UN Committee: children's right to a safe and sustainable environment recognize

UN Child Rights Committee published authoritative guidance on children's rights and environment with a special focus on climate change.

By Ground report 29 Aug 2023

New Update

UN Committee: children's right to a safe and sustainable environment recognize

UN Child Rights Committee issues significant guidance on children's rights and environment, particularly focusing on climate change.
Guidance emphasizes immediate implementation of laws and actions to address environmental degradation and climate change's adverse impact on children's rights.
UN highlights the right of children to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, marking a historic moment in their recognition.
Committee's recommendations shaped by input from children, experts, civil society, and international organizations across 121 countries.
Commentary stresses children's pivotal role in safeguarding the environment and the reciprocal link between their rights and environmental protection.

The UN Child Rights Committee published authoritative guidance on children's rights and the environment with a special focus on climate change. The guidance specifies that States should urgently implement legislative and administrative measures to address the adverse effects of environmental degradation and climate change on the enjoyment of children's rights. It also emphasizes the need to ensure a clean, healthy, and sustainable world now and to preserve it for future generations.

UN: Children's right to eco-friendly environment

For the first time in history, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has made clear that children have the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, issuing a comprehensive interpretation of the obligations of UN member states. A new document published this Monday explicitly addresses the climate emergency, the collapse of biodiversity and widespread pollution, and outlines countermeasures to protect the lives and life prospects of children.

After two rounds of consultation with States, national human rights institutions, international organizations, civil society, thematic experts, and children, the Committee has adopted its guidance, formally known as General Comment No. 26. Children in 121 countries contributed 16,331 contributions, in which they shared and reported on the negative effects of environmental degradation and climate change on their lives and communities, and asserted their right to live in a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment.

“Children are architects, leaders, thinkers and changemakers of today’s world.

"Our voices count, and they should receive attention," stated Kartik, a 17-year-old activist for climate and child rights from India, who serves as one of the Committee's child advisors. “General Comment No. 26 is the instrument that will help us understand and exercise our rights in the face of environmental and climate crises,” he added.

Global Kids Lead Urgent Environmental Advocacy

“Children around the world have been leading the fight against climate change; asking their governments and corporations to take action to protect the planet and its future. “The Committee on the Rights of the Child not only echoes and amplifies the voices of children, but also clearly defines the rights of children in relation to the environment that States must urgently respect, protect and fulfil”, explained Philip Jaffé, a member of the Committee, quoted by the UN.

The document establishes that States are responsible not only for protecting the rights of children against immediate harm, but also for foreseeable violations of their rights in the future due to acts (or lack of action). Moreover, it emphasizes that States bear responsibility not only for environmental harm within their borders but also for detrimental effects of damage and climate change outside them.

“This new General Comment marks a vital step towards recognizing that all children on Earth have the right to live in a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. Governments must now take urgent action to address the global environmental crisis in order to bring these inspiring words to life,” added David Boyd, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment. They encourage all 196 states to implement measures like transitioning from coal, oil, and natural gas to renewable energy sources.

Children's needs overlooked in climate action

“Climate financing and political decisions continue to ignore the needs of children,” said Paloma Escudero, UNICEF Special Adviser on the Promotion of Children's Rights and Climate Action. “The General Comment is an urgent call to countries to prioritize action on all aspects of children affected by climate change, such as the right of the child to education, drinking water and a healthy environment.

The climate crisis is a child rights crisis. Every government has an obligation to protect the rights of all children in all corners of the planet, especially those children who live in countries that have contributed the least to this problem but are enduring the most floods, droughts, storms and dangerous heat".

To arrive at these recommendations, the international child rights organization coordinated a global Advisory Council of experts and a team of 12 child advisors ages 11-17 to support the Committee.

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), as a member of the Advisory Board, provided additional technical expertise and helped gather views from children around the world as part of the consultation process. States will have to periodically report to the UN Committee on the relevant progress they have made in protecting the environmental rights of children.

Child rights-based approach to environmental protection

Applying children's rights to the environment means thinking about all the rights kids have and the rules about them. In this approach, making sure kids' rights are respected is just as important as achieving good results.

Children have the right to be safe from harm to their rights because of damage to the environment, and they should be seen as important contributors to the environment. We need to pay extra attention when kids who face difficulties are not able to enjoy their rights.

Having a clean and safe environment is not only a right in itself, but it's also important for kids to fully enjoy many other rights. On the other hand, when the environment gets worse, it affects children's rights, especially for those in tough situations or places where climate change is a big problem.

Kids deserve clean, safe environment rights

When children use their rights to speak up, gather peacefully, get information, learn, take part, and be listened to, we can make better rules to protect the environment. So, children's rights and taking care of the environment help each other and make things better overall.

Children have the right to live in a clean, safe, and sustainable environment. This right is connected to their rights to life, health, education, and more. It includes having clean air, water, healthy food, and nature. To make this happen, countries should:

Make the air cleaner to keep children healthy.
Provide clean water and protect water sources so kids don't get sick.
Change how we farm and fish to have healthy food and nature.
Stop using harmful fuels like coal and oil, and use clean energy instead.
Protect and restore nature and animals.
Stop putting dangerous things in the ocean that can hurt kids and nature.
Control and reduce toxic things that can harm kids' health.

Kids should have the right to know about environmental issues, be part of decisions, and have a way to stand up for their rights. Countries should make laws to protect this right and include it in everything they do for kids, like education, play, and safety. This will make sure everyone follows the rules and takes care of the environment for children now and in the future.