Written submissions
Explore our written contributions to better understand the commitment and actions of the Green Rights Coalition in support of environmental protection and the advancement of green rights.
On the occasion of a response to the resolution 5/14 adopted by the United Nations Environment Assembly in February 2022, aiming to develop a legally binding international instrument on plastic pollution, the Green Rights Coalition, formerly named Global Pact Coalition, participated in the second negotiating session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC -2).
Thus in August 2023, the Coalition responded to the call for contributions from the INC Secretariat, by submitting its observations. His contribution focused mainly on the preamble of the future treaty, emphasizing in particular the importance of including the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, as well as the principle of precaution, prevention, the polluter pays, common responsibilities but differentiated, the principle of non-regression, the principle of cooperation, the Rio principles, as well as a reference to the waste hierarchy.
The Coalition continues to closely monitor the progress of the negotiation process particularly in 2023 and prepares to contribute significantly to future sessions. The goal remains to ensure that the final treaty reflects a strong commitment to environmental protection.
The Montevideo Program for environmental law is "an intergovernmental program designed to guide the identification and implementation of priority actions in the field of environmental law to be undertaken by the United Nations Environment Program, in collaboration with other relevant actors to the decade starting in 2020.
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In 2023, the Program Secretariat was working on a partnership and stakeholder engagement strategy. In this context, the Secretariat invited all interested program stakeholders and partners to comment on the annotated draft strategy by July 31, 2023.
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The Green Rights Coalition, formerly named Global Pact Coalition, submitted its answer to the call for comments, highlighting the central role played by civil society in the development and promotion of the environmental rule of law. The Coalition believes that it is crucial to work collaboratively with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other civil society actors to support the successful implementation of the Program.
The Coalition notably recommended that the Program grant non-state stakeholders a right of initiative and proposal in the process of developing environmental standards. Indeed, at the international level, non-state stakeholders have already been recognized for their numerous contributions to the international legal framework. Therefore, granting non-state stakeholders a right of initiative and proposal would only highlight the traditional and fundamental role that they have always played in the development of new legal norms.
Contribution to draft general comment no. 26 of the Committee on the Rights of the Child on the rights of the child and the environment
On August 28, 2023, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) published the general comment no. 26, focused on children's rights and the environment, with particular emphasis on climate change. General Comment No. 26 represents the official guideline issued by the CRC regarding the impact of the environmental crisis on children's rights. It sets out the actions that governments must take to protect these rights and ensure a clean, healthy and sustainable environment in which children can live.
Initially, the preliminary publication of the draft general comment did not mention the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. In response to this preliminary publication, the Coalition and other members of civil society actively advocated for the inclusion of this right, notably during the consultation process, by submitting written observations. Thus, in its contribution, the Global Pact Coalition particularly insisted on the importance of explicitly including children's right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment in the text.
The Coalition's advocacy efforts, in collaboration with other members of civil society, have been successful. The final version of General Comment No. 26 incorporated this recognition, marking a significant step forward in the protection of children's environmental rights at the international level. The final version specifically emphasizes that the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, considered "implicit in the Convention on the Rights of the Child", is of crucial importance for the full enjoyment of other rights of the child, notably the rights to life, health and education.
The Future Summit , scheduled for September 22-23, 2024 in New York, is a major United Nations initiative to address global challenges, with particular attention to environmental protection. Under the theme 'Multilateral solutions for a better future', this high-level event aspires to establish global consensus on visions and strategies for the future. It provides a platform where diverse actors, including UN Member States, agencies, NGOs, civil society organizations, academic institutions, the private sector and youth, will come together to discuss and shape the future .
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In preparation for the Summit, particular emphasis is placed on the creation of the Pact for the Future, an operational document whose purpose will be to address various global issues, including environmental issues. This document is part of the UN's broader commitment to strengthening multilateralism and addressing complex global issues in a sustainable and equitable manner.
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In this context, civil society organizations, among other stakeholders, were invited to contribute to the Zero Draft of the Pact for the Future.
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In its contribution , the Coalition highlights the interdependence between environmental rights and human rights and social justice. It emphasizes that the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment is a right of current and future generations . The Coalition suggests that States commit to promoting, protecting and implementing the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, as recognized by United Nations Human Rights Council resolution 48/13 in 2021 and United Nations General Assembly Resolution 76/3000 in 2022. The commitments proposed by the Coalition for the Compact focus on strengthening the legal framework for environmental protection and advocate for the inclusion of diverse communities, particularly young people and future generations, in environmental decision-making processes. This approach aims to ensure comprehensive and inclusive policies to address environmental challenges on a global scale.
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