Environmental Impact Assessments: Consultation with the UN Special Rapporteur on her next report

Consultation on forthcoming General Assembly report on environmental and strategic impact assessments for the protection and fulfilment of human rights by the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.

About the Consultation

Consultation on forthcoming General Assembly report on environmental and strategic impact assessments for the protection and fulfilment of human rights by the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment

States must prevent environmental damage as part of their obligations under international human rights law and broader international environmental law. This require States and businesses to assess the environmental impact of policies, strategies and projects, through comprehensive and effective environmental impact assessments (EIA) and strategic environmental assessments (SEA).

In her upcoming report to the General Assembly, the Special Rapporteur on the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment seeks to analyse the challenges and shortcomings in the regulation and implementation of EIAs and SEAs. This would also include identifying and define minimum human rights standards, including procedural elements and scope of these assessments, to contribute to the clarification of how these tools should be done, as well as strengthening its implementation.

The report will also identify obstacles and enhance the prevention role of EIAs and SEAs through recommendations based on international best practices and existing legal frameworks from various jurisdictions.

The consultation will help the Special Rapporteur to build the thematic report of the Special Rapporteur to the 80th Session of the General Assembly. The call for inputs is available on the Special Rapporteur’s website and the deadline is 15 April 2025.

Call for Inputs | Special Rapporteur on the human right to a healthy environment

About the Geneva Rights and Environment Talks

In the face of the three interrelated environmental crises — climate change, loss of biodiversity, and pollution — the recognition of the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment by the UN Human Rights Council and the UN General Assembly is an important milestone that puts environmental issues at the forefront of the human rights agenda.

The Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment reports to the Human Rights Council during its March session on issues related to their mandate. The Geneva Rights and Environment Talks harnessed the opportunity of this moment of the year to reflect on the challenges posed by the rapid decline of nature and biodiversity and the intertwined human rights implications. The talks were also an opportunity to discuss how Geneva contributes to bringing together the actors working towards ensuring the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment is upheld for all.

Participation

This consultation is open to civil society organizations. Kindly contact Ulises Quero of ISHR for more information.

Photo Credit

Photo by Srikanth Mannepuri / Ocean Image Bank