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International Commission on Human Rights
A healthy environment is fundamental to the enjoyment of life, health, water, food, and culture. Environmental rights affirm that everyone has the right to breathe clean air, drink safe water, live free from toxic exposure, and participate in decisions shaping the ecosystems they depend on. These rights are inseparable from climate justice, biodiversity conservation, and intergenerational equity.
Climate breakdown, pollution, and unsustainable resource exploitation are intensifying inequality, displacement, and conflict. Communities on the frontlines—Indigenous peoples, rural farmers, coastal residents, and urban low-income populations—bear disproportionate burdens while having the least influence over decisions that impact their environment.
The International Commission On Human Rights (ICOHR) advances environmental rights by supporting community-led advocacy, strengthening legal protections, documenting corporate and state abuses, and pushing for climate-resilient policies that respect human rights. We believe environmental defenders should be protected, not persecuted, and that sustainable futures must be rooted in justice.
Data reveals the urgency of integrating human rights into environmental action.
We tackle environmental injustices through legal, policy, and grassroots strategies.
Advocating for equitable climate policies, just transitions, and adaptation plans that protect communities most affected by climate change.
Monitoring pollution, demanding transparency from industries, and enforcing the right to clean water, sanitation, and air.
Strengthening legal frameworks, supporting litigation, and challenging corporate and governmental actors that damage ecosystems.
Ensuring free, prior, and informed consent, environmental impact assessments, and inclusive decision-making at all levels.
Safeguarding environmental and land defenders through emergency support, advocacy campaigns, and accountability for attacks.
Advocating for circular economies, responsible supply chains, and policies that balance economic activity with ecological integrity.
Human rights standards anchor the protection of people and ecosystems.
Current generations must safeguard the environment so that future generations can enjoy the same rights and natural resources.
States must provide timely, accurate environmental information, enabling communities to make informed decisions and hold authorities accountable.
Everyone has the right to participate in environmental decision-making, from local land-use plans to national climate policies.
Effective mechanisms must exist to seek remedy for environmental harm, ensure corporate responsibility, and enforce environmental laws.
Environmental rights are recognized in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the emerging body of soft law that includes the UN General Assembly resolution recognizing the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. Regional treaties, the Escazú Agreement, Aarhus Convention, and jurisprudence from human rights courts reinforce obligations to protect environmental defenders, uphold access rights, and integrate human rights into climate action. ICOHR leverages these standards to advocate for stronger policies, strategic litigation, and accountability.
We combine legal action, research, and solidarity with affected communities.
We collaborate with communities to monitor environmental threats, document impacts, and trigger rapid advocacy before harm escalates.
ICOHR brings cases before national courts and international bodies to enforce environmental rights, challenge destructive projects, and secure reparations.
We advise policymakers on integrating human rights in climate laws, environmental impact procedures, and sustainable development plans.
ICOHR conducts environmental human rights impact assessments, mapping pollution, climate risks, and corporate conduct to inform advocacy.
We provide emergency assistance, security training, and international visibility for environmental defenders facing threats and retaliation.
We track compliance with court rulings, treaty body recommendations, and corporate commitments to ensure reforms deliver real-world change.
Environmental rights are essential for resilient communities and a livable planet. Stand with ICOHR to defend ecosystems, protect defenders, and ensure every person enjoys a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment.
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