In seeking to guarantee the rights of present and future generations to healthy environments and to sustainable development, the Escazú Agreement—the Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Justice in Environmental Matters—was developed. It aims to strengthen capacities and bolster cooperation among countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The first regional environmental treaty in Latin America and the Caribbean and the only one of its kind in containing specific provisions for the promotion and protection of defenders of human rights in environmental matters, the Escazú Agreement was the only treaty to have emerged out of the Principe 10 declaration coming out of the RIO+20 meeting in 2012.

Communication and Advocacy Officer of the Saint Lucia National Trust, Karetta Crooks-Charles said Saint Lucia signing onto the agreement was a major achievement for the country. So far, Saint Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda, Haiti, Dominican Republic and Guyana have signed on to the agreement. Approximately 11 countries are needed so that the agreement can enter into force. The agreement is open for ratification until September 2020.