Idelisa Bonnelly De Calventi Fundemar
Environment and people are intricately linked. We have a duty to preserve the environment for future generations since it is essential to our existence and well-being. The truth is that there is a strong link between defending human rights and the environment, which can result in a healthier and more sustainable environment.
Human Rights and the Environment
Human well and dignity depend on a safe and sustainable environment. To exercise basic human rights, one must have access to needs like food, water, and sanitary facilities.
The protection of human rights is essential for maintaining the environment since it disproportionately affects the most vulnerable parts of society, such as indigenous peoples, women, children, and the impoverished.
International Legal Frameworks for Environmental Protection and Human Rights
The mission of the UN Human Rights Council on human rights and the environment considers the responsibilities associated with a secure, hygienic, healthy, and long-lasting environment. It guarantees that the effects of environmental policies on human rights are taken into account and fosters best practices in environmental policymaking.
Several state constitutions, laws, and policies also include provisions for the right to a healthy environment. As an illustration, Ecuador’s constitution stipulates that nature has the right to live, endure, and regenerate.
How Can Human Rights Contribute to Environmental Protection?
Protecting human rights is necessary to ensure environmental sustainability. When human rights are preserved, the environment is likewise protected. This is because abuses of human rights, such as the right to a healthy environment or the ability to participate in the decision-making process, frequently result in the degradation of the environment.
Therefore, it is essential to consider human rights issues when creating environmental policy. This calls for ensuring that environmental laws and regulations don’t violate human rights and that the affected communities are involved in the decision-making process.
A healthy and sustainable environment is necessary for the full enjoyment of human rights, and upholding human rights is essential to preserving environmental sustainability. As we continue to battle the effects of climate change, it is more important than ever to acknowledge and address the intersection of human rights and the environment.