Governance & Policy
Prior Informed Consent (PIC)
Definition
Prior informed consent is a legal principle requiring that consent be obtained from an affected party before an activity proceeds, based on full disclosure of relevant information. It operates in several regimes: the Rotterdam Convention (importing countries must consent to listed hazardous chemical shipments), the Basel Convention (hazardous waste movements), the Nagoya Protocol (access to genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge), and — in its strongest form, free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) — the rights of Indigenous peoples over actions affecting their lands.
References
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This reference provides supporting context for how “Prior Informed Consent (PIC)” is defined and used.
Overview
How it is used
PIC procedures are administered by treaty secretariats and national authorities; in corporate practice, FPIC expectations appear in project standards (IFC PS7) and supply chain due diligence for land-based investments.
Why it matters
PIC is a foundational procedural safeguard linking environmental protection with self-determination — the mechanism by which affected parties gain a legal voice before decisions are locked in.