As the Council of Europe continues to strengthen its work on environmental protection, the second meeting of the Steering Committee on the Environment (CDENV) will take place in Strasbourg on 13 and 14 October 2026.
Following its first meeting in March, the second meeting will provide an opportunity to take stock of progress in implementing the Council of Europe Strategy on the Environment, adopted by the Committee of Ministers in May 2025, and to further develop priorities for the Council of Europe’s work at the intersection of environmental protection and human rights.
Among the issues on the agenda will be measures to strengthen good democratic governance, including effective access to environmental information; addressing the challenges posed by misinformation and disinformation on environmental matters; and ensuring conditions that enable child and young environmental defenders to access information, safely and freely express themselves, and access justice.
The CDENV will exchange views on a review of the practices of courts, tribunals and legal professionals specialising in environmental law, with a view to identifying and promoting good practices. It will also discuss the integration of nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based approaches into broader governance structures.
The Committee will further discuss prospects for the signature and ratification of the new Convention on the Protection of the Environment through Criminal Law (CETS No. 228), which was opened for signature on 3 December 2025.
In addition, the CDENV will consider the Council of Europe's participation in major upcoming international environmental conferences, including the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP17) in Yerevan and the UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, and opportunities to strengthen the Organisation's contribution to global environmental cooperation.
During the two-day meeting, the CDENV will also hear from experts and other prominent figures on topics related to environmental protection and human rights, including UN Special Rapporteurs Michel Forst, Special Rapporteur on Environmental Defenders under the Aarhus Convention, and Astrid Puentes Riaño, Special Rapporteur on the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.
The CDENV co-ordinates the intergovernmental work in the field of the environment and advises the Committee of Ministers on appropriate action to be taken in its field of competence, ensuring a multidisciplinary and cross-sectoral approach, promoting democratic governance and inclusive participation, and leveraging synergies with partners and stakeholders. It brings together representatives from member States, Council of Europe bodies, international organisations and civil society, reflecting the Organisation’s commitment to a comprehensive, inclusive and human rights-based approach to environmental governance.
Further information is available on the Reykjavík Process and the Environment homepage.
