The Right to the Environment as a Human Right

Abstract

A clean, healthy, safe, and sustainable environment is a prerequisite for the full enjoyment of human rights, given the interconnectedness of human rights and a protected environment. This was emphasized by the United Nations through its resolutions, the first of their kind in its history, issued by the Human Rights Council in 2021, specifically Resolution (48/13/RES/HRC/A), which affirmed that every individual, everywhere, has the right to live in a healthy, clean, and sustainable environment. The same was affirmed by the General Assembly in 2022, Resolution (76/300/RES/A), explicitly and publicly adding this right as a fundamental human right to the list of internationally recognized human rights.

Furthermore, this international recognition reflects the growing global awareness that environmental protection is inseparable from the protection of human dignity and fundamental freedoms. It also places a responsibility on states to adopt effective policies and legal frameworks to ensure the preservation of the environment for present and future generations.