UB Students of Law help environmental collectives to get a favourable resolution of the United Nations in the case of Uniland cement factory

From left to right, the professors and students Mar Aguilera, Mònica López, Alexandre Peñalver and Carlos Fehrer.
From left to right, the professors and students Mar Aguilera, Mònica López, Alexandre Peñalver and Carlos Fehrer.
Academic
(07/07/2017)

Students of Law took part in the Uniland case, about an environmental authorization from Generalitat de Catalunya regarding the cement factory Uniland, in Santa Margarida i els Monjos (Alt Penedès). In particular, UB students supported the actions presented by environmental collectives, against the resolution issued by the Catalan Government. This case got to the United Nations and two students and two lecturers of the UB attended a public conference in Geneva in presence of the Compliance Committee of the Aarhus Convention of the United Nations. The students took part in this collaboration as part of their curricular practical lessons and end-of-degree projects, and within the activities of the Environmental Law Clinic of the Faculty of Law.

From left to right, the professors and students Mar Aguilera, Mònica López, Alexandre Peñalver and Carlos Fehrer.
From left to right, the professors and students Mar Aguilera, Mònica López, Alexandre Peñalver and Carlos Fehrer.
Academic
07/07/2017

Students of Law took part in the Uniland case, about an environmental authorization from Generalitat de Catalunya regarding the cement factory Uniland, in Santa Margarida i els Monjos (Alt Penedès). In particular, UB students supported the actions presented by environmental collectives, against the resolution issued by the Catalan Government. This case got to the United Nations and two students and two lecturers of the UB attended a public conference in Geneva in presence of the Compliance Committee of the Aarhus Convention of the United Nations. The students took part in this collaboration as part of their curricular practical lessons and end-of-degree projects, and within the activities of the Environmental Law Clinic of the Faculty of Law.

The United Nations released a resolution in the line defended by the environmental entities and declare that the environmental authorization of the Generalitat violated the international law. In particular, the resolution states there were several breaches of the Agreement on data access, public participation in decision-making and access to justice regarding the environment, in 1998, known as the Aarhus Convention. These breaches took place in the environmental authorization which enabled modifying the activity of the cement factory Uniland in order to replace a 33% of fuel for urban waste and sewage sludge. Also, the resolution reiterates the violation of the Spanish Government in justice access due the long legal proceedings, a prohibitive cost and a lack of appropriate mechanisms to eradicate or reduce these barriers.


Before going to the United Nations, the environmental group Col·lectiu Bosc Verd and sixteen neighbours submitted two actions of invalidity which were not accepted and were filed by the Generalitat, apart from two other administrative resources which were also rejected. Then the Fons de Defensa Ambiental, defending Col·lectiu Bosc Verd and the sixteen neighbours, with the support from the Environmental Law Clinic of the Faculty of Law of the UB, submitted a communication in presence of the Compliance Committee of the Aarhus Convention of the United Nations.
For further information:

Aarhus Convention

Aarhus Compliance Committee

Resolution from the Compliance Comittee, June 19, 2017