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A Major Step Forward for Environmental Law – UN General Assembly Declares Access to Clean and Healthy Environment a Universal Human Right

With 161 votes in favour and eight abstentions, the UN General Assembly adopted a historic resolution on Thursday 28/7/2022, declaring access to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, a universal human right.

The resolution has the potential to be a watershed for mankind, enhancing lives and the exercise of human rights for all inhabitants of our planet.

The resolution is an indicator of the aspiration for UN member states to join forces in the collective fight against the triple planetary crisis: climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.

The universal recognition of this right by the international community is merely the first step in achieving this goal, and therefore countries need to implement this right into their national legislations.

The Resolution states:

  1. recognition of the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment as a human right;
  2. that the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment is connected with other rights and existing international law;
  3. that it affirms that the promotion of the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment requires the full implementation of multilateral environmental agreements according to international environmental law principles.
  4. that countries, international organisations, companies and other relevant stakeholders to adopt policies, enhance international cooperation, strengthen capacity building and continue to share best practices to increase efforts to ensure a clean, healthy and sustainable environment for all.