Adopted at Escazú, Costa Rica, on 4 March 2018, the Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean has as its objective to guarantee the full and effective implementation in Latin America and the Caribbean of the rights of access to environmental information, public participation in the environmental decision-making process and access to justice in environmental matters, and the creation and strengthening of capacities and cooperation, contributing to the protection of the right of every person of present and future generations to live in a healthy environment and to sustainable development. It is the only binding agreement stemming from the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), the first regional environmental agreement of Latin America and the Caribbean and the first in the world containing specific provisions on environmental human rights defenders. The Regional Agreement was opened for the signature of the 33 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on 27 September 2018 at United Nations Headquarters in New York, coinciding with the General Annual Debate of the United Nations General Assembly. It shall be ratified by 11 States to enter into force.

Article 6 "Generation and dissemination of environmental information" clearly state the importance of establishing PRTR systems in the GRULAC Region:

4. Each Party shall take steps to establish a pollutant release and transfer register covering air, water, soil and subsoil pollutants, as well as materials and waste in its jurisdiction. This register will be established progressively and updated periodically.

For more information please visit the CEPAL website: https://www.cepal.org/en/escazuagreement