WASHINGTON, DC — The Organization of American States (OAS) has named four high court judges from South and Central America Goodwill Ambassadors for Environmental Justice in the Americas as part of an initiative aimed at strengthening the role of justice in environmental protection.

The project, called “Caring for our Common Home from the Judiciary: Guaranteeing More Rights for More People in the Americas”, was launched last Friday.

According to the OAS, it is based on the idea that protecting Planet Earth is offering “more rights for more people” and is a common responsibility of lawmakers, parliamentarians, judges, lawyers, attorneys and, ultimately, the people.

“In that sense, it considers the effective implementation of laws protecting the environment as essential,” the OAS said in a release.

The programme will focus on training judges; creating an operating model for the judiciary; involving the judiciary in the celebration of International Mother Earth Day; and developing a portal on the state of environmental laws in the Americas.

The newly appointed Goodwill Ambassadors, who will participate in a dialogue on the state of environmental law in the hemisphere, are:

Ricardo Lorenzetti, President of the Supreme Court of Argentina;

Sergio Muñoz, President of the Supreme Court of Justice of Chile;

Antonio Benjamin, Minister of the Superior Court of Justice of Brazil; and

Alfredo Gutierrez Ortiz Mena, Minister of the Supreme Court of Justice of Mexico.