Key words: climate change, access to information, public participation, EU climate law, Aarhus Convention, UNFCCC

"EU Climate Law Through the Lens of the Aarhus Convention: Access to Environmental Information and Public Participation in EU climate change decision-making"

One of the consequences of the increase of greenhouse gas emissions in the Earth’s atmosphere is climate change. The fact that humans contribute to climate change raises the question how the public engages in the decision-making on measures to tackle climate change. Based on this premise, this thesis investigated to what extent rights of access to environmental information and participation in governmental environmental decision-making on an EU level have to be provided for individuals and ENGOs, specifically in the context of EU climate change law and international treaty law and more particularly the UNFCCC and the Aarhus Convention. Overall, this thesis found there is a need for a more consistent and clearer EU legal framework which should ensure access to climate change-related information and participation in climate change decision-making.