The World Congress on Justice, Governance and Law for Environmental Sustainability was held in Brazil, from 17-20 June 2012, with the aim to contribute to the support of Chief Justices, Attorneys General, Auditors Generals and other legal experts to the achievement of sustainable development and to provide inputs to the United Nations Rio +20 Conference on Sustainable Development.

More than 200 participants attended the Congress and emphasized the value of exchanging experiences at the national level and the need for enhancing international cooperation. After lively exchanges of views on how to reflect their ideas in a final document, participants agreed to include views in a declaration to be presented to the Rio +20 Summit. The “Rio +20 Declaration on Justice, Governance and Law for Environmental Sustainability” sets out three main sections on: messages to Heads of State and government and the world community; procedural and substantive principles to advance the rule of law on environmental matters; and on an institutional framework for the advancement of justice, governance and law for environmental sustainability. The Declaration reflects participants’ demand for a follow-up process suggesting that UNEP lead the establishment of an international institutional network to continue engaging high-level legal officers, and promote information exchange, education and capacity building of members of the judicial, auditing and prosecuting agencies.