Michaela Cullen
The United Nations has officially declared that access to a clean and healthy environment is now a universal human right, as the General Assembly claims climate change and environmental degradation were some of the most ‘pressing threats to humanity’s future.’
The resolution was praised by UN Secretary-General António Guterres as a historic move, urging member states to fight climate change and cultivate a more sustainable future for all.
“The resolution will help reduce environmental injustices, close protection gaps and empower people, especially those that are in vulnerable situations, including environmental human rights defenders, children, youth, women and indigenous peoples,” said Guterres in a statement released by the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General
“The resolution will also help States accelerate the implementation of their environmental and human rights obligations and commitments.”
Today the @UN General Assembly made history by declaring the right to a #HealthyEnvironmentForAll! 👏
The resolution is an important step in countering the alarming decline of the natural world ⤵️ https://t.co/1BW6rElOiE
— UN Environment Programme (@UNEP) July 28, 2022
Following a vote at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City on the 28th of July, the historical resolution was declared. 161 countries voted in favour of the new resolution, with no countries voting against it and eight countries absent.
The new human right calls for states to pursue efforts to provide a “clean, healthy and sustainable environment” to all citizens.
The resolution is based on a similar move adopted by the Human Rights Council in 2021 that recognised access to a healthy and sustainable environment as a universal right, inviting the General Assembly to also adopt the resolution.
The release of multiple Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports this year delve into the comprehensive impacts of climate change, outlining the unavoidable climate disasters predicted to occur without immediate climate action from all member states.
‘Once in a thousand-year flooding’ across Australia and extreme heatwaves across the UK are mere examples of the horrific weather disasters set to become annual events without immediate and effective action.
Years in the making
After five decades in the making, the UN has finally prioritised recognising healthy environment as a human right. The 1972 Stockholm Declaration saw the first UN Environmental conference, adopting several resolutions to benefit the environment, including the Stockholm Declaration and Action Plan for the Human Environment. The Declaration covered 26 principles which put environmental issues at the forefront of international commitment.
While the current resolution is not legally binding on the UN member states, climate and environment advocates believe it will prompt a historical change and allow citizens to hold their governments accountable.
“However, the adoption of the resolution is only the beginning,” said the Secretary General Spokesperson Statement.
“The Secretary-General urges States to make the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment a reality for everyone, everywhere.”
Photo by TJ K. on Unsplash. No changes were made to this image. Image license can be found here.
Michaela Cullen
Michaela is currently in her third year studying Journalism at the University of Technology Sydney. She has contributed to the UTS newsroom Central News with a range of political and social justice stories. She is also the 2023 Australian Foreign Policy Fellow for Young Australians in International Affairs and Editor-in-Chief of the United Nations Youth NSW Global Advocate Magazine.