Draft Resolution on the Establishment of the Universal Right to a Clean, Healthy, and Sustainable Environment

DRAFT RESOLUTION OF THE WORLD PARLIAMENT

ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE UNIVERSAL RIGHT TO A CLEAN, HEALTHY, AND SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT

The World Parliament,

* Guided by the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and other relevant international instruments pertaining to human rights and environmental protection;
* Recalling previous resolutions, declarations, and reports recognizing the intrinsic link between human rights and environmental protection, including the Stockholm Declaration (1972), the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development (1992), the Paris Agreement (2015), and resolutions of the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly of the United Nations;
* Acknowledging that a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment is indispensable for the full enjoyment of all human rights, including the rights to life, health, food, water, sanitation, and development;
* Recognizing the urgent global environmental challenges, including climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, desertification, and resource depletion, which pose profound threats to human dignity, well-being, and the survival of species;
* Affirming the principle of intergenerational equity, which mandates the present generation to safeguard the health, diversity, and productivity of the environment for the benefit of future generations;
* Emphasizing the imperative for a holistic, integrated, and rights-based approach to environmental governance at all levels;
* Mindful of the particular vulnerabilities of certain populations and communities, including indigenous peoples, local communities, women, children, and persons in vulnerable situations, who are disproportionately affected by environmental degradation;
* Convinced that the formal recognition and robust protection of a universal right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment will significantly strengthen global efforts to achieve environmental justice, sustainable development, and the protection of human rights;

Hereby resolves to declare and establish the following:

---

Article 1. Recognition of the Universal Right

1. Every individual has the universal right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment.
2. This right is fundamental, inalienable, and essential for the full enjoyment of human dignity and well-being.

---

Article 2. Scope and Content of the Right

1. The right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment encompasses, but is not limited to, the following interdependent components:
(a) Clean and safe air, free from harmful levels of pollution;
(b) Safe, sufficient, and accessible water for personal and domestic use;
(c) Healthy and sustainably managed ecosystems and biodiversity, essential for ecological balance and human sustenance;
(d) A non-toxic environment, free from pollution and harmful substances that pose risks to human health and ecosystems;
(e) A stable climate, conducive to human life and well-being, consistent with the objectives of international climate agreements;
(f) Access to safe and nutritious food, produced in an ecologically sound and sustainable manner.

---

Article 3. State Obligations

1. Member States shall respect, protect, and fulfill the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment for all individuals within their jurisdiction, without discrimination.
2. To this end, Member States shall:
(a) Adopt and implement legislative, administrative, and other measures necessary to prevent environmental degradation and to ensure the progressive realization of this right;
(b) Regulate the activities of public and private entities to prevent environmental harm and to ensure their compliance with environmental standards and obligations;
(c) Monitor environmental quality and human health impacts, and disseminate relevant environmental information to the public in a timely and accessible manner;
(d) Ensure public access to environmental information, facilitate meaningful public participation in environmental decision-making processes, and provide access to effective judicial and administrative remedies for environmental harm;
(e) Prioritize the protection of the environment in all policy-making processes, including development planning, resource management, and international agreements;
(f) Take measures to prevent transboundary environmental harm and cooperate with other States in addressing shared environmental challenges;
(g) Provide for environmental education and awareness-raising to foster a culture of environmental stewardship.

---

Article 4. Non-State Actor Responsibilities

1. All non-state actors, including corporations, businesses, and other private entities, have a responsibility to respect the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment.
2. They shall conduct their activities in a manner that prevents environmental harm, adheres to environmental standards, and contributes to the progressive realization of this right, consistent with national laws and international standards, including the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

---

Article 5. International Cooperation

1. Member States shall cooperate actively at the international, regional, and sub-regional levels to address global and transboundary environmental challenges and to support the realization of the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, particularly for developing countries.
2. International cooperation shall include, but not be limited to, the transfer of environmentally sound technologies, financial assistance, capacity building, and collaborative research.

---

Article 6. Enforcement and Remedies

1. Member States shall ensure that individuals whose right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment has been violated have access to effective, timely, affordable, and transparent judicial, administrative, or other appropriate remedies.
2. Remedies shall include, where appropriate, measures for restoration, compensation, and guarantees of non-repetition.

---

Article 7. Relationship to Other Rights

1. The right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment is interdependent with, indivisible from, and contributes to the realization of other human rights, including the rights to life, health, food, water, sanitation, and cultural rights.
2. The enjoyment of this right shall not be interpreted as diminishing or negating any other universally recognized human rights.

---

Article 8. Progressive Realization

1. While the full realization of the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment may be achieved progressively, Member States shall take immediate steps to the maximum of their available resources to prevent further environmental degradation and to move expeditiously towards its full realization.
2. In no case shall steps taken be retrogressive, or diminish existing levels of environmental protection and human rights enjoyment.

---

Article 9. Entry into Force

1. This Resolution shall enter into force upon its adoption by the World Parliament.
2. Member States are urged to take all necessary measures to implement this Resolution within their domestic legal frameworks and policies, and to report on their progress in its realization.