UN Human Rights Council recognizes ‘Right to a clean environment’

The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) unanimously voted to recognise a clean, healthy & sustainable environment as a universal right. This right was recognised by UNHRC on October 8, 2021 in Geneva, Switzerland.

UN Human Rights Council recognizes ‘Right to a clean environment’

Once the right is recognised by all, it would be the first of its kind in 70 years, ever since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted in 1948 by the UN General Assembly.
Right to a clean environment was first rooted in “1972 Stockholm Declaration”.
This resolution was approved following a campaign led by 13000 civil society organisations & indigenous peoples’ groups, 90,000 children, private sector stakeholders and the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions
This resolution emphasises on “Rights to life, liberty and security” of human rights defenders who are working in environmental matters. They are referred as environmental human rights defenders. Clean-environment resolution was passed by the human rights council. The resolution also called on countries to boost their abilities of improving the environment. It was passed by 43-0. Four member states namely India, China, Japan and Russia were abstained.

Published date : 12 Oct 2021 03:52PM