Peru’s judiciary has presented an updated environmental justice pact that seeks stronger protection for nature and the people who defend it, with commitments intended to guide institutional work through 2030.
Judiciary president Janet Tello Gilardi introduced the document at an event at the Palace of Justice in Lima on 10 November. It is an update of the Madre de Dios pact, a commitment first signed in 2017 and later given to Pope Francis during his visit to Peru.
The revised version is intended for Pope Leo XIV in connection with his visit to the country. Its presentation is a step towards renewing an institutional commitment; it does not mean the document has already been delivered to the Pope or that the measures it proposes have been achieved.
Access to justice and protection for defenders
The pact contains ten commitments covering access to environmental justice, prevention and investigation of environmental crime, and protection for people who defend the environment and their territories. It also addresses the rights of Indigenous peoples and other vulnerable populations.
The judiciary frames the commitments as supporting a specialised, timely and intercultural approach to environmental justice. That includes recognising that people seeking help may face practical obstacles as well as legal ones.
At the presentation, environmental policy specialist Mariano Castro pointed to distance, cost and language as barriers to accessing justice. He also highlighted the importance of providing information in time for communities to take part in decisions affecting their territories.
Those concerns are relevant to the pact’s emphasis on public participation and access to information. The document also calls for greater transparency and for institutions to account for their progress.
Defenders’ safety is another part of the agenda. Forest defenders face repeated threats and attacks from groups involved in the illegal exploitation of natural resources and occupation of land. The pact’s protection commitment is an intended response to those risks, not evidence that a particular person has received protection or that an investigation has been completed.
From environmental harm to remedies
The revised pact covers biodiversity, water and ecosystems as well as the effects of climate change. Tello identified deforestation, polluted water sources and threats to environmental defenders among the challenges that require coordinated responses.
It also addresses the consequences of harm after it occurs. The commitments refer to the implementation of measures for reparation, remediation and, where appropriate, environmental restoration. In practical terms, that makes the follow-through on decisions part of the agenda, alongside access to the justice system in the first place.
The pact’s value will depend on effective protection, meaningful participation and transparent monitoring of progress. Clear responsibilities and ways to assess what is achieved will matter to that work.
Castro also stressed the importance of follow-up. At the ceremony, he pointed to coordination on preventing, investigating and responding to environmental offences, including illegal mining, illegal logging and wildlife trafficking.
A commitment renewed
The earlier Madre de Dios pact brought together public institutions and civil society organisations in 2017. Its purpose included improving the handling of environmental disputes while respecting due process. In January 2018, the then head of the judiciary gave the agreement to Pope Francis during his visit.
Peru’s judicial executive council approved the update in September 2026. The presentation brought together representatives of public bodies, Indigenous organisations and academic institutions, among others, and invited organisations to join the commitment.
The revised pact sets out a common direction for cooperation rather than a single court ruling. Each institution’s role remains subject to its existing constitutional and legal powers, and the independence of judicial decision-making is to be respected.
The 2030 horizon gives the signatories a longer-term frame for their work. Whether communities can obtain timely information, have their concerns heard and see environmental decisions carried out will depend on what institutions do after the presentation.
