Since 2015, a remarkable movement has been taking shape in courts worldwide, where groups of young people, some as young as seven, are taking legal action against their governments for not doing enough about climate change. For example, in the winter of 2018, 25 young Colombians, including Indigenous youths, sued their government for not reducing deforestation in the Amazon and failing to meet climate commitments. These lawsuits argue that harmful environmental policies threaten their current and future lives, claiming that climate inaction violates their basic human rights, such as the right to a healthy environment, health, food, and water.
But how do human rights connect to the environment? Do people have the right to clean air or to live in a world with diverse wildlife and healthy ecosystems? The first international document outlining human rights was adopted by the newly-formed United Nations in 1948, following the devastation of two world wars. This document, known as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), describes the inherent freedoms that belong to all people, regardless of their identity or location, and which cannot be granted or revoked. It establishes rights such as freedom of thought, political liberties like the right to a fair trial, and socioeconomic and cultural rights, including the right to adequate housing and healthcare.
While the UDHR itself is non-binding, its creation provided an internationally recognized set of ethics and standards, laying the groundwork for human rights law. Since 1948, these liberties have been integrated into international treaties, constitutions, and laws, leading countries to commit to upholding and protecting them. Consequently, numerous individual human rights struggles and movements have gained legitimacy and a legal basis for seeking justice.
The UDHR does not mention nature, biodiversity, or climate. Instead, these rights first emerged at the national level. Many countries in the Global South, often influenced by Indigenous laws and perspectives, incorporated the right to a healthy environment into their constitutions and regional treaties. Human rights advocates have since called on the global community and the United Nations to recognize this right as well, arguing that the principles of the UDHR depend on access to healthy ecosystems.
Each year, millions of people die from air and water pollution. Declining pollinator populations threaten food security, and the loss of coastal habitats increases vulnerability to destructive floods and hurricanes. Protecting the right to a healthy environment is more urgent than ever. Climate change is leading to more frequent heatwaves, longer droughts, and more destructive wildfires. Without rapid and significant action, the planet faces the risk of mass extinction, potentially wiping out a quarter of the world’s biodiversity by 2100. Such losses to natural ecosystems could have disastrous effects, further threatening food supplies, destroying livelihoods, and increasing vulnerability to disease.
Fortunately, momentum is building. Today, over 150 countries and jurisdictions have enshrined the right to a healthy environment into national legislation. On April 5th, 2018, the Colombian Supreme Court ruled in favor of the young plaintiffs, determining that the government was legally obligated to reduce deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions to protect the rights of present and future generations. This case, along with similar victories by young people in the Netherlands, Germany, and the United States, has inspired others to pursue similar actions.
As of the summer of 2023, more than 2,000 human rights-based environmental cases have been filed globally, and this number is expected to grow. In 2022, a significant majority of UN General Assembly states came together to align human rights with a changing world by recognizing the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. Achieving these goals will require unprecedented global cooperation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, halt deforestation, and maintain clean waterways. These court cases represent a powerful first step in holding governments accountable and ensuring that future generations have a better chance to breathe clean air and live in a world rich in biodiversity for years to come.
Engage in a structured debate with your peers on whether the right to a healthy environment should be universally recognized as a human right. Prepare arguments for both sides, considering the implications for policy, law, and global cooperation.
Analyze a landmark environmental rights case, such as the Colombian Supreme Court ruling in favor of young plaintiffs. Discuss the legal arguments used, the outcome, and its impact on environmental policy and human rights law.
Conduct a research project on how Indigenous laws and perspectives have influenced the recognition of environmental rights in various countries. Present your findings in a class presentation or a written report.
Participate in a simulation of a United Nations General Assembly session where you represent a country. Debate and vote on a resolution to recognize the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment globally.
Join an interactive workshop that explores practical ways to take climate action at the local and global levels. Develop a personal or group action plan to contribute to environmental sustainability and human rights advocacy.
Since 2015, a significant movement has emerged in courts around the world, where groups of young plaintiffs, some as young as 7, are suing their governments for inaction on climate change. For instance, in the winter of 2018, 25 young Colombians, including Indigenous youths, sued their government for failing to reduce deforestation in the Amazon and not meeting climate commitments. These lawsuits argue that harmful environmental policies jeopardize the plaintiffs’ current and future lives, claiming that climate inaction violates their basic human rights—specifically the right to a healthy environment, health, food, and water.
But how do human rights relate to the environment? Do individuals have the right to clean air? To live in a world with diverse wildlife and healthy ecosystems? The first international document outlining human rights was adopted by the newly-formed United Nations in 1948, in the aftermath of two world wars marked by numerous atrocities. This document, known as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), describes the inherent freedoms that belong to all people, regardless of their identity or location, and which cannot be granted or revoked. It establishes rights such as freedom of thought, political liberties like the right to a fair trial, and socioeconomic and cultural rights, including the right to adequate housing and healthcare.
While the UDHR itself is non-binding, its creation provided an internationally recognized set of ethics and standards, laying the groundwork for human rights law. Since 1948, these liberties have been integrated into international treaties, constitutions, and laws, leading countries to commit to upholding and protecting them. Consequently, numerous individual human rights struggles and movements have gained legitimacy and a legal basis for seeking justice.
The UDHR does not mention nature, biodiversity, or climate. Instead, these rights first emerged at the national level. Many countries in the Global South, often influenced by Indigenous laws and perspectives, incorporated the right to a healthy environment into their constitutions and regional treaties. Human rights advocates have since called on the global community and the United Nations to recognize this right as well, arguing that the principles of the UDHR depend on access to healthy ecosystems.
Each year, millions of people die from air and water pollution. Declining pollinator populations threaten food security, and the loss of coastal habitats increases vulnerability to destructive floods and hurricanes. Protecting the right to a healthy environment is more urgent than ever. Climate change is leading to more frequent heatwaves, longer droughts, and more destructive wildfires. Without rapid and significant action, the planet faces the risk of mass extinction, potentially wiping out a quarter of the world’s biodiversity by 2100. Such losses to natural ecosystems could have disastrous effects, further threatening food supplies, destroying livelihoods, and increasing vulnerability to disease.
Fortunately, momentum is building. Today, over 150 countries and jurisdictions have enshrined the right to a healthy environment into national legislation. On April 5th, 2018, the Colombian Supreme Court ruled in favor of the young plaintiffs, determining that the government was legally obligated to reduce deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions to protect the rights of present and future generations. This case, along with similar victories by young people in the Netherlands, Germany, and the United States, has inspired others to pursue similar actions.
As of the summer of 2023, more than 2,000 human rights-based environmental cases have been filed globally, and this number is expected to grow. In 2022, a significant majority of UN General Assembly states came together to align human rights with a changing world by recognizing the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. Achieving these goals will require unprecedented global cooperation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, halt deforestation, and maintain clean waterways. These court cases represent a powerful first step in holding governments accountable and ensuring that future generations have a better chance to breathe clean air and live in a world rich in biodiversity for years to come.
Rights – Entitlements or freedoms that are guaranteed to individuals, often upheld by legal and social systems, to ensure fair treatment and protection. – The right to clean water is a fundamental human right that must be protected to ensure the health and well-being of all communities.
Environment – The natural world, including the air, water, land, and ecosystems, that surrounds and affects living organisms. – Protecting the environment is crucial for maintaining biodiversity and ensuring the survival of future generations.
Climate – The long-term patterns and averages of temperature, humidity, wind, and precipitation in a particular region. – Climate change poses significant challenges to human rights, as it can exacerbate inequalities and threaten livelihoods.
Biodiversity – The variety and variability of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or the entire Earth, crucial for ecosystem resilience and human survival. – Conservation efforts are essential to preserve biodiversity, which is vital for ecosystem services and human health.
Pollution – The introduction of harmful substances or products into the environment, causing adverse effects on ecosystems and human health. – Reducing air pollution is critical to improving public health and mitigating the impacts of climate change.
Ecosystems – Communities of living organisms interacting with their physical environment, functioning as a unit. – Healthy ecosystems provide essential services such as clean air, water, and fertile soil, which are vital for human survival.
Sustainability – The ability to maintain ecological and social systems over the long term without depleting resources or causing harm to the environment. – Sustainable development aims to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Deforestation – The large-scale removal of forested areas, often resulting in damage to the quality of the land and loss of biodiversity. – Deforestation contributes to climate change by increasing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere.
Health – The state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. – Access to clean air and water is essential for maintaining public health and preventing disease.
Justice – The principle of fairness and the ideal of moral equity, often pursued through legal and social systems to address inequalities and protect rights. – Environmental justice seeks to address the disproportionate impact of environmental hazards on marginalized communities.
