Date and Venue:
Wednesday, October 11, 2023
Time: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM (GMT-4)
Venue: Casa Central de la Universidad de Chile, Santiago
Co-Organizers:
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
Latin America and the Caribbean has been a pioneer in making efforts to include specific international binding provisions for the protection and promotion of human rights in the respective internal law of countries, with an extensive recognition of significant doctrinal and jurisprudential developments in this regard.
Plastic pollution affects a wide range of human rights, including the right to a healthy environment, life, health, food, water and sanitation, scientific inquiry, and housing. From incorporating the precautionary principle to providing mechanisms for remedy to guaranteeing stakeholder participation, human rights should be at the center of the international negotiations (OHCHR, 2021).
The business and human rights framework offers an opportunity for businesses to prevent and redress human rights abuses, including those related with plastic pollution. Transnational corporations (TNCs) and other business enterprises have a significant role with regard to human rights, and their responsible operation and the development of effective national legislation can contribute to the promotion of respect for human rights.
This event will be taking place within the agenda of the VIII Regional Forum on Business and Human Rights in Latin America and the Caribbean: Building bridges between business, human rights and the right to a healthy environment. The forum will be heldamong the 10, 11 and 12 October 2023 in Casa Central Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile. The VIII Regional Forum will focus on the relationship between the business and human rights agenda and the right to a healthy environment.
The event focuses on the importance of international agreements in addressing critical global challenges, such as climate change, land degradation, water pollution, and natural disasters, from the perspective of Latin America and the Caribbean. These regions have played a pioneering role in incorporating human rights provisions into their internal laws. Two significant international negotiations will be discussed: one on an international legally binding instrument to tackle plastic pollution, and the other on a treaty to regulate transnational corporations and business enterprises concerning human rights and the environment. These negotiations emphasize integrating human rights principles into environmental protection, especially in addressing issues like plastic pollution.
The primary goal of this session is to inform participants about ongoing international negotiations and to engage in strategic discussions regarding the implications of human rights in these processes. Specific objectives include:
• Identifying a regional approach
• Discussing convergence between the two negotiation processes
• Exploring opportunities to reinforce both processes mutually
Dedicated time will be allocated for presentations on the ongoing negotiations.
This event aims to facilitate a comprehensive discussion on these critical issues, emphasizing the intersection between environmental protection, human rights, and international agreements, with a regional perspective from Latin America and the Caribbean.
