Green Rights Coalition

In 2024, the world experienced record-breaking heat, fires, floods, and hurricanes that devastated people's rights, lives, and livelihoods. But, in less than 40 days, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has the unprecedented opportunity to act upon this. Judges will reunite in The Hague to hear oral arguments in its climate change advisory opinion proceedings. A strong advisory opinion which clarifies what States are legally required to do in relation to climate change will have the transformative potential to unlock requisite climate ambition. Akin to a modern-day David and Goliath story, we will see some of the world's major polluters go up against some of the world's most climate-vulnerable nations. Will States arguments in court match their claims of climate leadership? Join us in calling on the judges to deliver a strong opinion grounded in climate justice, human rights, and the best available science, clarify the obligations of States in relation to the climate crisis under multiple sources of international law, and reaffirm accountability for climate harm Your signature is a step toward a world where those most affected by the climate crisis are finally seen, heard, and defended. Help us bring the world’s biggest problem to the world’s highest court! Sign [link in the 1st comment] #AOLetsGo

📢 Last week marked a historic moment for #ClimateAction and #Youth engagement with the adoption of the first international soft law instrument on young people and climate action (Committee of Ministers’ Recommendation CM/Rec(2024)6). This is a Recommendation that has been in the drafting process for two years, and comes after many years of work to put #climate on the agenda of the Council of Europe. Key recommendations to Member States: 🌍 Rights. Protect the rights of young #EnvironmentalDefenders. 📣 Participation: Enable young people to participate in climate decision-making by removing barriers to engagement. 📚 Education: Provide tailored climate resources adaptable to all educational methods. 🏥 Health: Offer youth-friendly health services for those impacted by #ClimateChange. 📊 Information: Ensure young people have full access to climate-related information and data. 🚫 Discrimination: Address all forms of discrimination that young people face related to the #ClimateCrisis and their #activism. 🤝 Needs: Account for the specific needs of young people, particularly marginalized groups, when implementing climate measures. 🏛️ Local Dissemination: This should be translated, shared, and the local and regional authorities should be invited to implement it. This achievement reflects the dedication of Youth and Environment Europe (YEE) and their ongoing commitment to youth advocacy in environmental issues. For more details, check out the attached document!

This week, the Green Rights Coalition and Franciscans International organized a dialogue with Astrid Puentes Riaño, Special Rapporteur on the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. During the discussion, the Special Rapporteur presented insights from her recent report, "Overview of the Implementation of the Human Rights to a Clean, Healthy, and Sustainable Environment," which she submitted to the United Nations General Assembly on October 18th. Astrid highlighted the main challenges of implementation: ▪️ Economic models and unsustainable development ▪️ Current and worsening consequences of the triple planetary crises ▪️ Weak rule of law ▪️ Weakening of existing policies, legal frameworks and institutions ▪️ Limitations to access to information, participation and justice ▪️ War, conflict and illegal activities ▪️ Increased risks for environmental huma rights defenders and closing of civil spaces Identified Key Solutions to Address these Challenges: ▪️ Transform the economy ▪️ Advance the legal recognition of the right to a healthy environment ▪️ Implementing existing frameworks and strengthening the rule of law ▪️ Reviewing and updating frameworks with the human right to a healthy environment at the center ▪️ Intersectional approach Finally, Astrid talked about her next report on oceans and human rights and invited everyone to participate to the call for contributions. The deadline is 30 October 2024. Thank you, Astrid Puentes Riaño, for your remarkable work as Special Rapporteur and your courageous commitment to the right to a healthy environment and its implementation. Special thanks as well to Franciscans International and Marya Farah for hosting the event, Victoria Lichet and Flavia Cabaço for representing the Green Rights Coalition and helping organizing this insighful event!

40 days left until the public hearings for the #ClimateICJAO start in The Hague!! ⚖🌍 The public hearings for the climate change ICJ advisory opinion (AO) are scheduled to start on December 2nd! Both the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and World's Youth for Climate Justice (WYCJ) will be closely following the hearings. In today's video, CIEL's Joie Chowdhury explains why this and a strong advisory opinion in general are necessary: the science cannot be ignored and States must fulfill their obligations to protect the rights of all States and people, especially those most affected by the climate crisis. Therefore, we must cover the hearings to ensure that arguments that benefit climate justice are highlighted, and to ensure unhelpful arguments are refuted. 💭 The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has been asked to interpret international law on the topic of State obligations in the climate crisis. The resulting advisory opinion will be a document with great authority, and as such, a major opportunity to shape international law and create more climate action! Stay tuned for more information, and more updates ⚡Miss nothing, follow World's Youth for Climate Justice (WYCJ) and Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL)! #AOLetsGO #ICJAO #ICJAO4Climate #ClimateJusticeAtTheICJ #ClimateChange #OurFutureOurRights #ClimateJustice

The CESCR General Comment on the environmental dimension of sustainable development is available for comment! Spread the word and get your comments in before the deadline of 6 January 2025. Link in comments.

The #CouncilofEurope Committee of experts on the protection of the environment through Criminal Law (PC-ENV), has now finished its work on the new #Convention on the #Protection of the #Environment through #CriminalLaw and its Explanatory Report. Next, the documents will be submitted to the European Committee on Crime Problems for evaluation and approval at its Plenary meeting on 20-22 November 2024. The new Convention is intended to be the first international legally binding instrument to address environmental crime, covering a broad range of criminal activities that aggravate the triple planetary crisis. I was honoured to take part in this process on behalf of the Registry of the #EuropeanCourtofHumanRights. https://lnkd.in/eDCY8Jve

⚖️ 🌱 So many insightful 𝐰𝐞𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 lining up in the coming weeks / so many opportunities to learn from experts and practitioners... 📅 Climate Litigation and Vulnerabilities: Global South Perspectives Book Launch, 03/10/2024, by the Global Network for the Study of Human Rights and the Environment (GNHRE) 📆 Remedy for Climate-Induced Human Rights Harm, 03/10/2024, by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) 🗓️ Human Rights and the Environment, 07/10/2024, by the Environmental Law Institute 📅 Empowering sustainable growth: The human rights economy, 10/10/2024, by the United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC) 📆 Climate Rights Conference, 15/10/2024, by Justice and Environment 🗓️ Countering climate disinformation: strengthening global citizenship education and media literacy, 16/10/2024, by UNESCO 📅 The Advisory Opinion of the ICJ and Climate Justice, 23/10/2024, by the World's Youth for Climate Justice (WYCJ) & the Asian Research Institute for Environmental Law 🔗 links to all events through the collaborative listing available in the first comment below this post...👇👇👇 🗣️ Knowledge is empowerment! 📝 You can add more webinars on human rights and the environment to this collaborative listing via the link below (it literally takes less than a minute to do so).

🔔Gentle reminder 🎗️to contribute to my report on oceans 🌊 and human rights Looking forward to receiving your contributions!! 👇🏽

🌍 Exciting Update on the International Court of Justice (ICJ) Climate Change Advisory Opinion Hearings!🌍 The schedule for the Oral Hearings in the “Request for an Advisory Opinion on the Obligation of States in Respect of Climate Change” has officially been communicated! 📅 Over the course of 10 days, from 2 to 13 December 2024, we will witness an unprecedented number of 100 oral statements! These will include: - 88 Statements by States, including a joint statement from the five Nordic countries - 12 Statements from Organisations Each statement will be up to 30 minutes, with the joint Nordic statement extending to 45 minutes. The order of the presentations will be alphabetical, using the state's name in French. 📊 As expected, participation has surged compared to the written phase. Several new States (14) and one Organisation have joined the hearings, while some previous contributors have opted not to participate orally [4 States and one Organisation]. Here's a quick regional breakdown: - Africa: 17 States   - Asia Pacific: 33 States   - Americas: 24 States   - Europe: 14 States (1 jointly submitted by the 5 Nordics)   - Organisations: 12 Entities  [If you need a reminder of the Written Submissions, see here: https://lnkd.in/eUs6xKCU // Or about the Written Comments, see here: https://lnkd.in/gVd2gtUj] Once again, the Asia Pacific and #GRULAC regions lead the way in participation. It's impressive to see such dense involvement from GRULAC. While #Africa and #Europe show relatively lower numbers, keep in mind that both the African Union and European Union are actively participating, likely representing the views of their individual members. We are about to embark on two weeks of intense hearings at the Carnegie Foundation - Peace Palace in The Hague. Don’t miss the chance to follow this monumental moment for international law and climate justice, whether via the live webcast or in person! Check out the attached visual breakdown for more insights into the submissions. #ClimateChange #InternationalLaw #AdvisoryOpinion #GlobalJustice #DisputeResolution   LexOceana World's Youth for Climate Justice (WYCJ)

Il y a quelques jours j’ai eu le privilège de co-animer une intervention sur l’intégration des droits humains dans les stratégies climatiques. Sylvana Armella AYIHONSI et moi-même sommes intervenues au nom de la Green Rights Coalition dans le cadre de la formation de l’académie des justiciers climatiques, lancée en septembre 2024 par l’association Agir pour le Climat. Cette initiative vise à former 150 jeunes d’Afrique francophone autour des enjeux de la justice climatique en se concentrant sur le leadership climatique, les énergies renouvelables, la résilience climatique et le plaidoyer. Merci à Paulin BOUDA pour son invitation et sa confiance !