The Argentina TAI coalition gives local NGOs a space to study, analyze, exchange and advocate on access issues, in order to contribute to political debates about Argentina’s environmental laws. The goals of the coalition are to influence government agendas, raise awareness and build capacity within civil society, bring together experts and key stakeholders and promote greater observance of the principles of access in Argentina. The main challenges the Argentina TAI coalition seeks to address include the significant gaps in access to information and public participation during the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process linked to the development of large infrastructure projects that have support from multilateral development banks.
The national lead organization of the Argentina TAI coalition is the Centro de Derechos Humanos y Ambiente (CEDHA). Created in 1999, CEDHA is a non-profit organization which aims to build a more harmonious relationship between the environment and people. Their work centers on promoting greater access to justice and guaranteeing human rights for victims of environmental degradation, or due to non-sustainable management of natural resources, and to prevent future violations. CEDHA’s work focuses on access rights, the right to water and international financial institutions.
In 2013, Argentina joined the Latin American and Caribbean Principle 10 Process. The TAI coalition advocated for Argentina to join the P10 Process to bring about more public participation in environmental decision making in Argentina, a country that continues to face challenges around access to information, access to justice, and citizen engagement in the EIA process.