A conference on the environment and human rights opened in Brdo pri Kranju on Wednesday, 19. 5. 2010, with Human Rights Ombudsman dr. Zdenka Cebasek - Travnik stressing that everyone had the right to a healthy living environment. Pollution is a violation of the rights of individuals and families, she noted.
The ombudsman is especially concerned about whether individuals can defend themselves against violations of these rights, which is why she believes the conference, hosted by her office, should examine the public's involvement in environmental issues in Slovenia and abroad.
The public should be included in the decision-making and informed about the issues, dr. Cebasek - Travnik told the conference.
In 1998, Slovenia signed a convention on access to information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice in environmental issues at a European environmental ministerial in Aarhus, Denmark, while the right to a healthy living environment is set by the Constitution, she pointed out.
President of the Republic of Slovenia dr. Danilo Tuerk said in his address that Slovenia still had problems with degraded areas. The campaign Clean Up Slovenia in One Day in mid-April showed the public is ready to help, but it is up to the state to provide the legal framework and strategies, he noted.
European Environment Commissioner dr. Janez Potocnik said that the public was often not informed about pollution, which usually affects the weakest population groups. He believes people will primarily have to change their attitude towards nature.
Environment and Spatial Planning Minister dr. Roko Zarnic welcomed the conference, saying it would be a kind of assessment of cooperation between the Environment Ministry and the public. He asserted that the first steps towards better access to environmental data had already been made.
As part of the conference various lecturers presented the implementation of the Aarhus Convention by EU institutions, the practices in Hungary and Austria, access to environmental data in Slovenia and some environmental projects initiated by the civil society.
