Human Rights and Environment
All human beings depend on the environment in which we live. A safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment is integral to the full enjoyment of a wide range of human rights, including the rights to life, health, food, water and sanitation. Without a healthy environment, we are unable to fulfill our aspirations or even live at a level commensurate with minimum standards of human dignity. At the same time, protecting human rights helps to protect the environment. When people are able to learn about, and participate in, the decisions that affect them, they can help to ensure that those decisions respect their need for a sustainable environment.
Updates
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Organizations
Multilateral Environmental Agreements
Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters
Aarhus Convention
Thematic Platforms
Geneva Roadmap 40/11 for Environmental Human Rights Defenders
Geneva Roadmap 40/11 for Environmental Human Rights Defenders
Intergovernmental Organizations
United Nations Information Portal on Multilateral Environmental Agreements
InforMEA
Experts
Adam Day
Adam Day is Head of the Geneva Office of the United Nations University Centre for Policy Research (UNU-CPR) and Research Lead for the UN Secretary-General's Scientific Advisory Board (SAB).
Ana Maria Suarez Franco
Ana Maria Suarez Franco has been appointed FIAN International Secretary General, from January 2025.
Andrés del Castillo
Andrés del Castillo is the Senior Attorney for the Environmental Health Program of the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL).
Angela Kariuki
Angela Kariuki is Legal Officer and Head of InforMEA under the Law Division of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
Benjamin Schachter
Benjamin Schachter is Human Rights Officer and Environment team leader at United Nations Human Rights.
Christa Muth
Dr. Christa Muth is a systems specialist, an Emeritus Professor at HES-SO, and a member of the Executive Committee of the NGO Objectif Sciences International.
Daouia Chalali
Daouia Chalali leads a project on long-term governance at the United Nations University Centre for Policy Research (UNU-CPR).
David Azoulay
David Azoulay (he/him) is the director of Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL)- Switzerland and Director of CIEL’s Environmental Health Program.
Ella Behlyarova
Ella Behlyarova is a Programme Manager at the Aarhus Convention and its Protocol on PRTRs.
Emilia Wahlström
Emilia Wahlström is a Programme Management Officer at UNDRR.
Felix Kirchmeier
Felix Kirchmeier is the Director of the Geneva Human Rights Hub.
Fiona Marshall
Fiona Marshall is a Legal Officer and the Secretary to the Compliance Committee at the Aarhus Convention of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).
Francesca Mingrone
Francesca Mingrone is a Geneva-based senior attorney for the Climate & Energy Program of the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL).
Giulia Carlini
Giulia Carlini is a Senior Attorney for the Environmental Health Program of the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), and co-chair of IPEN Toxic Plastics Working Group.
Hélionor De Anzizu
Hélionor De Anzizu is a Senior Attorney for the Environmental Health Program of the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL).
Ira Gibson
Ira Gibson is a Program Officer for Climate, Business and Human Rights at the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Geneva Office.
Lien Vandamme
Lien Vandamme is a Senior Campaigner for Climate & Energy Program at the Center for International Environmental Law's (CIEL) office in Geneva.
Madeleine Hamel
Madeleine Hamel is the Lead on Science and Technology at the United Nations University Centre for Policy Research (UNU-CPR).
Peter Bille Larsen
Peter Bille Larson is Senior Lecturer and Associate Researcher, at the Environmental Governance and Territorial Development Institute and Department of Sociology, of the University of Geneva.
Richard Pearshouse
Richard Pearshouse is the director of Environment and Human Rights Division at Human Rights Watch (HRW).
Rossella Recupero
Rossella Recupero is a Communications Associate at the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL).
Ruben Escalante-Hasbun
Ruben Escalante-Hasbun is the Geneva Representative and Civic Space Advocacy Coordinator at the Global Citizen Geneva Office.
Sandra Epal-Ratjen
Sandra Epal-Ratjen is the UN Representative and Senior Legal Adviser of the International Commission of Jurists.
Sara Clarke-Habibi
Sara Clarke-Habibi is Peacebuilding Liaison Officer at UN University Centre for Policy Research.
Sébastien Duyck
Sébastien Duyck is a Senior Attorney in the Climate & Energy Program at the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and the Campaign Manager for the Human Rights and Climate Change of the Climate & Energy Program.
Thomas Egli
Thomas Egli is the founder of the NGO Objectif Sciences International and CEO of the Geneva Forum.
Yves Lador
Yves Lador is the representative of Earthjustice to the United Nations in Geneva.Events
Body Meeting
63rd session of the Human Rights Council | HRC63
07 Sep – 07 Oct 2026
Palais des Nations | Assembly Hall
HRC
Conference
Human Rights at the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity | HRC63 Side Event
02 Oct 2026 | 12:00 – 13:00
Palais des Nations, Room XI
Armenia, OHCHR, GEN
Body Meeting
Twelfth session of the open-ended intergovernmental working group on transnational corporations and other business enterprises with respect to human rights
12 – 16 Oct 2026
Palais des Nations
HRC
Virtual
Online Symposium | Driving Climate Commitments toward a Just Transition
15 Oct 2026 | 13:00 – 17:00
Online
GCHRAGD
Conference
15th United Nations Forum on Business and Human Rights
23 – 25 Nov 2026
Palais des Nations
OHCHR
Learning
Publications
Report
Transforming food systems for a safe climate and health for all
2026
Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council
Report
Impact of disinformation on the enjoyment and realization of human rights
2026
Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council
Report
Global analytical study on the implementation of a human-rights based approach into the goals and targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework
2026
Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council
Report
Priority actions towards breathing clean air, protecting public health and ensuring a healthy environment
2026
Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council
Report
Enforced disappearance in the context of the defence of land, natural resources and environment
2025
Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council
Report
Businesses, planetary boundaries, and the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment
2024
Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council
Report
The toxic impacts of some proposed climate change solutions – Report of the Special Rapporteur on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes
2023
Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council
Report
Paying polluters: the catastrophic consequences of investor-State dispute settlement for climate and environment action and human rights
2023
Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council
Jobs