Human Rights and the environment are intertwined. A clean, healthy and sustainable environment is integral to the full enjoyment of human rights by present and future generations.

The 4^th Summit of Heads of State and Government, recognised “the urgency of additional efforts to protect the environment, as well as to counter the impact of the triple planetary crisis of pollution, climate change and loss of biodiversity on human rights, democracy and the rule of law”. It committed to initiate the Reykjavík process of strengthening work in the field of the environment with the aim of making it a visible priority, promoting cooperation among member States, streamlining activities and coordinating efforts as laid down in Appendix V of the Reykjavík Declaration on “The Council of Europe and the environment”.

Three decisions followed this mandate:

• the creation of a “Directorate of Social Rights, Health and Environment” and its new “Department on the Reykjavík Process and Environment” within the Directorate General Human Rights and Rule of Law (DGI).
• the setting up of an Inter-Secretariat Task Force on the Environment.
• the creation of an inter-governmental committee, the Multidisciplinary Group on Environment (GME) entrusted with the elaboration of a Strategy on the Environment. The Strategy is expected to be adopted at the Ministerial session of the Committee of Ministers of May 2025.