Through developing multi-actor dialogues with scholars and practitioners, RWI intends to catalyze two complementary processes: mainstreaming human rights in biodiversity law and policy and mainstreaming social-ecological systemic perspective to human rights law and policy. These dialogue processes contribute to strengthening the capacities of right-holders and duty-bearers working at distinct jurisdictional scales and synergies between local, national and global collective action in a way that helps address the root causes of ecosystems degradation and climate-related risks. Below are a non-exhaustive list of these capacity bridging dialogues and forums.

 

COP2 Webinar: Innovations of the Escazú Agreement Contributing to the Global Biodiversity Goals

The Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean (the Escazú Agreement) is the first regional agreement in Latin America and the Caribbean with a focus on both environmental and human rights and became the first agreement in the world to prescribe legal protection for environmental and human rights defenders. The COP2 Webinar generated dialogue between the countries of Latin America, the Caribbean and other countries of the world about how the Escazú Agreement helps the implementation of the Global Framework on Biodiversity, thus contributing to the achievement of the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the realization of the right to a healthy environment.

Here, you can read more information about the event.

EPL webinar The Human Right to a Clean, Healthy & Sustainable Environment

The discourse with a panel of eminent scholars and practioners will provide an opportunity to: (i) explain the context and significance for celebrating the UNGA's (and the HRC) emphatic recognition of the human right to (clean, healthy, and sustainable) environment for the SDGs 2030 as well as "other rights and existing international law;" (ii) normative value of the UNGA resolution for universality of the environmental human rights; and (iii) impact of the human right to the environment on treaty-based international environmental obligations, and observance of human rights of individuals and inanimate objects, as well as domestic policies, legislations, and litigations.

Here, you can find more information about the event

Symposium: 'Recognising the Right to a Healthy Environment’ - The Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law.

Here, you can find a summary of the event and the recording. The event was organized by the University of Stirling, the Royal Society of Edinburgh, the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, and the Global Network for the Study of Human Rights and the Environment.

Synergies between the Escazú Agreement, Human Rights Law and the Convention on Biological Diversity

The Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean (the Escazú Agreement) is the first regional agreement in Latin America and the Caribbean with a focus on both environmental and human rights and became the first agreement in the world to prescribe legal protection for environmental and human rights defenders.

Marking the historic first Conference of the Parties of the Escazú Agreement (COP 1), the official side-event on "Synergies between the Escazú Agreement, Human Rights Law and the Convention on Biological Diversity" brought together more than 240 registered participants from 68 countries, including human rights practitioners, environmental and human rights defenders, government decision-makers and experts. It was held on April 21, 2022, as an online meeting and at the ECLAC Headquarters in Santiago, Chile. In this event, RWI engaged in partnership with UNDP in Latin America and the Caribbean; the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights; the UN Environment Programme; Stockholm University; the Network of National Human Rights Institutions of the American Continent ; and the Global Network of Human Rights and Environment.  Dr. Claudia Ituarte-Lima (RWI) was a speaker in this event. This report is available in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

SPANISH PORTUGUESE

Environmental Law from Below: Grassroots and Human Rights Perspectives on the Human Environment Agenda (Stockholm+50) in Nairobi and on-line

Raoul Wallenberg Institute, China Dialogue Trust and the Faculty of Law at University of Nairobi organized the conference Environmental Law from Below: Grassroots and Human Rights Perspectives on the Human Environment Agenda (Stockholm+50), online and in person in Nairobi.

The conference aimed opened a space for mutual learning, reflection, and critical discussion around:
– Climate Justice: how environmental and human rights can ensure that the costs of climate impacts, mitigation and adaptation are met in a just manner
– Just Transitions: how environmental and social transitions can incorporate public participation and protect rights
– South-South Cooperation: how the role of China and other emerging development partners on the African continent are shaping environmental standards, human rights and development
– Mapping Impacts: challenges in getting access to reliable information on investment and impacts of foreign direct investment on people and the environment.

Beyond Stockholm+50– implementing the new human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment

The Swedish International Cooperation Agency organized the Development Talk: “Beyond Stockholm+50– implementing the new human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment”. Dr. Claudia Ituarte-Lima gave the opening remarks, and engaged in dialogue with speakers from Asia, Africa and Europe. Find the recording here:

Official Associated Stockholm +50 event

Both events were jointly organized by The Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, China Dialogue Trust, and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Catalysing Change: Grassroots Activism for the Right to a Healthy Environment; Catalysing_meetingreport_2022. 

Environmental Law from Below, in China and Beyond; Environmental Law from Below Meeting Report_J2022

2nd ASEAN-EU CSOs

The Human Rights Working Group & Raoul Wallenberg Institute co-organised the 2nd ASEAN-EU CSOs Forum which will inform the 4th ASEAN-EU Human Rights Policy Dialogue on #humanrights. I was part. Windi A Imam (RWI-Asia Pacific) co-facilitated the session and Dr. Claudia Ituarte-Lima (RWI thematic leader on human rights and environment) was a panelist of an engaging panel discussing the role of human rights law and effective and meaningful #publicparticipation in addressing intersecting challenges brought by the global #pandemic, the rise of authoritarianism, and the #climatechange, #biodiversityloss and #pollution crises

As an outcome of the 2nd ASEAN-EU CSOs Forum, representatives of 16 CSOs presented CSOs statement and recommendations to the ASEAN & EU delegations. This is the 2nd interface between ASEAN-EU delegations & CSOs.

UN OHCHR's annual Hernan Santa Cruz series on economic, social, and cultural rights.

What role do local governments can or should have in advancing economic policies that enhance and protect human rights? What steps should a local governments take to implement the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment? These are among the questions we addressed in this event. Join us at the Raoul Wallenberg Institute is among the co-host of this event. Other co-hosts were University of Minnesota Law School, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, University for Peace (UPEACE) - UN Mandated, Raoul Wallenberg Institute & Northwest Law Program on Human Rights and the Global Economy.

Towards a greening of human rights: What does the right to a healthy environment mean for water resources?

In this event, Dr. Claudia Ituarte-Lima highlighted that the right to a healthy environment can contribute to achieve societal transformations for safeguarding biodiversity and healthy ecosystems, if we advance intergenerational justice and tackle gender equalities in its implementation. Women, children and youth, indigenous peoples, and local communities in the global South are far from passive victims of environmental degradation. Many court cases, for example, build on these groups using their procedural rights as active agents of change. There are examples of biodiversity litigations where courts rule in favour of nature contributions to present and future generations, as well as nature’s intrinsic values. The right to a healthy environment can draw on such inclusive legal interpretations combining bottom–up progressive interpretations together with how the UN Human Rights Council and the General Assembly elaborate the HRHE definition.

Find it here.

Importance of biological and cultural diversity

On May 21 2021, RWI highlighted the UN World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development.

We decided to do so by focusing on the connection between cultural diversity and biodiversity. To represent this theme we chose to screen the beautiful and thought provoking documentary "Honeyland" directed by Tamara Kotevska, and Ljubomir Stefanov.

The film portrays humanity's balance with the ecosystem through Hatidže, one of the world's last wild beekeepers following an ancient tradition keeping bees. The film raises questions on consumerism, biodiversity, human rights, and cultural diversity. Find the trailer to the movie below: