Statement on the Environmental Rule of Law at the Open Ended CPR by Major Group civil society cluster comprising NGOs, Women, Indigenous Peoples, Farmers, Local Authorities, Children & Youth, and Workers and Trade Unions.

This statement outlines civil society perspectives on advancing environmental rule of law through the work of the United Nations Environment Programme. It emphasises the role of stronger environmental legal and policy frameworks at local, national, and international levels to address environmental degradation and inequality. The text highlights concerns about transnational environmental crime and notes that coordinated international enforcement and cooperation are necessary to strengthen environmental governance. It also discusses the development and review of environmental law through the Montevideo programme and its connections to human rights processes. Particular attention is given to procedural rights such as access to information, public participation, and legal remedies in environmental matters, and to recognising the right to a healthy environment as a foundation for accountability and sustainable development.