Human Rights and the Environment

About this Session

Switzerland had organized within the framework of the GEN, on March 12th, 2004, a Roundtable on the link between human rights and environment, on the eve of the debate on this subject in the session of the Commission on human rights, which had adopted in 2003 a resolution on “Human rights and environment, as parts of sustainable development”. This resolution followed upon a joint experts seminar organized by the High-Commissioner on human rights and UNEP on this question, as well as in the inclusion of a sentence on this subject in the Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg.

The recognition of the links between these two domains still strengthened, notably with the creation of the new Human Rights Council, which works now on three of its aspects:

• the impact of the transboundary movements of waste and toxic products on
  the enjoyment of human rights;
• the consequences of climate change for human rights;
• the access to water and sanitation.

Besides, UNEP on its part pursues the implementation of the Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration and prepares its fourth program for the development and review of environmental law (Program of Montevideo IV). Other developments also continue at the regional and national levels.

For the celebration of this 60th anniversary of the UDHR, the Brown-bag lunch can review the current events and the emergence of this question which could not be envisaged during the drafting of this text, as well as on the perspectives which are henceforth outlined, linking both domains.

Speakers

• Christophe Bouvier, Director, UNEP/ROE
• Yves Lador, Earthjustice
• Ulrik Halsteen, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
• Martin Frick, Global Humanitarian Forum
• Nathalie Bernasconi, Center for International Environmental Law – TBC
• Muriel Berset, Mission of Switzerland

Documents

• Agenda – Human Rights & Environment