Human / society's right to information on the environment. Reception of selected issues of the Aarhus Convention into the EU and Polish law

Abstract

Objectives The subject of the study is the right to information on the environment. It is a human right, but also a collective right, aimed not only at satisfying curiosity about activities, but also allowing for taking actions aimed at protecting the environment. Material and methods The purpose of the study is to analyze the provisions of international, EU and Polish law in terms of similarities and differences in legal solutions adopted in the field of access to information on the environment. Results The purpose of the study is to analyze the provisions of international, EU and Polish law in terms of similarities and differences in legal solutions adopted in the field of access to information on the environment. The research hypothesis is the statement that it is impossible to effectively protect the natural environment against its degradation by human activities without the right to information about that environment. Conclusions The final conclusions indicated that the social activation is necessary to increase the level of using the right to information on the environment. It is necessary to change the mentality of citizens, but also of public authorities.

Keywords

• natural environment
• right to information on the environment
• aarhus convention
• environmental protection
• state of the environment