Safeguarding the Right to a Healthy Environment: Roles of defenders and business actors

SIDE EVENT
Friday 3 June
13:00-14:15 CEST
Stockholmsmässan, Room 3

Organizers: Swedwatch, Afrikagrupperna, Amnesty International, Business and Human Rights Resource Centre, Centro de Alternativas al Desarrollo, ForumCiv, Green Advocates International, IBON International, Latinamericagrupperna, Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, We Effect

About: Adoption of the UN Resolution 48/13 on the Human Right to a Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment in October 2021 recognises right to a healthy environment as fundamental human rights. It builds on discussions since the 1972 Stockholm Declaration on the need for transformative changes to protect nature and human wellbeing. Drawing attention to on-going and escalating threats and violence against human rights and environmental defenders from different world regions, this side event aims to facilitate constructive dialogues on actions and instruments that are necessary in the post-pandemic recovery process to achieve a healthy planet where the right to a healthy environment is duly respected and protected.

Through moderated discussions with panellists and interactive question and answer sessions, the event sheds light on responsibilities of duty bearers including states and business actors to accelerate and improve due diligence practices. The event also illuminates need for instruments to hold states and business actors accountable to environmental harm and human rights violations. It will further highlight vital role of human rights and environmental defenders and need for concrete mechanisms to maintain safe operating space for the defenders in the context of upholding the right to a healthy environment.

Moderator(s): Yayoi Lagerqvist (Swedwatch)

Panelists:

  • Jennifer del Rosario-Malonzo (IBON International)

  • Radiatu Sheriff-Kanhplaye (Green Advocates International)

  • David Boyd (UN Special Rapporteur for Environment and Human Rights)

  • Charlotta Szczepanowski (COOP Sweden)

Contact person: Yayoi Lagerqvist (yayoi_at_swedwatch.org)

Event outcomes (Key transformative actions):

  • As duty bearers, states and business sectors need to apply rights-based approach in the post-pandemic recovery process and work with civil society, indigenous peoples, and others to respect and protect the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment for all.

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