The UN recognized the right of all people to live in a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment for the first time through resolutions passed in 2021 and 2022.

In light of the growing weight being accorded to the right to a healthy environment at the international level, Franciscans International (FI) – a CCIG member – recently hosted an informal meeting with the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to a healthy environment, Ms. Astrid Puentas Riaño. The meeting took place at the FI office and was attended by representatives from several NGOs, including FI, Edmund Rice International (ERI), and CCIG. At the meeting, Ms. Puentas discussed her priorities and plans for the future of her mandate and engaged in conversation with participants regarding their questions, goals, and recommendations.

Topics mentioned during the meeting include ocean health, air pollution, protections for environmental defenders, and the responsibility of states to regulate corporations. The mandate of the SR is an important avenue for increasing pressure on states to implement protections and ensuring that the environment is not considered a separate issue from human rights.

CCIG was happy to participate in the meeting in line with the shared commitment of its members to safeguarding the environment, which was solidified in CCIG mission statement with the adoption of the 2023-2027 Strategy and Action Plan. We appreciate the openness of the Special Rapporteur to discussion, look forward to her further accomplishments, and encourage our members to engage with her mandate to the maximum extent.

Image by Freepik.