Human Rights and the Environment

A/HRC/RES/28/11No PDF available

Who created this mandate?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 3Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development, published in 2015.

What other versions does this mandate have?

8 versions · 2011–2021

This is an older version — the most recent is A/HRC/RES/46/7

2021A/HRC/RES/46/7Human rights and the environmentLatestCompare with previous version
2018A/HRC/RES/37/8Human rights and the environmentCompare with previous version
2017A/HRC/RES/34/20Human rights and the environmentCompare with previous version
2016A/HRC/RES/31/8Human rights and the environmentCompare with previous version
2015A/HRC/RES/28/11Human rights and the environmentCompare with previous version

Versions are identified automatically by matching titles within the same organ (~97% accuracy on a manual audit).

What subjects does this mandate have?

6 topics

Conferences Environment Environmental Protection Human Rights Report Preparation Special Rapporteurs

What does this mandate say?

24 operative paragraphs

Welcomes the work of the Independent Expert on the issue of human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment, including the clarification of important aspects of the human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment, the progress in compiling good practices, the comprehensive, transparent and inclusive consultations conducted with relevant and interested actors from all regions, and the undertaking of country missions;

Also welcomes the work of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the issue of human rights and the environment;

Takes note with appreciation of the work undertaken by the United Nations Environment Programme in support of the mandate of the Independent Expert on the issue of human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment;

Decides to extend the mandate of the current mandate holder as a special rapporteur on the issue of human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment for a period of three years;

Encourages the Special Rapporteur, in fulfilling the mandate:

To continue to study, in consultation with Governments, relevant international organizations and intergovernmental bodies, including the United Nations Environment Programme and the United Nations Development Programme, and relevant multilateral environment agreements, human rights mechanisms, local authorities, national human rights institutions, civil society organizations, including those representing indigenous peoples and other persons in vulnerable situations, the private sector and academic institutions, the human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment;

To continue to identify, promote and exchange views on good practices relating to human rights obligations and commitments that inform, support and strengthen environmental policymaking, especially in the area of environmental protection, and in that regard to update and disseminate the compendium of good practices;

To promote and report on the realization of human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment, and to disseminate his or her findings by, inter alia, continuing to give particular emphasis to practical solutions with regard to their implementation;

To work on identifying challenges and obstacles to the full realization of human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment and protection gaps thereto, including in the context of sustainable development;

To continue to contribute to and participate in, where appropriate, intergovernmental conferences and meetings relevant to the mandate;

To develop a dialogue, liaise and collaborate with all relevant stakeholders with a view to enhancing public awareness of the human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment;

To apply a gender perspective by, inter alia, considering the particular situation of women and girls and identifying gender-specific discrimination and vulnerabilities;

To work in close coordination, while avoiding unnecessary duplication, with other special procedures and subsidiary organs of the Human Rights Council, relevant United Nations bodies, agencies, funds and programmes, including the United Nations Environment Programme and the United Nations Development Programme, the treaty bodies and international and regional organizations, multilateral environmental agreements, taking into account the views of other stakeholders, including relevant regional human rights mechanisms, national human rights institutions, civil society organizations and academic institutions;

To submit an annual report, including conclusions and recommendations, to the Council;

Calls upon all States, United Nations agencies, programmes and funds, other international organizations and non-governmental organizations, the private sector and national human rights institutions to cooperate fully with the Special Rapporteur, including by providing all necessary information related to the mandate to enable him or her to fulfil the mandate;

Requests the High Commissioner to ensure that the Special Rapporteur receives the resources necessary to enable him or her to discharge the mandate fully;

Requests the Special Rapporteur, in collaboration with the Office of the High Commissioner:

To convene, prior to the thirty-first session of the Human Rights Council, an expert seminar on the effective implementation of human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment, challenges thereto and the way forward, on the basis of the findings of the mandate holder;

To invite States and other relevant stakeholders, including academic experts and civil society organizations, to participate actively in the seminar;

To invite relevant experts of the United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, and other international organizations to participate in the seminar;

To submit to the Human Rights Council, at its thirty-first session, a summary report on the above-mentioned seminar, including any recommendations stemming therefrom, for consideration of further follow-up action;

Requests the Office of the High Commissioner to collaborate with United Nations programmes, agencies and funds, in particular the United Nations Environment Programme, with a view to facilitate the exchange of knowledge on human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment;

Invites States to consider the compilation of good practices contained in the report of the Independent Expert when fulfilling their human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment, and invites States to share good practices in this regard when reporting to the United Nations human rights system;

Decides to remain seized of the matter, in accordance with its annual programme of work.

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