Event Summary
On 27 January 2026, Trinidad and Tobago officially joined the Escazú Agreement by depositing its instrument of accession at the United Nations. The Agreement will enter into force for the country on 27 April 2026.
The Escazú Agreement is a regional treaty for Latin America and the Caribbean that focuses on three main areas: access to environmental information, public participation in environmental decision-making, and access to justice in environmental matters. It also includes specific protections for environmental human rights defenders.
The decision to join the Escazu Agreement follows a period of direct engagement between civil society and policy makers about the benefits of the agreement. Environmental groups in Trinidad and Tobago have for many years called for stronger public participation and better access to environmental information. Civil society organisations have similarly raised concerns about the quality of public consultations and the difficulty communities sometimes face in accessing timely and clear environmental data.
The Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) welcomed the decision in a public statement on 29 January 2026, describing it as an important step toward strengthening transparency, public participation, and environmental rights in Trinidad and Tobago.
By joining the Agreement, the government has committed to improving how it shares environmental information, involves the public in environmental decisions, and protects people who defend environmental rights. This has the potential to strengthen the enabling environment for civil society, especially environmental NGOs and community groups.
Until the Agreement enters into force on 27 April 2026, the government needs to review laws, procedures, and institutional practices to ensure they meet Escazú standards, providing an important opportunity civil society to engage with the state on how the Escazú commitments will be put into practice.