Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is a pleasure to see you all in this important and topical event that is bringing us together on the occasion of the High-level political forum.
The Council of Europe and its 46 member States are committed to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and contributes specifically through the lens of human rights, rule of law and democracy.
The link between environment and human rights is increasingly recognized in today's discourse. A healthy environment is essential for the protection of human rights, while environmental degradation can lead to severe violations of these rights. Living in an unhealthy environment, marred by pollution and loss of biodiversity due to human intervention or climate change, negatively impacts our well-being and fundamental rights. Ultimately, this degradation can undermine democracy itself.
In the Council of Europe, the European Convention on Human Rights and the European Social Charter, provide crucial protections related to environmental matters.
Our organization has been actively addressing these issues through various bodies, including the European Court of Human Rights, the Committee of Ministers, the Parliamentary Assembly, and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities. We will be hearing from them today.
Notably, the European Court of Human Rights has set significant precedents in this area. In its landmark Swiss case (Verein KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz and Others), the Court established that states have a responsibility under the Convention to combat climate change effectively. This ruling underscored the obligation of states to protect their citizens from the adverse effects of climate change, holding them accountable for their climate policies and providing legal pathways for domestic courts to follow. This precedent is a crucial step in linking human rights and climate action, reinforcing the urgency of addressing climate challenges globally. We will hear more from the President of the Court himself in a moment.
Our governmental committee on human rights is currently looking at the feasibility of new instruments to anchor the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment within the Council of Europe’s legal framework and this no doubt will have a solid impact.
In recent months we have also advanced significantly in the preparation of a new international treaty to protect the environment through criminal law which will deploy practical effects and allow us to tackle ecocide and such situations as the destruction of the environment caused by Russia in Ukraine.
We also continue to carry out important work in the area of biodiversity and Landscape where we benefit from specific international treaties which have proven very useful over the years.
The EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement continues to bring countries together to tackle disaster risk reduction, prevention, and preparedness, becoming increasingly relevant as the climate crisis worsens.
Dear friends,
As we heard from the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, the Reykjavik Summit Declaration adopted by the Heads of State and Government of our member States in May last year, has given new impetus to our efforts to protect the environment and counter the impact of climate change, pollution, and loss of biodiversity on human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.
The Directorate that I have the honour to lead was created by the Secretary General at the beginning of this year precisely to enhance our work in this area, making it a visible priority, providing transversality and promoting synergies within the Organisation.
We firmly believe that human rights and environmental protection are intrinsically linked, and it is this interconnection that guides our efforts.
The Council of Europe is now embarking on the preparation of a comprehensive Strategy on the Environment to be adopted at the Ministerial session in Luxembourg in May next year together with the Criminal law convention and other important steps. This Strategy will chart a path for our collective environmental actions and ensure that human rights remain at the core of our environmental policies.
To support this process a new intergovernmental committee on the environment has been set up yesterday. It will bring together experts from across all member States and pursue a multidisciplinary approach.
So, together with our member states and partners, including young people and civil society, together with you, we must now identify the challenges posed by the environmental crisis to us as human beings, to our rights and to our democracies.
This event which we are organizing together with the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of Europe is a step in that direction and we have gathered to address three key questions:
1. How can we form constructive and resilient partnerships to effectively counter the impact of the environmental crisis on human rights and democracy?
2. What priority areas for action should we focus on to accelerate the legal anchoring and effective implementation of the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment?
3. In the face of accelerating climate change, how can we guarantee the human rights of current and future generations?
Your answers today will feed into the work of our new Committee which will meet for the first time in September. Your contributions will help prepare the Council of Europe strategy on environment, your strategy.
We look forward to hearing your ideas and insights. Everyone has its part to play in safeguarding our planet and ensuring a better future for generations to come.
Thank you for your attention.