Human rights include the right of individual citizens and groups to par­ticipate in shaping the decisions and policies that affect them.

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights protects the right of citizens to participate in the governance of their nations. For example, article 25 guarantees the right to 'take part in the conduct of public affairs, directly or through freely chosen representatives'.

A number of declarations, treaties and conventions have reinforced and elaborated these rights. The importance and wisdom of providing the public with full information and encouraging public participation is recognised in the Rio Declaration of 1992:

Environmental issues are best handled with participation of all con­cerned citizens, at the relevant level. At the national level, each indi­vidual shall have appropriate access to information concerning the environment that is held by public authorities, including information on hazardous materials and activities in their communities, and the opportunity to participate in decision-making processes. States shall facilitate and encourage public awareness and participation by making information widely available. Effective access to judicial and administrative proceedings, including redress and remedy, shall be provided. (Principle 10)

Similarly, Agenda 21, which was agreed to by over 100 nations at the Rio Conference in 1992, emphasises the need for public participation:

One of the fundamental prerequisites for the achievement of sustain­able development is broad participation in decision-making. Furthermore, in the more specific context of environment and development, the need for new forms of participation has emerged. This includes the need for individuals, groups and organisations to participate in environmental impact assessment procedures and to know about and participate in decisions, particularly those which potentially affect the communities in which they live and work. (Chapter 23.2)

Related human rights with respect to the environment include 'the right to receive prior notice of environmental risks' and the 'right to environ­mental impact assessments, the right to legal remedies including standing to initiate public interest litigation and the right to effective remedies where environmental damage is caused' (Dias 2000).