Towards Environmental and Human Rights,

We, NGOs from Europe and South America assembled in London on December 1st 2001, at ANPED/Capacity Global meeting on Environmental and Human Rights, hereby call for this issue to be a priority for the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development, and invite others to join us in:

 

Reaffirming that the right to a safe and healthy environment and a right to an adequate standard of living free from poverty are fundamental human rights reflected in many international agreements,[1]

Acknowledging that the importance of the equitable benefit from the sustainable use of environmental resources, free of any form of discrimination, is essential for the full realisation of human rights of present and future generations,

Recognising that human rights in relation to environmental issues including social rights and equitable access to resources; the right of participation of members of the public in decision making; the right of access to information; and the right of access to justice, building on Agenda 21, the Rio Declaration and the Habitat Agenda,

Emphasising that economic development and the realisation of human rights must be mutually supportive,

Reaffirming the primacy of human rights prerogatives over commercial and financial interests,

Stressing that the effective implementation of these rights specifically needs to address the gender dimensions and the involvement of indigenous and marginalised groups within civil society,

Noting with concern that a major obstacle to effective governance is the lack of coherence between national ministries (such as financial and environment ministries) and their respective representation in multilateral bodies:

 

We call upon the governments of the world assembling at WSSD to:

·        Pursue the legal definition and interpretation of substantive environmental human rights and develop respective binding global instruments;

·        Promote synergies between human rights and environmental provisions through improved co-operation between UNEP and OHCHR and other relevant bodies, with a view to develop effective and transparent procedures to monitor and report on the compliance with established international environment and human rights obligations, and develop effective means for access to justice and redress;

·        Strengthen the capacity of and co-ordination between the secretariats of UNEP, UNHCHR, Multilateral Environmental Agreements and other relevant bodies[2] to use human rights in further implementation of environmental agreements, programme of actions and the development of international environmental and human rights law;

·        Promote awareness, education and research on global and local concerns with respect to human rights and environmental impact of policy, regulations, laws and development programmes with the full participation of civil society;

·        Apply the UN Charter and human rights provisions related to the duty of international co-operation in the protection and promotion of all human rights to hold the governments of major industrialised countries and the governing bodies of international trade and financial institutions accountable for breaches in human rights obligations resulting from their economic policy and rule making decisions or omissions.

 


[1] Universal Declaration on Human Rights 1948, International Convenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights 1966, International Convenant on Civil and Political Rights 1966, The European Convention on Human Rights, American Declaration of the Rights and Duties to Man 1948, Stockholm Declaration 1972, Agenda 21, The Declaration of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development,, United Nations Convention on Desertification, and others.

[2] United Nations Education, Cultural and Social Organisation, United Nations Development  Programme and other relevant bodies.