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The 2nd UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment, Dr. David R. Boyd, Associate Professor, Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, University of British Columbia, has just distributed his first Newsletter. It follows below. Among activities of note was the Escazu Agreement on Access to Information.
Professor Boyd's first thematic report to the Human Rights Council in March 2019 will focus on the topic of air pollution. His particular concern are the impacts upon vulnerable populations, including women, children, and people living in poverty. He has requested stakeholder input on this topic, particularly with regard to good practices in reducing the adverse impacts of air pollution. The call for Inputs follows below (English, Spanish, French).
UNITED NATIONS SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Call for Inputs: Air Pollution and Human Rights
There is now global agreement that human rights norms apply to environmental issues. The previous Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment, Mr. John Knox, developed Framework Principles on Human Rights and the Environment that set forth three sets of duties that engage both States and businesses: procedural obligations; substantive obligations; and obligations relating to those in vulnerable situations.
The newly-appointed Special Rapporteur, Mr. David Boyd, will prepare a thematic report focusing on human rights obligations in the context of air pollution (both outdoor and indoor). For that purpose, he is seeking inputs from stakeholders on the topic through responses to the brief questionnaire below.
Your replies will inform the Special Rapporteur’s analysis and feed into his observations, which will be reported to the Human Rights Council in March 2019.
Questionnaire
The Special Rapporteur invites and welcomes your answers to the following questions:
1. Please provide specific examples of constitutional provisions, legislation, regulations, standards, policies and programmes in relation to preventing, reducing, or eliminating air pollution, both outdoor and indoor. Please include, inter alia, any instruments that refer directly to the right to a healthy environment and/or the right to breathe clean air.
2. Please provide specific examples of good practices in preventing, reducing, or eliminating air pollution, both outdoor and indoor. These examples may occur at the international, national, sub-national, or local level. Examples may involve air quality monitoring; guaranteeing procedural rights (e.g. public access to air quality information, public participation in decision-making about air pollution, access to remedies); air quality legislation, regulations, standards, and policies; initiatives to reduce air pollution from specific sectors (e.g. electricity generation, industry, transportation, indoor cooking, heating, and lighting); laws, policies and programmes to protect vulnerable populations from air pollution; laws, policies, or programmes to concurrently address air pollution and climate change; and effective enforcement of rules governing air pollution.
3. Please identify specific challenges that your government, business, or organization has faced in attempting to address air pollution and its impacts on human rights.
4. Please specify ways in which additional protection is provided for populations who may be particularly vulnerable to air pollution (e.g. women, children, persons living in poverty, members of Indigenous peoples and traditional communities, older persons, persons with disabilities, displaced persons, and national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities).
5. Please provide specific examples related to the regulation of businesses and other non-State actors in relation to the protection of human rights from air pollution and the fulfilment of their obligations in this regard.
6. How do you ensure that the rights of environmentalists working on air quality issues (environmental human rights defenders) are protected? What efforts has your Government or business made to create a safe and enabling environment for them to freely exercise their rights without fear of violence, intimidation, or reprisal?
Submission of responses
We encourage you to please send your responses to the questionnaire in Word format by email to srenvironment@ohchr.org
We kindly request that your submission be concise and limited to a maximum of 5 pages (or 2,000 words), not including appendices or attachments.
Due to a limited capacity for translation, we also request that your inputs be submitted in English, French, or Spanish.
To avoid unnecessary duplication: if you have recently replied to other questionnaires from UN human rights mechanisms (or other international bodies) with information that would be relevant to this request as well, we welcome your directing us to those replies.
The deadline for submission is Wednesday, 31 October 2018.
Unless otherwise requested, all submissions will be made publicly available and posted on the Special Rapporteur’s homepage at the OHCHR website.
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RELATOR ESPECIAL DE LA ONU SOBRE LOS DERECHOS HUMANOS Y EL MEDIO AMBIENTE
Convocatoria para contribuciones: Contaminación del aire y derechos humanos
Actualmente existe un acuerdo global de que las normas de derechos humanos se aplican a los problemas ambientales. El anterior Relator Especial sobre los derechos humanos y el medio ambiente, el Sr. John Knox, elaboró los Principios Marco sobre los Derechos Humanos y el Medio Ambiente que establecen tres conjuntos de obligaciones que involucran tanto a los Estados como a las empresas: obligaciones de procedimiento; obligaciones sustantivas; y obligaciones relacionadas con aquellos en situaciones vulnerables.
El recién nombrado Relator Especial, Sr. David Boyd, preparará un informe temático centrado en las obligaciones de derechos humanos en el contexto de la contaminación atmosférica (tanto en el exterior como en el interior). A tal efecto, está buscando aportes de las partes interesadas sobre el tema a través de las respuestas al breve cuestionario adjunto.
Sus respuestas contribuirán al análisis del Relator Especial y nutrirán sus observaciones, que se presentarán al Consejo de Derechos Humanos en marzo de 2019.
Cuestionario
El Relator Especial agradecería sus respuestas a las siguientes preguntas:
1. Proporcione ejemplos específicos de disposiciones constitucionales, legislación, reglamentos, normas, políticas y programas relacionados con la prevención, reducción o eliminación de la contaminación del aire, tanto en el exterior como en el interior. Incluya, entre otras cosas, cualquier instrumento que se refiera directamente al derecho a un medio ambiente sano y/o el derecho a respirar aire limpio.
2. Proporcione ejemplos específicos de buenas prácticas para prevenir, reducir o eliminar la contaminación del aire, tanto en el exterior como en el interior. Estos ejemplos pueden ocurrir a nivel internacional, nacional, subnacional o local. Los ejemplos pueden involucrar el monitoreo de la calidad del aire; la garantía de los derechos procesales (por ejemplo, el acceso público a la información sobre la calidad del aire, la participación pública en la toma de decisiones sobre la contaminación del aire, el acceso a recursos); legislación, reglamentación, estándares y políticas de calidad del aire; iniciativas para reducir la contaminación del aire de sectores específicos (por ejemplo, generación de electricidad, industria, transporte, cocina, calefacción e iluminación en el interior); leyes, políticas y programas para proteger a las poblaciones vulnerables de la contaminación del aire; leyes, políticas o programas para abordar simultáneamente la contaminación del aire y el cambio climático; y la aplicación efectiva de las normas que rigen la contaminación del aire.
3. Identifique los desafíos específicos que su gobierno, empresa u organización ha enfrentado al intentar abordar la contaminación del aire y sus impactos en los derechos humanos.
4. Especifique las formas en que se brinda protección adicional a las poblaciones que pueden ser particularmente vulnerables a la contaminación del aire (por ejemplo, mujeres, niños, personas que viven en la pobreza, miembros de pueblos indígenas y comunidades tradicionales, personas mayores, personas con discapacidad, personas desplazadas, y personas pertenecientes a minorías nacionales o étnicas, religiosas y lingüísticas.
5. Proporcione ejemplos específicos relacionados con la reglamentación de las empresas y otros agentes no estatales en relación con la protección de los derechos humanos contra la contaminación del aire y el cumplimiento de sus obligaciones a este respecto.
6. ¿Cómo se asegura que los derechos de los ambientalistas que trabajan en temas de calidad del aire (defensores ambientales de los derechos humanos) estén protegidos? ¿Qué esfuerzos ha hecho su gobierno o empresa para crear un entorno seguro y propicio para que ejerzan libremente sus derechos sin temor a la violencia, la intimidación o las represalias?
Presentación de las respuestas
Por favor envíe sus respuestas al cuestionario en formato Word por correo electrónico a
srenvironment@ohchr.org
Le rogamos que su presentación sea concisa y se limite a un máximo de 5 páginas (o 2.000 palabras).
Debido a la capacidad limitada de traducción, también solicitamos que sus aportaciones se envíen en inglés, francés o español.
Para evitar la duplicación innecesaria: si recientemente ha respondido a otros cuestionarios de los mecanismos de derechos humanos de las Naciones Unidas (u otros organismos internacionales) con información que sea relevante para esta solicitud, por favor sírvase enviarnos esas respuestas.
El plazo para la presentación es el miércoles 31 octubre de 2018.
A menos que se solicite lo contrario, todas las presentaciones se pondrán a disposición pública y se publicarán en la página web del Relator Especial y en la del ACNUDH.
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RAPPORTEUR SPÉCIAL DES NATIONS UNIES SUR LES DROITS DE L’HOMME ET L’ENVIRONNEMENT
Appel à contributions : La pollution atmosphérique et les droits de l'homme
Il y a désormais un accord, au niveau mondial, sur le fait que les normes relatives aux droits de l'homme s'appliquent aux questions environnementales. Le précédent Rapporteur spécial sur les droits de l’homme et l’environnement, M. John Knox, a élaboré des Principes-cadres relatifs aux droits de l’homme et à l’environnement qui énoncent trois séries de devoirs visant les États et les entreprises en l’occurrence: les obligations procédurales, les obligations de fond et les obligations relatives aux personnes en situation de vulnérabilité.
Le nouveau Rapporteur spécial, M. David Boyd, préparera un rapport thématique qui portera sur les obligations en matière de droits de l’homme dans le contexte de la pollution atmosphérique (tant extérieure qu’intérieure). A cet effet, il souhaite solliciter les contributions des principaux acteurs en les invitant à répondre au questionnaire se trouvant ci-dessous.
Les réponses ainsi reçues contribueront à alimenter l’analyse et les observations qui feront l’objet de son prochain rapport au Conseil des droits de l’homme qui sera présenté en mars 2019.
Questionnaire
Dans ce contexte, le Rapporteur spécial vous invite à lui faire parvenir vos contributions et à répondre aux questions suivantes :
1. Veuillez fournir des exemples spécifiques de dispositions constitutionnelles, de lois, de règlements, de normes, de politiques et de programmes visant à prévenir, réduire ou à éliminer la pollution atmosphérique tant extérieure qu’intérieure. Veuillez notamment inclure, tout instrument faisant directement référence au droit à un environnement sain et / ou au droit de respirer de l’air pur.
2. Veuillez transmettre des exemples spécifiques de bonnes pratiques relatives à la prévention, la réduction ou l’élimination de la pollution atmosphérique, tant à l'extérieur qu'à l'intérieur. Ces exemples peuvent autant concerner des bonnes pratiques de niveau international, national, que sous-national et local. Ils peuvent également viser le contrôle de la qualité de l'air; la garantie des droits procéduraux (par exemple, l'accès du public à l'information en matière de qualité de l'air, la participation du public à la prise de décisions concernant la pollution atmosphérique, l'accès aux recours) ; la législation, la réglementation et les normes et politiques en matière de qualité de l'air; des initiatives visant à réduire la pollution atmosphérique qui provient de secteurs spécifiques (tels que par exemple la production d’électricité, les domaines de l’industrie et des transports ou la cuisson des aliments à l’intérieur, le chauffage et l’éclairage); les lois, politiques et programmes visant à protéger les populations vulnérables de la pollution atmosphérique; les lois, politiques ou programmes visant à lutter simultanément contre la pollution atmosphérique et les changements climatiques; et l’ application effective des règles régissant la pollution atmosphérique.
3. Veuillez identifier les défis spécifiques auxquels votre gouvernement, votre entreprise ou votre organisation a dû faire face en tentant de lutter contre la pollution atmosphérique et ses impacts sur les droits de l'homme.
4. Veuillez préciser les moyens octroyant une protection supplémentaire aux populations particulièrement vulnérables à la pollution atmosphérique (par exemple, les femmes, les enfants, les personnes vivant dans la pauvreté, les membres des communautés autochtones et traditionnelles, les personnes âgées, les personnes handicapées, les personnes déplacées, les personnes appartenant à des minorités nationales ou ethniques, religieuses et linguistiques).
5. Veuillez donner des exemples précis de la réglementation visant les entreprises et les autres acteurs non étatiques concernant la protection des droits de l’homme contre la pollution atmosphérique et en ce qui a trait au respect de leurs obligations à cet égard.
6. Comment assurez-vous que les droits des environnementalistes travaillant sur les questions de qualité de l’air (défenseurs des droits humains de l’environnement) sont protégés ? Quels efforts votre gouvernement ou votre entreprise ont-ils déployés pour créer un environnement sûr et propice à l'exercice libre de leurs droits sans crainte de violence, d'intimidation ou de représailles ?
Transmission des contributions
Veuillez transmettre les réponses au présent questionnaire, en format Word, par courriel à l’adresse suivante : srenvironment@ohchr.org
Nous vous prions également de bien vouloir limiter l’ampleur des contributions à un maximum de 5 pages (2,000 mots).
En raison des capacités de traduction limitées, nous vous saurions gré de bien vouloir nous faire parvenir des contributions en anglais, en espagnol ou en français.
Enfin, en vue d’éviter toute duplication, le Rapporteur vous prie de ne pas hésiter à l’orienter vers toute réponse ou document qui aurait été préparé, à l’origine, pour un autre mécanisme de droits de l’homme des Nations Unies (ou toute autre organisation internationale) et qui contiendrait de l’information s’avérant pertinente pour cet appel à contributions.
Nous vous prions de bien vouloir noter que la date limite pour la transmission de vos contributions au présent questionnaire est le 31 octobre 2018.
A moins d’une demande expresse à l’effet contraire, toutes les réponses reçues seront rendues publiques et seront publiées sur la page du Rapporteur spécial sur le site internet du HCDH.
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Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment
28 September 2018
Dear friends and colleagues,
I am genuinely delighted and honoured to be serving as the new UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment. I am tremendously fortunate to be building on the strong foundation laid by Professor John Knox during his exemplary term as the first mandate-holder from 2012 to 2018.
It is also with great pleasure that I would like to introduce Dr. Soo-Young Hwang and Dr. Jamshid Gaziyev, who are working to support this mandate at the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights in Geneva. Both Soo-Young and Jamshid have extensive experience on these issues, having worked with John as well as with other mandate-holders at OHCHR.
The Escazu Agreement
One of the most exciting developments of 2018 in the field of human rights and the environment was the successful completion earlier this year of negotiations on the Escazu Agreement on Access to Information, Participation and Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean. On 13 September 2018, 27 United Nations special procedures and I have issued a press release urging the prompt ratification of the treaty. This regional treaty is similar to the Aarhus Convention, but places a stronger emphasis on the fundamental objective of protecting the right to live in a healthy environment. At a time when environmental human rights defenders are suffering unprecedented levels of violence, intimidation, and harassment, the treaty breaks new ground by including specific protection for these courageous individuals and communities. The Escazu Agreement opens for signature on September 27, and I urge States to move swiftly to sign and ratify it so that it can come into force at the earliest possible date.
Reports
I will present my first report to the UN General Assembly on October 25 in New York. The report was co-authored with John Knox because it had to be submitted in July. In the report, we review the extensive work done by John over the past six years, culminating in the Framework Principles on Human Rights and the Environment. We call on the United Nations to expeditiously secure global recognition of the right to a healthy and sustainable environment, and provide specific recommendations on ways to achieve that goal. You can find the report in six UN languages on the website of my mandate.
My first thematic report to the Human Rights Council in March 2019 will focus on the extremely important topic of air pollution. If current trends continue, more than twenty million people will die from illnesses caused by air pollution during the first three years of my mandate. Of particular concern are the impacts upon vulnerable populations, including women, children, and people living in poverty. I would greatly appreciate your input on this topic, particularly with regard to good practices in reducing the adverse impacts of air pollution. Please see the attached Call for Inputs and submit your views by October 31, 2018.
Events
On August 14, I participated in a panel conversation on mining and human rights at an event in Santiago organized by ECLAC, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. I described the ongoing human rights violations caused by the mining industry and how States can look to the Framework Principles on Human Rights and the Environment to help them remedy past and ongoing violations and prevent future violations. My co-panellists were Dr. Michael Windfuhr of the German Institute for Human Rights (also a member of the UN Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights) and Carlos de Miguel, Head of Sustainable Development Policies for ECLAC.
The week of my report to the UN General Assembly in New York (Oct. 22-26) will also feature an expert consultation, a meeting with other special procedures, a series of bilateral meetings, and several side events, including one on the right to a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment.
On 30 October I will be participating in the World Health Organization’s first Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health. There will be a panel on children’s health and air pollution, for which we are encouraging all participants to incorporate a rights-based perspective.
With a variety of partners including UN Environment, Terre des Hommes and Global Child Forum we are planning a series of regional consultations on children’s rights and the environment, in order to continue John’s excellent work in this area, as documented in his 2018 report to the Human Rights Council. We will provide more information on the workshops in due course.
Communications
Along with other special procedures, a vital element of our work is responding to communications that allege violations of human rights related to environmental damage, degradation, or hazards. Often in partnership with other special procedures, we identify the relevant principles and obligations of international human rights law, and ask States and in some cases businesses to respond to the allegations. Additional information will be provided in future newsletters.
Country Visits
We are in the midst of planning my first country visits. We have sent requests for visits for the first half of December 2018 to the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and New Zealand. While waiting for the feedback, we are considering another visit in the spring of 2019. We should be able to provide additional details in the next newsletter.
Conclusion
In terms of the overall focus of the mandate, I believe that there is a window of opportunity opening up for global recognition of the fundamental human right to live in a healthy and sustainable environment. I will harness my role as Special Rapporteur to do everything I can to make this happen, so that we can turn our attention to the vital work of implementing and fulfilling this right for everyone, everywhere.
Your feedback on the mandate, potential issues, and priorities are welcome! You can reach all of us (Soo-Young, Jamshid, and myself) through the official UN email address srenvironment@ohchr.org
I look forward to working with all of you!
Dr. David R. Boyd
United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment Associate Professor
Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability
School of Public Policy and Global Affairs
University of British Columbia
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