Distinguished delegates and friends.
It has been two years since I last spoke to the Human Rights Council on the transformative power of the right to a healthy environment. Well, a lot can happen in two years.
Today, we have two historic resolutions by the Human Rights Council and the UN General Assembly. Resolutions that recognize the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. These resolutions have already inspired and underpinned action in courtrooms. Action by governments. By children and youth. By environmental defenders.
These resolutions have prompted more inter-governmental recognition of the importance, the criticality, of a healthy environment. In 2022, nations recognized the right at COP 27 as well as at COP 15. In particular, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework agreed at COP15 takes a human rights-based approach to biodiversity conservation and restoration.
The framework recognizes the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities – the very people who are the best stewards of nature. The framework recognizes the essential role of environmental human rights defenders – the very people who have been giving their lives to protect nature.
The right has also inspired the theme of the next UN Environment Assembly, which focuses on effective, inclusive and sustainable multilateralism to tackle environmental crisis. And the environment continues to gain prominence in the agenda of the Human Rights Council.
My thanks to everyone who played a part in bringing us to this point.
We now have a strong bridge connecting human rights and the environment. This is a bridge we can further widen and strengthen by embedding the right ever deeper in international processes. In the Paris Agreement, starting with COP 28. In the plastic pollution agreement under negotiation. In every international deal, old and new.
But a bridge is only useful if we cross it. We need rapid and coherent actions that make the right a reality for billions of people suffering under the weight of the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste. Actions that help people stand up for their right to live in a safe climate, healthy ecosystems. Their right to live in nontoxic environments. Their right to breathe clean air. Their rights to clean and safe water and adequate food.
UNEP is fully committed to supporting States, civil society organizations, environmental defenders, human rights organizations, and others in this great task. So, let’s get to work on implementing this right and creating a healthy environment that benefits the many, not the few.
Thank you.
