A UN expert today urged States to expand public access to information on the release of hazardous substances by establishing, strengthening, and integrating 'pollution information portals'.
These portals are online public platforms that provide data on the emissions and wastes from industrial and business activities, among others. New generation pollution information portals are entryways to information that allow users to transform data into knowledge.
"Providing direct and contextual information on emissions and wastes to the public, businesses, regulators, and other users, pollution information portals are key to good environmental governance and corporate accountability," said Marcos Orellana, UN Special Rapporteur on toxics and human rights.
In his report to the 57th session of the Human Rights Council, Orellana said that confronting the global pollution crisis demands information on critical questions concerning emissions and the disposal of hazardous substances and wastes - what pollutants and wastes are emitted or disposed of; where; in what quantities; by whom; and with what consequences.
"These are all decisive questions," the expert said. "Such information could enable regulators, communities, and businesses to take measures to prevent, control and reduce pollution and exposure."
Pollution information portals are a critical tool to strengthen the right to a healthy environment, as emphasised under the Aarhus Convention and its Kyiv Protocol, and the Escazú Agreement. The portals are also pivotal tools for advancing the human right to science and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
The expert's critical assessment reveals shortcomings of certain existing models, including insufficient pollution prevention mandates, the limited scope of the pollutants and activities covered, voluntary instead of mandatory reporting, and lack of integration with other environmental information systems.
"The lack of a clear pollution prevention and reduction mandate can have the unintended effect of normalising pollution, encouraging a misplaced sense of complacency and confusing means and ends," the expert said.
"Public awareness and participation are also lacking due to passivity and overly technical language, which underscores the need for more accessible communication and proactive engagement by Governments," Orellana said. "It is key that this information be available in a form that is easy to use, especially for groups in vulnerable situations."
The 2023 Global Framework on Chemicals - For a Planet Free of Harm from Chemicals and Wastes recommends States to establish pollution information portals.
The Special Rapporteur's report details two-dozen recommendations to support States in doing so to full potential.
