The Right to a Healthy Environment and the crucial role of local authorities

10-08-2022

Agori Michopoulou

International Justice and Human Rights Researcher

Global Human Rights Defence

The declaration of a clean, healthy and sustainable environment as a universal human right by the UN General Assembly was welcomed by the Congress of the Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. The Spokesperson on Human Rights Harald Bergmann supported that the recognition of this human right demonstrates the urgency of collective action, in order to preserve the environment and fight against climate change. According to the Congress, all levels of governance have to cooperate, as a healthy environment is  precondition for the rest of human rights. Local governments have a key role in guaranteeing human rights.

The European Charter of Local Self-Government (ECLSG) aims to protect the rights of the local authorities by the compliance of the member states with the conditions, principles and practices. The target of the Congress at that moment is focusing on the strengthening of environmental protection by local and regional authorities. Its proposal is to adopt an Additional Protocol to the Charter which ensures local governance in environmental matters and raises awareness. Currently they are preparing a third volume of the Human Rights Handbook series for local and regional elected representatives on the environment and sustainable development, in order to support the ‘green reading’ of the Charter and the environmental action of local and regional authorities. 

Sources and Further Reading: 

Council of Europe, ‘The Right to a Healthy Environment, a universal human right and an emergency for all levels of governance’ 9th August 2022, https://www.coe.int/en/web/portal/-/the-right-to-a-healthy-environment-a-universal-human-right-and-an-emergency-for-all-levels-of-governance 

Council of Europe, ‘Achieving the SDGs requires to involve local and regional authorities in structured consultation with central governments’ 13th July 2022,  https://www.coe.int/en/web/congress/-/achieving-the-sdgs-requires-to-involve-local-and-regional-authorities-in-structured-consultation-with-central-governments 

Council of Europe, ‘The European Charter of Local- Self Government’ https://www.coe.int/en/web/congress/the-charter-how-it-works 

United Nations, ‘UN General Assembly declares access to clean and healthy environment a universal human right’ 28th July 2022, https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/07/1123482