Ozlem Yildirim: Recognising the right to a healthy enviroment as a fundamental right

 Recognising that environmental degradation and climate deregulation have a direct and indirect impact on a range of fundamental rights (such as the right to life, the right to health and the right to education), the EESC, for the first time, looked into this clear link which risks undoing the progress made in recent decades in the areas of development, global health and poverty reduction.

The information report on "Environmental protection as a prerequisite for respect for fundamental rights" provided an opportunity to address key issues, notably the right to a healthy environment as a fundamental right. As the author of this report, I would like to stress that the European Environment Agency (EEA) considers air pollution to be the biggest environmental health risk in Europe. Not only does this form of pollution pose a serious risk to human health, it entails considerable economic costs resulting from increased medical expenses, a drop in productivity, chiefly due to working days lost, and lower agricultural yields. In light of this situation, we are delighted to see a new human right emerging: the right to a healthy, safe and sustainable environment.

According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), 1.2 billion jobs (40% of world jobs) depend on a healthy environment. Heat stress will reduce working hours in the world by 2% in 2030, representing 72 million jobs. Pollution and environmental degradation will have an impact on workers' productivity, health, income, and food security.

Hence the information report states that "the EU must establish itself as a reliable partner on the international stage by strengthening and implementing legislation incorporating a comprehensive, human-rights-based approach to climate and environmental action, so as to guide climate change mitigation policies and measures while protecting the rights of all. Especially, the EU has to be consistent and pay more attention to trade agreements."

Among the various proposals for the EU's climate action to be centred around fundamental rights, this report advocates, in particular, the adoption of a clear and coordinated interdisciplinary strategy and the need to finalise the EU's accession to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Lastly, the EESC calls for the adoption of a European law to tackle "strategic lawsuits against public participation", in order to achieve a high and uniform level of protection across Europe by fighting against the misuse of legal procedures which aim to silence whistle blowers, journalists, rights defenders or other public watchdogs.

Ozlem Yildirim, EESC Member and Vice-President of the Group on Fundamental Rights and the Rule of Law