Article 3 of the Convention on Climate Change states that actions must be taken to anticipate, prevent or minimize the causes of climate change, as well as to mitigate adverse effects. This principle is an important tool for dealing with climate change issues because it states that no activities should be undertaken if they have potential impacts for local and global climates. There is much scientific evidence on the adverse affects of the petroleum industry on climate change, the burning of fossil fuels being the principal cause of the greenhouse effect. In the Rio Declaration, Principle 10 states that the participation of all interested citizens is the best means for dealing with environmental questions. It also states that there must be effective public access to judicial and administrative proceedings, including compensation for damages.
Participation has two components, access to information and the right to decision-making.
In the case of the petroleum industry, local populations have exercised these rights through demands for information and in many cases have successfully prevented the establishment of petroleum industry projects that would have affected their communities. The Stockholm Declaration states that natural resources, including air, water, and plant and animal life must be protected in the interests of both present and future generations. This principle is also present in the Rio Declaration and various United Nations resolutions. Climate Change threatens both present and future generations, and the petroleum industry is one of the main causes of climate change. In the Stockholm Declaration and in principles of international law, damage to the natural environments of other states is prohibited.