UN Human Rights Council recognizes sustainable environment as a human right

By Legal Wires 2 Minutes Read

The United Human Rights Council recognized a “safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment” as a fundamental human right.

Initially, the resolution was first proposed in the 1990s which will implement the right to a healthy environment and introduce a Special Rapporteur to establish these changes. The resolution will not be legally binding, and the states involved will not be bound by the terms.

The purpose of the resolution is to tackle the growing threat of climate change and its effects, such as flash floods in China and water droughts in Madagascar. The High Commissioner of the Human Rights Council called this a triple planetary threat of “climate change, pollution and nature loss.” It was also urged that the currently negotiated Global Biodiversity Framework shall integrate a “human rights” angle when discussing action to promote biodiversity.

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