Climate change, loss of biodiversity, depletion of natural resources and chemical pollution bring new challenges for the European Court of Human Rights, the Council of Europe and the Governments of its Member States.
How to address human rights class-actions stemming from large-scale environmental pollution? Where to draw the line between a policy decision within the State’s margin of appreciation and a State’s failure to strike the right balance between conflicting interests? Whether to allow legal standing to applicants who vindicate collective and intergenerational rights? Ought the ECtHR rely on the precautionary principle and adopt a new causation test in applications concerning global warming and environmental degradation? Or should it rather refrain from taking up the role of Europe’s environmental tribunal? In the event violations are found, what measures of redress and prevention should be imposed on Member States? How to ensure better State compliance? These and related questions were debated during a Highlevel International Conference on Human Rights and Environmental Protection – Human Rights for the Planet.
The Conference was organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia. It was held on 5 October 2020 at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France.
This publication contains speeches and lectures that were delivered by the Conference speakers, renowned practitioners and academic experts in the field of international environmental law and human rights law.
Proceedings of the High-level International Conference on Human Rights and Environmental Protection (Strasbourg, 5 October 2020) organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia
PREFACE OPENING OF THE CONFERENCE ANTHROPOCENTRIC OR ECOCENTRIC HUMAN RIGHTS? THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE CASE-LAW OF INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNALS
Overview of environmental case-law of the ECtHR
Inter-American approaches to the right to a healthy environment and the rights of nature
TOWARDS ENVIRONMENTAL DEMOCRACY? PARTICIPATORY RIGHTS
Participatory rights in the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights
Participatory rights under the Aarhus Convention – more important than ever
Human right to clean and healthy air; Strategic air pollution law suits in Europe; Comments on legal standing of individuals, the role of the NGOs and effective remedies
AIR POLLUTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTERS – COURT RULINGS AND THEIR ENFORCEMENT
“Air pollution and risk assessment for natural disasters under the ECHR. The notions of “civil right” and specific and imminent danger under Article 6.”
How to ensure better compliance with ECtHR judgments and prevention of violations?
CLIMATE CHANGE AND PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT, A QUESTION OF POLICY OR OF HUMAN RIGHTS LAW?
Climate change and protection of the environment as a question of State policy?
The Climate Dimension of Human Rights Obligations
“Should the European Court of Human Rights become Europe’s environmental and climate change court?”
CONCLUSIONS
Closing remarks
ILLUSTRATIONS DE LA CONFÉRENCE
