Access to a clean, healthy environment is a human right : UN General Assembly

Access to a clean, healthy environment is a human right : UN General Assembly

The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution pronouncing that access to a clean, healthy environment is a universal human right. The move was commended by UN Secretary-General António Guterres as a historic decision that evidenced the responsibility of UN member states to fight climate change and encourage a more sustainable environmental future. The resolution will help diminish environmental injustices and empower people, especially those that are in vulnerable situations, including environmental human rights defenders etc.

UN public relations materials quoted that Today is a historic moment, however simply affirming our right to a healthy environment is not enough. The General Assembly resolution is exceptionally clear: States should implement their international commitments and scale up their endeavors to acknowledge them. We will all experience the ill effects of environmental crises if we do not work together to collectively avert them. The resolution passed with votes of approval from 161 nations.