Event information

14 September 2022, 19:00-20:30

Downloads

Programme >

Promoting and Protecting the Right to a Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment

Event

The remainings of an iceberg The remainings of an iceberg

Global challenges such as climate change, food insecurity, forced migration, and armed conflicts, as well as difficult access to water, land and other natural resources, raw materials and energy, have increased and have a major impact on stability and security in the world. Violations of human rights, especially in the context of environmental protection, are increasingly driving conflict.

At its 48th session in October 2021, the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council (HRC) recognized for the first time the human right of all to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, calling on states to work together, and with other partners, to implement this newly recognized right. It also invited the UN General Assembly (UNGA) to consider the matter. At its 76th session in July 2022, the UNGA responded to this call and recognized the human right of all to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.

In parallel, UN treaty bodies (TBs) and regional courts are increasingly acknowledging the environmental dimensions of human rights. These TBs and courts are developing jurisprudence on environmental harm inducing human rights violations and on the negative human rights implications of climate change, as well as harmful projects aimed at mitigating and adapting to climate change.

At this side event to the HRC 51st session, the Geneva Academy, the Permanent Missions of Costa Rica, the Maldives, Morocco, Switzerland and Slovenia to the UN in Geneva, Franciscans International, CIEL and EarthJustice invite States, NGOs, international organizations and human rights experts to discuss their role in promoting and protecting the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.

On this occasion, we will present our background paper Human Rights, the Environment, and the Right to a Healthy Environment, an output of our research project on the same issue and the basis of a future publication by the end of 2022.

Welcome

  • Erica Harper, Head of Research and Policy Studies, Geneva Academy

Moderation

  • Christophe Golay, Senior Research Fellow and Strategic Adviser on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Geneva Academy

Introduction

  • Asim Ahmed, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Maldives to the UN in Geneva
  • Shara Duncan Villalobos, Ambassador, Deputy Permanent Representative and Chargée d'affaires a.i. of Costa Rica to the UN in Geneva

Panelists

  • David R. Boyd, UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment
  • Astrid Puentes Riaño, Independent expert consultant on human rights, environment and climate change
  • Megan Donald, Associate Research Fellow,  Geneva Academy
  • Olivier De Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights

Conclusion

  • Anita Pipan, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Slovenia to the UN in Geneva
  • Omar Zniber, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Morocco to the UN in Geneva

Video

Promoting and Protecting the Right to a Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment

Watch this side event to the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council which discussed the role of states, NGOs, international organizations and human rights experts in promoting and protecting the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.

MORE ON THIS THEMATIC AREA

News

New publications outline concrete recommendations to implement the right to food in Geneva

9 December 2024

The Geneva Academy has released one briefing in French and four research briefs in French, English, German, and Italian on the right to food in Geneva.

Read more

GHRP in Davos News

AI and Human Rights in the Intelligent Age: GHRP in Davos

3 February 2025

The Geneva Human Rights Platform contributed to key discussions on AI, human rights, and sustainable digital governance at the World Economic Forum 2025.

Read more

Faces and Data Event

Academic Freedom under Siege

24 March 2025, 13:15-14:45

This Human Rights Conversation will highlight the significance of academic freedom, explore its legal foundations, and examine the concrete threats it faces.

Read more

Training

Human Rights and the Environment: Introducing Legal Regimes and Key Issues

1-8 September 2025

Participants in this training course will be introduced to the major international and regional instruments for the promotion of human rights, as well as international environmental law and its implementation and enforcement mechanisms.

Read more

Asian workers working at technology production factory with industrial machines Training

Business and Human Rights

19-23 May 2025

This training course will examine how the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights have been utilized to advance the concept of business respect for human rights throughout the UN system, the impact of the Guiding Principles on other international organizations, as well as the impact of standards and guidance developed by these different bodies.

Read more

Un plate with Rapporteur Spécial written on it Project

Support to UN Special Procedures

Started in June 2020

Read more

Plastic pollution on an Italian shore Project

Unpacking the Human Right to a Healthy Environment: Definition, Implementation and Impact

Started in January 2022

This research aims at mainstreaming the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment and the protection it affords in the work of the UN Human Rights Council, its Special Procedures and Universal Periodic Review, as well as in the work of the UN General Assembly and UN treaty bodies.

Read more

Cover of the publication Publication

Briefing N° 25: Localizing Multilateralism

published on March 2025

Domenico Zipoli, Ludovica Chiussi Curzi, Kamelia Kemileva

Read more

Cover page of the working paper Publication

AI Decoded: Key Concepts and Applications of Artificial Intelligence for Human Rights and SDG Monitoring

published on January 2025

Milica Mirkovic, Jennifer Victoria Scurrell

Read more