A Healthy Environment Is a Human Right
On July 28, 2022, the United Nations General Assembly announced that a clean, healthy and sustainable environment is now an internationally recognised, but not legally enforcing, human right. This resolution builds upon the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Environment in Stockholm and the October 2021 United Nations Human Rights Council, with 156 of the 193 United Nations Member States already “legally recognizing the right to a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment.” But what does all of this mean?
A clean, healthy, and sustainable living environment should be a human right.
The World Health Organization estimates that healthy environments may prevent approximately 25% of disease burden worldwide. Healthy environments incorporate a multitude of factors, including clean air, water sanitation and hygiene, as well as a stable climate. A clean environment is essential for health: it is estimated that at least two billion humans worldwide drink water contaminated with fecal matter. Drinking such water runs the risk of contracting transmissible diseases such as cholera, typhoid, polio, and hepatitis A. Additionally, 99% of all humans breathe highly polluted air, resulting in seven million deaths annually.
Furthermore, we are rapidly depleting our environment’s resources. For example, our food systems are unsustainable, and food insecurity is expected to worsen. With increased use of the Earth’s resources, we reduce natural biodiversity. Among many other consequences, one result of this may be reducing discovery of vital new medications. Therefore, when you consider the definition of human rights as “inherent to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status,” ensuring healthier environments improves the future of human life, as well as the well-being of the planet.
The human right to a healthy environment has previously been recognized nationally. However, gaining international recognition helps to further advocate for the creation of progressive legislation to protect and preserve the global environment. Therefore, ensuring a healthy environment as a human right marks a significant landmark for both environmental and human health.
