the participants of both the neighbourhoods supporting the results about the presence of the inequality. The present study contributes to the discussion about the qualitative obstacles that may influence access to the urban parks and that may determine an environmental injustice. Further research should extend the samplings to more than two neighbourhoods in order to confirm that these results apply to the rest of the wide territory of Rome, as these results cannot be generalized with a sample size of ten.

People who live in cities are far more likely to suffer the physical and psychological effects of urban environments--high noise levels, automobile emissions, toxic industrial waste, crowded living conditions, and a general scarcity of open space. Combating these issues, public parks do more than provide recreational space. They are fundamental to any efforts focusing on urban revitalization, social justice, and sustainability. In downtown Los Angeles, public parks are rare, especially in low-income communities. Several new public parks have reclaimed abandoned land, unwelcoming spaces, and the City’s brownfields. After years of intense private use and neglect, spent land has been reinvigorated as green communal space. This study focuses on Vista Hermosa Natural Park, Grand Park, and Los Angeles State Historic Park. It combines previous research with site visits and interviews that explore the degree of success these recent reclamation movements have experienced and if there are any lessons learned than can be applied elsewhere. My conclusion is that the reclamation movement in Los Angeles is largely successful, especially when parks feature multiple benefits such as ecological restoration, recreational enhancement, and cultural engagement. But the less community involvement and public accessibility any reclaimed park has, the less success a park will have in alleviating spatial injustice.

Breathing is not a common subject in feminist studies. Breathing Matters introduces this phenomenon as a forceful potentiality for feminist intersectional theories, politics, and social and environmental justice. By analyzing the material and discursive as well as the natural and cultural enactments of breath in black lung disease, phone sex work, and anxieties and panic attacks, Breathing Matters proposes a nonuniversalizing and politicized understanding of embodiment. In this approach, human bodies are onceptualized as agential actors of intersectional politics. Magdalena Górska argues that struggles for breath and for breathable lives are matters of differential forms of political practices in which vulnerable and quotidian corpomaterial and corpo-affective actions are constitutive of politics. Set in the context of feminist poststructuralist and new materialist and postconstructionist debates, Breathing Matters offers a discussion of human embodiment and agency reconfigured in a posthumanist manner. Its interdisciplinary analytical practice demonstrates that breathing is a phenomenon that is important to study from scientific, medical, political, environmental and social perspectives.
Andning är inte ett vanligt förekommande ämne inom feministiska studier. Breathing Matters introducerar detta fenomen som har en potential för feministiska intersektionella teorier, politik, social rättvisa och klimaträttvisa. Genom analyser av materiella, diskursiva, naturliga och kulturella dimensioner av andningens formationer, i sjukdomen pneumokonios, telefonsexarbete samt ångest och panikattacker, föreslår Breathing Matters en icke-universialiserande och politiserad förståelse av förkroppsligande. Genom denna ansats konceptualiseras mänskliga kroppar som agentiella aktörer i en intersektionell politik. Magdalena Górska argumenterar att kampen för att andas och för andningsbara liv är ett angeläget ämne för differentiella former av politisk praktik. Denna sårbara och vardagliga praktik som både består av kroppsmateriella och kroppsaffektiva handlingar konstituerar politik. Placerad i en kontext av feminist poststrukturalistisk, nymaterialistisk och postkonstruktivistisk debatt erbjuder Breathing Matters en diskussion kring mänskligt förkroppsligande och agentskap som är omkonfigurerad på ett posthumanistiskt sätt. Den tvärvetenskapliga analytiska praktiken visar att andning är ett fenomen som är viktigt att studera från vetenskapliga, medicinska, politiska, miljömässiga och sociala perspektiv.

Magister Legum - LLM
An environment, which is not dangerous to the health or well-being of individuals, is every South African's basic Human right.1 In addition.it is every South African's basic human right to have the environment protected for the · "benefit of present and future generations, through reasonable legislative and other measures".2 These measures must aim at preventing pollution and ecological degradation. The measures must further advance. conservation, and guarantee ecologically sustainable development and use of natural .· resources. 3 Stakeholders, such as, non-governmental, organizations (henceforth NGOs), and the community as a whole have important roles to play.4

As the Hispanic/Latino population grows in the United States, increased attention is being given to how and why Hispanic/Latino recreation differs from Anglo recreation. Concerns over equal access to natural resources and recreation have led researchers to question the causes for the differences in recreation choices. The discussion has largely focused on the restrictive effects of ethnicity and the marginal position of minorities in society creating recreation patterns in which minorities are practically nonexistent in wildland recreation areas. Stepping away from the negative valuation about dissimilarities in Hispanic/Latino versus Anglo recreation, this study of Hispanics/Latinos in Cache Valley, Utah focuses on recreation as defined by participants, recreation sites both visited and not visited, and the decision drivers participants identify as most influential. Through the use of a participant mapping activity, this study first identifies patterns in types of sites visited and not visited by participants. Using exploratory, semi-structured interviews, this study also uncovers the participants’definitions of recreation as well as important elements driving their recreation choices, including desired and undesired sites for recreation. Municipal recreation sites are visited most commonly by participants and the major drivers attracting their visitation are the physical site characteristics comprised of proximity to their residences, available facilities, suitability for family outings, scenery, a feeling of seclusion or relaxation, and activities specific to the site. Sites not visited span the categories of municipal, federal, state, and private. Federal sites are the most commonly desired and undesired types of sites not visited by participants. Non-visitation of sites was found to largely be the result of marginality characteristics such as a lack of money, time, knowledge, language, and fear. Ethnicity and custom also proved to be influential drivers of recreation decisions through elements like language and participant conceptualization of recreation as seeking spaces in which to gather with others. This study concludes that customs and powers of access (as related to ethnicity and marginality) intermingle to influence recreation choices among Hispanic/Latino participants. Looking at Hispanic/Latino recreation beyond its comparative Anglo differences provides a necessary holistic understanding of the elements driving this ethnic group’s decisions. As this understanding increases, work can be done to ensure equality in access to resources like recreation as desired by the minority population.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the grassroots environmental movement brought national attention to the issues related to inequities in environmental quality. Previous research addressing these environmental inequities has progressively increased and advanced methodologically. However, the arguments and focus have been primarily limited to examining the socio-demographics in an ongoing debate of race and class. This thesis extends past the methodological stalemate focusing on the application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) using survey data in an environmental justice case study of a community in south Florida. This approach examines the social, health and environmental impacts of a Superfund site on a low income, minority community. Using geo-coded survey (N=223) and environmental data (ash deposition patterns), this thesis employs path analysis to test the hypothesis that exposure matters. The exposure matters hypothesis suggests exposure (perceived, self-reported and actual) is a significant predictor of physical and psychological health. Results discuss significant findings, and then compare them with previous disaster and trauma-related research and present directions for future research.
M.A.
Department of Sociology and Anthropology
Arts and Sciences
Sociology and Anthropology

Since the mid-century proliferation of public housing, policy makers and environmental justice advocates have exposed the fact that geographically and economically isolated public housing sites are ultimately detrimental to residents and communities. In recent years, more progressive housing policies have emphasized the importance of site location in the success of housing programs. This study explores the intersection of affordable housing policy and “food desert” research, by assessing the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program in California, with specific attention to the grocery store category within the Site Amenities section. Since the inception of the LIHTC program in 1986, the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee (CTCAC) has made multiple revisions to its application process. The study evaluates the current accessibility of grocery stores from LIHTC sites in Alameda and Santa Clara Counties in Northern California. It also critiques the changes in application scoring, criteria, and the indicators of food facility proximity and quality, identifying weaknesses, recommendations, and areas for further research. It finds that despite CTCAC’s efforts to improve the effectiveness of the application, there does not seem to improvement in grocery store access over time. Further research is needed to determine whether this condition is a result of a failure on the part of the application process, or of high land costs and limited availability of developable land.

Os problemas socioambientais enfrentados na atualidade apresentam novos desafios para a Educação Ambiental e para o Direito Ambiental. Dentre eles, destaca-se a necessidade de efetivação de ações e políticas públicas voltadas à ampliação do acesso a conhecimentos e práticas que contribuam para a emancipação, empoderamento e potencialização de pessoas e grupos para a participação em processos decisórios. Participação esta, que engloba desde a mudança individual de atitudes até o engajamento com causas políticas e socioambientais em benefício de toda a coletividade. No entanto, para que a participação popular ocorra de forma equilibrada e justa no sentido de corrigir possíveis injustiças sociais, seja bem informada e crítica para afastar qualquer possibilidade de manipulação, e apresente resultados efetivos de modo a não desmotivar os envolvidos nos diferentes processos participativos-democráticos, demonstra-se necessária a apropriação por parte dos cidadãos de mecanismos voltados ao controle social e ao melhor acesso à justiça. Neste contexto, o presente trabalho propôs-se a buscar contribuições provenientes da literatura e da doutrina dos campos do Direito Ambiental e da Educação Ambiental e a efetuar consultas junto a especialistas e participantes de iniciativas-piloto (cursos, oficinas e palestras) promovidas dentro da proposta de interface entre estas duas áreas do saber. Com a triangulação dos resultados obtidos e a realização de análises sobre questões relevantes surgidas no decorrer da pesquisa, concluiu-se que o desenvolvimento de práticas educativas que dialoguem com os preceitos da Educação Ambiental crítica e emancipatória e com os princípios, normas e instrumentos correlatos ao Direito Ambiental, efetuado de maneira contextualizada com os diversos aspectos relacionados às questões socioambientais, pode trazer grandes contribuições para o enfrentamento dos problemas socioambientais e configurar-se como um caminho promissor para a construção participativa de políticas públicas estruturantes voltadas ao estabelecimento de sociedades cada vez mais sustentáveis e justas. Dentre os potenciais benefícios vislumbrados com a implementação de tais políticas públicas, destacam-se: aumento da compreensão sobre as estruturas do Estado, acordos sociais e normas relacionadas à proteção ambiental; valorização das medidas preventivas de danos ao meio ambiente; internalização dos conceitos de direitos, deveres e responsabilidades compartilhadas e diferenciadas entre os diversos setores da sociedade; estímulo à análise crítica dos contextos em que se inserem as questões socioambientais; maior acesso à informação e à justiça em matéria de meio ambiente; diminuição na ocorrência de ilícitos ambientais e aumento da punição aos infratores de forma exemplar; manutenção da biodiversidade e dos processos ecológicos; revisão de atos e atitudes individuais e coletivas; auxílio na construção participativa de novos conhecimentos com o envolvimento de educadores e educandos; compreensão da importância do engajamento político e social para o benefício da coletividade; aumento do monitoramento da sociedade pela própria sociedade; e manutenção dos avanços legislativos já alcançados pelo País.
The environmental problems faced in our days present new challenges for Environmental Education and Environmental Law. Among them, we highlight the need for effective actions and intended to broaden access to knowledge and practices that contribute to the emancipation and empowerment of individuals and groups to participate in decision-making process. This kind of participation includes individual changes of attitudes and engagement with political and environmental causes for the benefit of the whole community. However, for the occurrence of popular participation in a balanced and fair way to correct social injustices, with the guarantee for the people of being well informed and able to avoid any possibility of manipulation, some mechanisms are required to increase social control and to improve the access to justice. In this context, the present study aimed to seek contributions from literature and doctrine related to Environmental Law and Environmental Education and also worked with the proposal to listen the opinions and reports of experiences from experts and participants of pilot initiatives (courses , workshops and lectures) promoted under the proposed of interface between these two fields of knowledge. With the method called triangulation of results and by conducting analyzes on relevant issues arising in the course of the study, the researcher was able to conclude that the development of educational practices that follow the principles of critical reflections and emancipatory actions related to the Environmental Education, and at the same time, adopting the principles, standards and tools that guide the Environmental Law issues, it is possible to bring important contributions to dealing with environmental problems and to increase the public participation in the construction of structural policies aimed at establishing sustainable societies. The potential benefits achieved with the implementation of this kind of public policy include: increasing the understanding about the state structures, social arrangements and laws related to environmental protection; enhancement of preventive actions to avoid environmental damages; internalization of the concepts of rights, duties and responsibilities shared among the different sectors of society; encouragement of the practice of critical analysis in the contexts that social and environmental issues are operated; improving access to information and justice in environmental matters; decreasing occurrence of environmental offenses and increasing punishment for offenders; maintenance of biodiversity and ecological processes; revision of individual and collective actions; aid in the construction of new knowledge with participation of researchers, teachers and students; increasing the understanding about the importance of political and social participation for the benefit of the whole community; improving the practice of monitoring and protecting environmental issues by the citizens; and maintenance of legislative progress already achieved by the Country.

Les processus participatifs reposant sur les principes d’information et de participation en matière d’environnement contribuent à la démocratie environnementale en Afrique de l’Ouest. Cette contribution s’effectue au-delà de la mise en œuvre de ces principes dans la gestion des écosystèmes, par la recherche d’une justice sociale environnementale et la tentative de mettre en œuvre les principes de bonne gouvernance au service de la gestion des écosystèmes et le respect des droits de l’homme dans le domaine de l’environnement. Toutefois, pour que les processus participatifs apportent une meilleure contribution à la démocratie environnementale en Afrique de l’Ouest, il est nécessaire que le cadre juridique de la participation du public soit clarifié. Ce cadre juridique concerne aussi bien l’accès à l’information, les procédures de participation du public à la prise de décision et à la gestion en matière d’environnement, mais surtout offrir la possibilité au public de se faire entendre par la justice ou par d’autres modes de règlement des différends en matière d’environnement et de gestion des écosystèmes
The participative processes basing on the principles of information and participation regarding environment contribute to the environmental democracy in Africa the West. This contribution is made beyond the implementation of these principles in the management of the ecosystems, by the research for an environmental social justice and the attempt to implement (operate) the principles of good governance in the service of the management of the ecosystems and the respect for human rights in the field of the environment. However, so that the participative processes make a better contribution to the environmental democracy in western Africa, it is necessary that the legal framework of the participation of the public is clarified. This legal framework concerns as well the access to the information, the procedures of participation of the public in the decision-making and in the management regarding environment, but especially to offer the possibility to the public to be listened by the justice or by of other one methods of payment of the disputes regarding environment and regarding management of the ecosystems

O presente estudo tem por escopo principal verificar a aplicabilidade do princípio da paridade de armas na cooperação jurídica internacional penal. Em face dessa premissa, analisam-se os regramentos nacionais e internacionais que devem ser levados em consideração pelos Estados que se intitulam Democráticos e, sobretudo, de Direito, a fim de assegurar uma persecução penal equânime, sob a ótica dos princípios do contraditório, da ampla defesa e da igualdade processual entre acusação e defesa. Para tanto, realizou-se um levantamento bibliográfico, a partir do qual se buscou elidir visão reducionista da cooperação jurídica internacional, no sentido de que não se olvide que no outro lado da missão punitiva do Estado encontra-se uma pessoa, com inúmeras garantias e direitos historicamente assegurados. No primeiro capítulo, aborda-se a cooperação jurídica internacional sob três aspectos: histórico, principiológico e analítico-descritivo. No segundo capítulo, estudam-se os princípios e garantias inerentes ao devido processo legal, os quais não podem ser suprimidos, sobretudo em âmbito internacional, por se tratar de direitos humanos consagrados. O terceiro capítulo aborda a instrumentalidade decorrente do cabedal teórico construído nos capítulos anteriores. Assim, a produção da prova em processos penais transnacionais é analisada sob o viés da cooperação jurídica internacional, passando-se pelo mecanismo do auxílio direto fundamentado em acordos bilaterais e pelas tentativas de equilibrar o sistema dentre outras, a possibilidade de se utilizar essa modalidade na cooperação internacional penal para a produção de prova em prol da defesa , para então se propor que a Defensoria Pública da União possa atuar a fim de promover o acesso internacional à justiça e a efetiva equalização do regime cooperacional. Por fim, reputa-se que o futuro da cooperação jurídica penal internacional está em se disponibilizar à defesa os mesmos mecanismos disponíveis à acusação, em plena e devida igualdade, haja vista não existir valor maior a ser respeitado do que a dignidade da pessoa humana.
The presente work has as main scope to verify the applicability of the equality of arms in international legal assistance in criminal matters. Given this premise, it attempts to analyze international and national specific regulations that must be taken into consideration by the states that call themselves democratic and, above all, of law, in order to ensure an equitable criminal prosecution, from the perspective of the principles of adversary proceeding, full right to defense and the equality of arms. Therefore, we carried out a literature review, from which it was sought to elide reductionist view of international legal assistance, in the sense that we cannot forget that, on the other side of the punitive function of the State, there is a person with numerous safeguards and rights provided historically. The first chapter deals with the international legal assistance in three aspects: historical, applicable principles and analytical-descriptive. In the second chapter, we study the principles and guarantees inherent to the due process of law, which can not be suppressed, because it is enshrined human rights. The third chapter addresses the instrumentality derived from the theoretical leather built in previous chapters. Thus, the production of evidence in transnational criminal proceedings is examined under the bias of international legal assistance, going up by the reasoned direct assistance mechanism of bilateral agreements and by attempts to balance the system, among others, the possibility of using this modality in international criminal cooperation for the production of evidence for the defense, and then propose that the Public Defense can act to promote international access to justice and the effective equalization of cooperacional regime. Finally, it believes that the future of international legal assistance in criminal matters is to make available to the defense the same mechanisms available to the charge, in full and due equal rights, because there is no greater value to be respected than the dignity of the human person.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-10T10:47:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 FABIO LASSERRE SOUSA BORGES.pdf: 955880 bytes, checksum: d8cedef379d591ca780342f22e450563 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-11-17
This study aims to analyze the meaning and scope of the rights of reasonable processing time and access to justice, drawing a parallel between the theoretical framework and the practical reality on the subject, characterizing it as a fundamental right inherent in the individual, analyzing this theme with a view to environmental law. Protecting the environment is presented in the Federal Constitution as the supreme premise, given that it is, above all his life protection. Nevertheless, this research will seek to discover what are the biggest obstacles to give a reasonable time to the process, seek to demonstrate the accountability of the judiciary as the body responsible for the solution of conflicts in court level, as well as throughout the state that has the responsibility to provide the apparatus necessary for the production of the common good. By the same token, it will be made to demonstrate the changes necessary to the effective applicability of speedy trial, and the mechanisms to resolve such problems, so that the provision outlined in the abovementioned legal instruments produce practical results and noticeable to the community.
O presente trabalho tem como objetivo analisar o significado e alcance dos direitos da razoável duração do processo e acesso à justiça, traçando um paralelo entre a construção teórica e a realidade prática acerca do tema, caracterizando-o como um direito fundamental inerente ao indivíduo, analisando tal temática com vistas ao Direito Ambiental. A proteção ao meio ambiente é apresentada na Constituição Federal como premissa suprema, tendo em vista que se trata, sobretudo da proteção a própria vida. Não obstante, a presente pesquisa, procurará descobrir quais são os maiores óbices a conferir uma razoável duração ao processo, buscará demonstrar a responsabilidade do Poder Judiciário enquanto órgão responsável pela solução dos conflitos em âmbito jurisdicional, bem como, de todo o Estado que possui a responsabilidade de fornecer o aparato necessário à produção do bem-comum. No mesmo diapasão, procurar-seá demonstrar as transformações necessárias à efetiva aplicabilidade da celeridade processual, e os mecanismos capazes de solucionar tal problemática, de forma que, o preceito traçado nos diplomas legais supramencionados produzam resultados práticos e perceptíveis à coletividade.

A pesquisa trata da aproximação entre a desjudicialização com a problemática dos conflitos socioambientais. Objetiva-se demonstrar que a ampliação dos instrumentos que propiciem a garantia de direitos é uma etapa importante na democratização do acesso à justiça. Para tanto, questiona-se a possibilidade do uso de arbitragem para a resolução de conflitos socioambientais, uma vez que, a doutrina nacional dominante determina que o meio ambiente por se tratar de direito difuso, é indisponível, e, portanto, não pode ser transigido por meio de arbitragem. Na realização dos objetivos propostos nesta pesquisa utilizou-se como método de abordagem o dedutivo, quanto ao método de procedimento aplicado, elegeu-se a pesquisa teórica, com a compilação e revisão do material bibliográfico sobre os assuntos propostos, exame de estatísticas oficiais e levantamento de documentos oficiais. Considera-se que a utilização da arbitragem em conflitos ambientais é capaz de propiciar maior rapidez e eficiência no deslinde da controvérsia, incrementa a participação democrática de setores da sociedade civil, bem como possibilita uma análise técnica sobre o problema.
The research deals with the approach between dejudicialization and socio-environmental conflicts. The objective is to demonstrate that the expansion of the instruments that provide for the guarantee of rights is an important step in the democratization of access to justice. Therefore, the research questions the use of arbitration for the resolution of socio-environmental conflicts, since the dominant national doctrine states that the environment is unavailable because it is a diffuse right and therefore it cannot be compromised by arbitration. To carry out the objective proposed in this research was used the deductive hypothetical method of approach, and for the method of procedure, the theoretical research was chosen with the compilation and revision of the bibliographic material on the proposed subjects, examination of official statistics and survey of official documents. It is considered that the use of arbitration in socioenvironmental conflicts is capable of promoting greater speed and efficiency in the administration of the controversy, increases the democratic participation of sectors of civil society, as well as provides the possibility of a technical analysis of the problem.
Dissertação (Mestrado)

Le PLU fixe, dans le respect de la hiérarchie des normes, les règles d’utilisation du sol sur son territoire. Cette hiérarchie est constituée par un ensemble de normes et principes dont le nombre n’a cessé de s’alourdir depuis la décentralisation. Bien que de nature différente, ces normes s’imposent toutes, à quelques exceptions près, de la même façon au PLU. Ce dernier doit être compatible avec leurs dispositions. Cet agencement, apparemment cohérent, dissimule de nombreuses imperfections. Les normes supérieures non moins générales, peuvent aussi s’exprimer dans des termes précis, mixant élasticité et rigidité, précision et imprécision, certitude et incertitude,… Les rapports normatifs, du fait de leur imprécision, transmettent non seulement la validité déterminée par l’ordre supérieur mais aussi les incertitudes affectant ce dernier. Ils n’excluent pas la possibilité d’intensification qui pourrait aboutir à la conformité ni celle d’un affaiblissement aboutissant à une simple prise en compte. Il revient alors au PLU de tempérer ces excès de rigueur ou de mollesse et d’en ressortir des règles intellectuellement accessibles, relativement stables et juridiquement sécurisées. Mais, l'exercice est très délicat et préoccupe les communes qui ne peuvent adopter une interprétation totalement conforme à l’esprit de la norme supérieure sans échapper à la reproduction, au niveau du PLU, de l’ambiguïté qui caractérise cette norme. Il en résulte un PLU difficilement déchiffrable et juridiquement vulnérable puisque ses destinataires, exposés à la difficulté de donner un sens précis à ses règles et de déterminer avec précision celles applicables à un moment donné, ne manquent pas de le contester. Dans ce contexte, le juge s’est vu accordé de nouveaux pouvoirs en vue de tempérer l’impact du contentieux sur la sécurité juridique du PLU. Ainsi, à un encadrement drastique des conditions de recevabilité des recours contre le PLU s’ajoutent des alternatives à son annulation pure et simple
The Local Urbanism Plan (LUP) set, within the respect of the norms hierarchy, the using rules of the soil on his territory. This hierarchy is constituted by a number of norms and principles which kept growing more and more since it was decentralized. Even though they’re different, these norms are all applicable in the same way to the LUP, with some exceptions. The LUP has to be compatible with their dispositions. This layout apparently coherent hides a high amount of imperfections. Higher norms, but not less generals, can as well be expressed in precise terms, mixing elasticity and rigidity, precision and imprecision, certitude and incertitude. Since nominative reports are not precise, they share in the first place the validity determined by the higher order, but also the incertitude affecting it. They don’t exclude the possibility it will intensify, meaning it could lead to the conformity, and neither have they excluded the weakening leading to a simple take into account. Then the LUP has to deal with these excess of rigor or weakness and to take into account the intellectuals, accessible, relatively stables, and legally secured rules. But this exercise is very tricky and a lot of towns are concerned since they cannot adopt an interpretation totally conform to the spirit of the superior norm without escaping the reproduction of the ambiguity which characterize this norm at the LUP level. As a result, LUPs become hardly decipherable and legally vulnerable since their recipients, which have hard times to give a precise meaning to this rules and characterize with precision which are applicable to a given time, are always ready to contest it. In this context, the judge received new capabilities in order to temper the litigation impact about the LUP legal security. Thus, alternatives to its cancelling are added to the drastic monitoring of the admissibility conditions of the recourse against the LUP

Genetic resources are vital to all people, but especially the poor. They are also important for biodiversity, in turn a key factor in sustainable development. Since 1980, the bio industries have utilized genetic resources in their work, for example on pharmaceuticals, and patented their findings. This has created mistrust and malcontent among biodiverse poor countries in the South. To promote biodiversity protection and ensure access to and fair and equitable sharing of the benefits from the usage of genetic resources, the Convention of Biological Diversity requests an international regime. Negotiations for the Access and Benefit Sharing regime began in 2001 and have intensified as its end date, 2010, draws nearer.

People in Babati, Tanzania are as dependant on traditional medicine, which utilizes wild genetic resources, as they are on modern medicine. The status in the regime of communities such as those of Babati is principally important if sustainable development is to be reached. The greatest issue for the model currently under negotiation to deal with in order to truly promote sustainable development is equity.

Štěpán Chejn - Diplomová práce Název práce v českém jazyce: Vybrané otázky přístupu k soudům v ochraně životního prostředí Název práce v anglickém jazyce: Selected issues of access to justice in evironmental protection Abstrakt: Cílem diplomové práce je zhodnotit platnou právní úpravu přístupu k soudům v otázkách životního prostředí ve světle nálezu Výboru pro dodržování Aarhuské úmluvy. Práce nejprve stručně pojednává o teoretických přístupech a obecných otázkách, které jsou pro zhodnocení platné právní úpravy nezbytné, a poté popisuje hlavní body stížnosti. V závěru se pak věnuje tématu odkladného účinku, jelikož v této části nebyla dle Výboru Úmluva porušena. Součástí práce je také autorův vlastní výzkum dle zákona 106/1999 Sb. Klíčová slova: Soudní ochrana životního prostředí, Aarhuská úmluva, odkladný účinek Abstract: The aim of this thesis is to evaluate the legal regulation of access to justice in environmental matters in the light of findings of the Compliance Committee of the Aarhus Convention. The thesis briefly discusses theoretical approaches and general issues that are necessary to evaluate existing legislation, and then describes the main points of the complaint. The conclusion is devoted to the topic of suspensive effect, as in this section according to the Compliance Committee the Convention...

Diploma thesis aims at role of societies (as the predominant legal form of environmental non- govermental organizations in Czech republic) in the protection of environment. Author describes legal base of society as a type of legal person in a czech law and describes diverse roles of societies in the protection of environment in the subsequent part of the thesis. Afterwards, author briefly describes right to information in environmental matters which is a prerequistite for the participation of societies in decision-making concerning environmental matters. Individual forms of this participation are described subsequently with accent on environmental impact assessment. Lastly, access to justice in environmental matters of the societies is described, including possibility of arguing by substantive law in administrative law suits and possibility of asking for suspensive effect of this actions before court and possibility to bring an action against provisions of general character. Relevant judicial decisions are also taken into account in this part.

Role of civil associations in environmental protection ABSTARCT (Zusammenfassung) Das Ziel dieser Arbeit ist die Rolle eingetragenen Vereinen im Umweltschutz zu definieren. Eingetragene Vereine sind sog. Non-Profit-Organisationen, die das öffentliche Interesse am Schutz der Umwelt durchsetzen. Um diese Schlüsselfunktion zu erfüllen, müssen die Vereine als gleichberechtigter Partner der Staatsverwaltung betrachten werden. Ihre Hauptaufgaben umfassen vor allem praktische Naturschutz, Bildung und Aufklärung der Öffentlichkeit, Teilnahme an der Gesetzgebung des Umweltrechts als auch die Beteiligung an Entscheidungsverfahren in Umweltangelegenheiten. Alle oben genannten Aufgaben eingetragenen Vereinen im Umweltschutz gehören zum wichtigen Teil der Entwicklung offenen, und demokratischen Gesellschaft. Diese Arbeit besteht aus vier Hauptteilen, die weiter in Kapitel und Unterabschnitte unterteilt sind. Der erste Teil stellt die Einleitung des Themas dar, konzentriert sich auf die allgemeine konzeptionelle Grundlage und enthält drei Kapiteln. Das erste Kapitel widmet sich der Definition einer Non-Profit-Organisation und ihrer Bedeutung im Rechtstaat. Weiter konzentriere mich auf die Rechtsform eingetragenen Vereinen unter Berücksichtigung der Veränderungen des neuen Bürgerlichen Gesetzbuches, das das Konzept des...

Food access has become a popular area of concern in both urban planning and public health as both fields are directing increasing attention to the role that uneven neighbourhood food environments play in diet practices and health outcomes. This research investigates two food access expansion projects underway in New York City by looking at how they are implemented in the neighbourhood of Brownsville in the borough of Brooklyn. One, the Brownsville Youthmarket, run by the city-wide nonprofit GrowNYC, is a farmers' market intervention that increases access to fresh fruit and vegetables by hiring neighbourhood youth to sell regional produce. The second, Shop Healthy, is an initiative run by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (and its District Public Health Offices). It encourages bodega owners to stock healthier items in their stores, including fruits and vegetables. By drawing on concepts of environmental justice and biopower, this research shows how these programs are characterized by competing motivations and strategies. While the stated rationale for these food access programs is to improve food environments by bringing more healthy items into underserved neighbourhoods, they rely upon nutrition education and cooking skills programs that indicate that the underlying problem is a lack of knowledge about what food is healthy and how to prepare it. This gap between motivations and strategies reveals a great distance between city-level actors and the residents of the neighbourhoods that they aim to help. Program designers fail to understand the true barriers to healthy eating in predominantly poor and minority communities and thus intervene with programs that do little to meaningfully change the food environment in ways that address residents' needs.

The thesis is about environmental values that we encounter in our everyday life. The thesis also talks about environmental justice dialogues and tensions that play in Bangladesh. The thesis, in the first place, explores how an environmental planning and resource management approach causes a particular type of environmental injustice; i.e., non-recognition of access to the decision making process of local ethnic communities, which identifies them as adivasi meaning indigenous, poses a threat to their livelihood and culture, and obstructs the process of environmental protection in Bangladesh.
The existing theories of environmental justice and four case studies conducted in Bangladesh have been used to interrogate the research findings. I argue, along with Low and Gleeson (1998) that for environmental justice, recognition of environmental needs for every entity as an ingredient of human dignity should be basis of the planning process. The research findings also suggest that , at all levels of decisions, fair access to decision, information and justice for all entities should be an integral part of environmental planning and resource management.
The thesis explores avenues for fair access to justice, meaning redress and remedy of environmental injustice, in the context of Bangladesh. I argue that capillaries of justice such as Salish, a process and institution for public interest negotiation (PIN) embedded in Bangladesh culture, can be reinvented. In addition, access to information should be a prerequisite for meaningful deliberation at all levels of decision making and dispute resolving processes.

Dissertação de Mestrado em Direito apresentada à Faculdade de Direito
A presente dissertação trata da justiça ambiental e considera os catadores de materiais reutilizáveis e recicláveis no Brasil, analisando se os instrumentos jurídicos do direito do ambiente estão sendo efetivos em garantir direitos, justiça e dignidade para essa categoria. Para isso, aborda a democracia ambiental como importante instituto na promoção da cidadania ambiental, enfatizando que o direito do ambiente se apropriou disso para criar mecanismos jurídicos de combate às injustiças ambientais. Do mesmo modo, enfatiza o vínculo entre a justiça ambiental e os direitos humanos e a sua repercussão nos catadores enquanto vítimas da violação desses direitos. Nessa linha, utiliza a Convenção de Aarhus como exemplo de instrumento de democracia ambiental ao estabelecer um novo modelo na relação entre governo e sociedade, e no empoderamento do público na luta pela justiça ambiental com a oferta de ferramentas jurídicas que permitem a participação do púbico nos processos de tomada de decisões e no acesso à justiça em questões ambientais. Em seguida, enfatiza que a Convenção de Aarhus serviu de inspiração ao recém-criado Acordo de Escazú na América Latina e no Caribe, do qual o Brasil é signatário. Assim, trata da importância desse instrumento jurídico de direito do ambiente para esta região, no sentido da proteção do ambiente e da solução de conflitos ambientais em moldes semelhantes aos da Convenção de Aarhus, pois utiliza os mesmos pilares. Destaca que o Acordo de Escazú será uma ferramenta jurídica imprescindível no combate às injustiças ambientais vivenciadas pelos catadores no Brasil. Posteriormente, faz a análise de dois casos de injustiça ambiental envolvendo catadores, um no Brasil, e outro na Romênia, à luz da efetividade do direito do ambiente em garantir direitos e qualidade ambiental. Por fim, trata dos desafios enfrentados pelos catadores no Brasil após a criação da lei federal brasileira nº 12.305/2010, e analisa se essa legislação está sendo capaz de garantir e promover justiça ambiental para os catadores de materiais reutilizáveis e recicláveis no Brasil. Finalmente, aponta soluções para a maior efetividade do direito do ambiente nas questões envolvendo justiça ambiental.A presente dissertação trata da justiça ambiental e considera os catadores de materiais reutilizáveis e recicláveis no Brasil, analisando se os instrumentos jurídicos do direito do ambiente estão sendo efetivos em garantir direitos, justiça e dignidade para essa categoria. Para isso, aborda a democracia ambiental como importante instituto na promoção da cidadania ambiental, enfatizando que o direito do ambiente se apropriou disso para criar mecanismos jurídicos de combate às injustiças ambientais. Do mesmo modo, enfatiza o vínculo entre a justiça ambiental e os direitos humanos e a sua repercussão nos catadores enquanto vítimas da violação desses direitos. Nessa linha, utiliza a Convenção de Aarhus como exemplo de instrumento de democracia ambiental ao estabelecer um novo modelo na relação entre governo e sociedade, e no empoderamento do público na luta pela justiça ambiental com a oferta de ferramentas jurídicas que permitem a participação do púbico nos processos de tomada de decisões e no acesso à justiça em questões ambientais. Em seguida, enfatiza que a Convenção de Aarhus serviu de inspiração ao recém-criado Acordo de Escazú na América Latina e no Caribe, do qual o Brasil é signatário. Assim, trata da importância desse instrumento jurídico de direito do ambiente para esta região, no sentido da proteção do ambiente e da solução de conflitos ambientais em moldes semelhantes aos da Convenção de Aarhus, pois utiliza os mesmos pilares. Destaca que o Acordo de Escazú será uma ferramenta jurídica imprescindível no combate às injustiças ambientais vivenciadas pelos catadores no Brasil. Posteriormente, faz a análise de dois casos de injustiça ambiental envolvendo catadores, um no Brasil, e outro na Romênia, à luz da efetividade do direito do ambiente em garantir direitos e qualidade ambiental. Por fim, trata dos desafios enfrentados pelos catadores no Brasil após a criação da lei federal brasileira nº 12.305/2010, e analisa se essa legislação está sendo capaz de garantir e promover justiça ambiental para os catadores de materiais reutilizáveis e recicláveis no Brasil. Finalmente, aponta soluções para a maior efetividade do direito do ambiente nas questões envolvendo justiça ambiental.A presente dissertação trata da justiça ambiental e considera os catadores de materiais reutilizáveis e recicláveis no Brasil, analisando se os instrumentos jurídicos do direito do ambiente estão sendo efetivos em garantir direitos, justiça e dignidade para essa categoria. Para isso, aborda a democracia ambiental como importante instituto na promoção da cidadania ambiental, enfatizando que o direito do ambiente se apropriou disso para criar mecanismos jurídicos de combate às injustiças ambientais. Do mesmo modo, enfatiza o vínculo entre a justiça ambie
This dissertation focuses on environmental justice and the community of waste pickers in Brazil, and analyses whether environmental legal remedies have been effective in terms of providing rights, justice and dignity to the waste pickers community. Environmental democracy is examined as an important institution promoting environmental citizenship, and this dissertation emphasizes that environmental law should create legal tools to face environmental injustice. Likewise, the relation between environmental justice and human rights is examined, which brings repercussion to the scavengers who have been suffering with the violation of their rights. In this line, the Aarhus Convention is used as an example of an environmental democracy instrument when establishing a new model of relation between government and society, and how it empowers the public to fight for environmental justice given legal tools which allows the public to participate in decision-making procedures and access to justice in environmental matters. It is discussed how the Aarhus Convention was used as an inspiration in developing the newly created Escazú Agreement in Latin America and in The Caribbean, of which Brazil is a signatory. This judicial instrument (tool) is critical in this region for environmental protection and for environmental conflict resolution, in the same way as Aarhus Convention because both are using the same Pillars. It is clear the Escazú Agreement would be a crucial legal tool to face environmental injustice experienced by the waste pickers in Brazil. Two environmental injustice cases involving scavengers are examined, one in Brazil and another in Romania, in the light of environmental law effectiveness in providing rights and environmental quality. The challenges to be faced by waste pickers in Brazil are discussed, after the law nº 12.305/2010 entered into force. The legislation is analysed for capability to provide and promote environmental justice to the waste pickers in Brazil. Finally, some solutions are offered to maximise effectiveness of environment law.This dissertation focuses on environmental justice and the community of waste pickers in Brazil, and analyses whether environmental legal remedies have been effective in terms of providing rights, justice and dignity to the waste pickers community. Environmental democracy is examined as an important institution promoting environmental citizenship, and this dissertation emphasizes that environmental law should create legal tools to face environmental injustice. Likewise, the relation between environmental justice and human rights is examined, which brings repercussion to the scavengers who have been suffering with the violation of their rights. In this line, the Aarhus Convention is used as an example of an environmental democracy instrument when establishing a new model of relation between government and society, and how it empowers the public to fight for environmental justice given legal tools which allows the public to participate in decision-making procedures and access to justice in environmental matters. It is discussed how the Aarhus Convention was used as an inspiration in developing the newly created Escazú Agreement in Latin America and in The Caribbean, of which Brazil is a signatory. This judicial instrument (tool) is critical in this region for environmental protection and for environmental conflict resolution, in the same way as Aarhus Convention because both are using the same Pillars. It is clear the Escazú Agreement would be a crucial legal tool to face environmental injustice experienced by the waste pickers in Brazil. Two environmental injustice cases involving scavengers are examined, one in Brazil and another in Romania, in the light of environmental law effectiveness in providing rights and environmental quality. The challenges to be faced by waste pickers in Brazil are discussed, after the law nº 12.305/2010 entered into force. The legislation is analysed for capability to provide and promote environmental justice to the waste pickers in Brazil. Finally, some solutions are offered to maximise effectiveness of environment law.This dissertation focuses on environmental justice and the community of waste pickers in Brazil, and analyses whether environmental legal remedies have been effective in terms of providing rights, justice and dignity to the waste pickers community. Environmental democracy is examined as an important institution promoting environmental citizenship, and this dissertation emphasizes that environmental law should create legal tools to face environmental injustice. Likewise, the relation between environmental justice and human rights is examined, which brings repercussion to the scavengers who have been suffering with the violation of their rights. In this line, the Aarhus Convention is used as an example of an environmental democracy instrument when establishing a new model of relation between government and society, and

: This thesis aims to analyze the case-law of the Court of Justice of the European Union in the field of legal protection of access to environmental decision making, with prejudice to the EIA process, consequently to ascertain the compliance of the legal order of the Czech Republic with the law of the European Union in the area of study and therefore assess the possibilities of the future developments in this matter. To do so, this thesis firstly describes the basic properties of access to environmental decision making and its legal basis both in the international law and the law of the European Union. Secondly, the pertinent statutes of the Czech Republic are analyzed in this regard on the basis of the Case C-368/09, Comission v. Czech Republic and then conclusion is reached that even after the amendment of Act No. 100/2001 Coll., on the ascertaining of effects on the environment, Czech Republic does not comply with the requirement to correctly transpose the European Union law. The analysis proceeds with next step to ascertain whether Czech Republic complies at least with the requirement to implement the European Union law accordingly. This goal is accomplished by analyzing the caselaw of the Court of Justice dealing with legal problems pertaining to the legal orders of Federal Republic of Germany...