the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment
{{Short description|United Nations Resolution}}
{{Infobox legislation
| short_title = HRC/RES/48/13
| long_title = The human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment
| citation = A/HRC/RES/48/13
| territorial_extent =
| enacted_by = UN Human Rights Council
| date_enacted = 8 October 2021
}}
The human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment is a resolution by the United Nations General Assembly and before that the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC, as HRC/RES/48/13), that recognizes a healthy environment as a human right.{{Cite web|title=A/HRC/RES/48/13 - E - A/HRC/RES/48/13 -Desktop|url=https://undocs.org/A/HRC/RES/48/13|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220123070354/https://undocs.org/A/HRC/RES/48/13|archive-date=2022-01-23|access-date=2022-01-23|website=undocs.org}}{{Cite web |date=2022-06-14 |title=Annual Report 2021: Global upheaval deepened inequalities |url=https://www.ohchr.org/en/stories/2022/06/annual-report-2021-global-upheaval-deepened-inequalities |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220617152737/https://www.ohchr.org/en/stories/2022/06/annual-report-2021-global-upheaval-deepened-inequalities |archive-date=2022-06-17 |access-date=2022-06-17 |website=OHCHR |language=en}} It was adopted at the 48th session of the HRC, marking the first time that the HRC recognized a human right in a resolution.{{Cite book|last=Coplan|first=Karl S.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xjhUEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA162|title=Climate Change Law: An Introduction|publisher=Edward Elgar Publishing|year=2021|isbn=978-1839101298|location=Cheltenham, United Kingdom |pages=162|language=English}}{{Cite web|title=UNHRC Resolution recognising a Human Right to a Healthy Environment – GNHRE|url=https://gnhre.org/community/unhrc-resolution-recognising-a-human-right-to-a-healthy-environment/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220123071828/https://gnhre.org/community/unhrc-resolution-recognising-a-human-right-to-a-healthy-environment/|archive-date=2022-01-23|access-date=2022-01-23|language=en-GB}} The draft resolution was put forward by the core group comprising Costa Rica (Penholder: Mariana Castro), Morocco, Slovenia, Switzerland and the Maldives.{{Cite web|date=2021-10-08|title=Access to a healthy environment, declared a human right by UN rights council|url=https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/10/1102582|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211009110914/https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/10/1102582|archive-date=2021-10-09|access-date=2022-01-23|website=UN News|language=en}} The vote passed with 43 votes in favor, 0 votes against, and 4 abstentions (China, India, Japan and the Russian Federation).
Human Rights Council
The HRC resolution in itself is not legally binding, but it "invites the United Nations General Assembly to consider the matter" (i.e. the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment).
UN General Assembly
In 2022 during its 76th session, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution recognizing the human right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment.{{Cite web |title=General Assembly of the United Nations |url=https://www.un.org/en/ga/76/resolutions.shtml |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=www.un.org |language=EN}} Although General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, this resolution was welcomed by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet,{{Cite web |title=Bachelet calls for urgent action to realize human right to healthy environment following recognition by UN General Assembly |url=https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2022/07/bachelet-calls-urgent-action-realize-human-right-healthy-environment |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=OHCHR |language=en}} multiple special rapporteurs{{Cite web |date=2022-07-28 |title=UN General Assembly declares access to clean and healthy environment a universal human right |url=https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/07/1123482 |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=UN News |language=en}} and members of some civil society organizations.{{Cite web |title=Franciscans International: News |url=https://franciscansinternational.org/news/news/un-general-assembly-recognizes-the-human-right-to-a-healthy-environment/ |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=franciscansinternational.org}}{{Cite web |title=VICTORY: UNGA Recognizes Right to a Healthy Environment For All |url=https://www.ciel.org/news/unga-recognizes-right-to-a-healthy-environment-signaling-a-new-era-of-rights-based-environmental-policy/ |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=Center for International Environmental Law |language=en-US}}
See also
References
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