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You are here: Home Page > Documents > 25 Documents on Human Rights and Environment

25 Documents on Human Rights and Environment

The objective of these materials is to contribute to this capacity-building process by providing a readily accessible compilation of key legal instruments relevant to human rights and the environment.

In particular, the materials include international and regional instruments in relation to: civil and political rights; economic, social and cultural rights; racial discrimination; the rights of women; the rights of children; the rights of indigenous people; environmental protection; sustainable development; biodiversity protection; climate change; access to information, public participation in decision-making; and, access to justice.

Human Rights and Environment Resources

International Instruments

  • 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
    Source: www.unhchr.ch/udhr/lang/eng.htm

  • 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees
    Source: www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/o_c_ref.htm

  • 1966 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
    Source: www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/a_cescr.htm

  • 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
    Source: www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/a_ccpr.htm

  • 1966 Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
    Source: www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/a_opt.htm

  • 1969 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
    Source: www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/d_icerd.htm

  • 1972 Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment (Stockholm Declaration).
    Source: http://www.unep.org/Documents/Default.asp? DocumentID=97&ArticleID=1503

  • 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
    Source: www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/e1cedaw.htm

  • 1982 World Charter for Nature
    Source: www.un.org/documents/ga/res/37/a37r007.htm

  • 1986 Declaration on the Right to Development
    Source: www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/74.htm

  • 1989 Convention Concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries (No. 169), International Labor Organization.
    Source: www.ilo.org/ilolex/cgi-lex/convde.pl?C169

  • 1989 Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal
    Source: www.basel.int/text/con-e.htm

  • 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child
    Source: www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/k2crc.htm

  • 1992 Rio Declaration on Environment and Development
    Source: www.unep.org/unep/rio.htm

  • 1992 Agenda 21: Program of Action for Sustainable Development
    Source: www.un.org/esa/sustdev/agenda21text.htm

  • 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity
    Source: www.biodiv.org/doc/legal/cbd-en.pdf

  • 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
    Source: unfccc.int/resource/docs/convkp/conveng.pdf

  • 1993 Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, World Conference on Human Rights.
    Source: http://www.unhchr.ch/huridocda/huridoca.nsf/ (Symbol)/A.CONF.157.23.En?OpenDocument

  • 1994 Draft Declaration of Principles on Human Rights and the Environment
    Source: www1.umn.edu/humanrts/instree/1994-dec.htm

  • 1994 Draft Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples, UN Commission on Human Rights
    Source: http://www.unhchr.ch/huridocda/huridoca.nsf/ (Symbol)/E.CN.4.SUB.2.RES.1994.45.En? OpenDocument

  • 1994 UN Convention to Combat Desertification
    Source: www.unccd.int/convention/text/pdf/conv-eng.pdf

  • 2001 Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants
    Source: www.pops.int/documents/convtext/convtext_en.pdf

Regional Instruments

OAS Conventions and Declarations

  • 1948 American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man
    Source: www.cidh.oas.org/Basicos/basic2.htm

  • 1969 American Convention on Human Rights.
    Source: www.oas.org/juridico/english/Treaties/b-32.htm

  • 1997 Proposed American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, OAS.
    Source: www.cidh.oas.org/Indigenous.htm

  • 1998 Additional Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights in the Area of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (Protocol of San Salvador).
    Source: www.oas.org/juridico/english/Treaties/a-52.html

  • 2001 Interamerican Democratic Charter
    Source: www.oas.org/charter/docs/resolution1_en_p4.htm

OAS Resolutions

  • 2001 OAS AG/RES. 1819 (XXXI-O/01) Human rights and the environment
    Source: www.oas.org/juridico/english/ga01/agres1819.htm

  • 2001 OAS AG/RES. 1834 (XXXI-O/01) The organization of american states and civil society
    Source: www.oas.org/juridico/english/ga01/agres1834.htm

  • 2002 OAS AG/RES. 1851 (XXXII-O/02) American declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples
    Source: www.oas.org/juridico/english/ga02/agres_1851.htm

  • 2002 OAS AG/RES. 1852 (XXXII-O/02) Increasing and strengthening civil society participation in OAS activities
    Source: www.oas.org/juridico/english/ga02/agres_1852.htm

  • 2002 OAS AG/RES. 1854 (XXXII-O/02) Poverty, equity, and social inclusion
    Source: www.oas.org/juridico/english/ga02/agres_1854.htm

  • 2002 OAS AG/RES. 1871 (XXXII-O/02) Promotion of corporate social responsibility in the hemisphere
    Source: www.oas.org/juridico/english/ga02/agres_1871.htm

  • 2002 OAS AG/RES. 1896 (XXXII-O/02) human rights and the environment in the americas
    Source: www.oas.org/juridico/english/ga02/agres_1896.htm

Europe

  • 1998 UNECE Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus Convention)
    Source: www.unece.org/env/pp/documents/cep43e.pdf

National Instruments

  • Constitution of the Argentine Nation
    Source: www.oefre.unibe.ch/law/icl/ar00000_.html

OnLine Resources

  • AAAS Science and Human Rights Program: Environment and Human Rights Resources

  • Publications of the Anti-American Commission on Human Rights

  • UNHCR Status of Ratification of International Human Rights Treaties

Reports, Articles and Discussion Papers

  • 1994 Final Report of the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment
    Source: http://www.unhchr.ch/Huridocda/Huridoca.nsf/ TestFrame/eeab2b6937bccaa18025675 c005779c3?Opendocumenthttp://www.unhchr.ch/Huridocda/Huridoca.nsf/ 2848af408d01ec0ac1256609004e770b/2
    See also: Annex 3: Developments in National Legislation and Practices (Constitutions, Legislation and Cases)

  • 1997 Human Rights, Environment and Economic Development: Existing and Emerging Standards in International Law and Global Society (CIEL)
    Source: http://www.ciel.org/Publications/olpaper3.html

  • 1998 Integrating Human Rights with Sustainable Human Development (UNDP)
    Source: http://magnet.undp.org/Docs/policy5.html

  • 2002 One Species, One Planet: Environmental Justice and Sustainable Development (CIEL)
    Source: http://www.ciel.org/Publications/OneSpecies_OnePlanet.pdf

  • 2002 Human Rights Principles and Responsibilities for Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises
    Source: http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/Principles WithCommentary5final.html

  • 2002 Human Rights and Environment Issues in Multilateral Treaties Adopted between 1991 and 2001 (UNHCHR Background Paper 1)
    Source: http://www.unhchr.ch/environment/bp1.html

  • 2002 Human Rights and the Environment: Jurisprudence of International Human Rights Bodies (UNHCHR Background Paper 2)
    Source: http://www.unhchr.ch/environment/bp2.html

  • 2002 The Intersection of Human Rights and Environmental Issues: A Review of Institutional Issues at the International Level(UNHCHR Background Paper 3)
    Source: http://www.unhchr.ch/environment/bp3.html

  • 2002 Human Rights and the Environment: The National Experience in South Asia and Africa (UNHCHR Background Paper 4)
    Source: http://www.unhchr.ch/environment/bp4.html

  • 2002 Information, Participation and Access to Justice: The Model of the Aarhus Convention(UNHCHR Background Paper 5)
    Source: http://www.unhchr.ch/environment/bp5.html

  • 2002 Review of Jursiprudence on Human Rights and the Environment in Latin America(UNHCHR Background Paper 6)
    Source: http://www.unhchr.ch/environment/bp6.html

  • UN General Comment on the Right to Water
    Source: http://www.cedha.org.ar/docs/doc104-eng.htm

  • Human Rights and Environment Experts Seminar - American University/OAS, 3-19-02
    Source: http://www.cedha.org.ar/hr-env-meeting-au.htm

  • OHCHR/UNEP Experts Seminar on Human Rights and Environment (Geneva Jan. 14-16)
    Source: http://www.cedha.org.ar/conclusions.htm

Argentina Law

  • Ley General del Ambiente - Presupuestos Mínimos.

  • Ley 25688: Régimen de Gestión Ambiental de Aguas

  • Ley 25.670: Presupuestos Mínimos para la Gestión y Eliminación de los PCB's

  • Ley 20.284: Contaminacion Atmosférica

  • Código Penal

  • Ley 13.273: Ley de Promoción Forestal.

  • Ley 18.590: Tratado de la Cuenca del Plata

  • Ley 25831: Régimen de Libre Acceso a la Información Pública Ambiental

  • Ley 8803: Acceso al Conocimiento de los Actos del Estado de la Provincia de Córdoba

Observatorio de Políticas Públicas de Derechos Humanos en el MERCOSUR Biceca
OECD Watch Bank Track GT ONG