Environmental and human rights matter

As with humans, the environment also has fundamental rights. The environment as the basic capital of human life has the right to react when its equilibrium is disrupted by humans. A harmonious relationship between humans and their environment will enable the former to develop and improve their lives, without disrupting the sustainability of the latter.

This year・s commemoration of World Environment Day on June 5 should serve as a moment for reflection to promote environmental rights as well as human rights.

The declaration of ：principles of human rights and the environment； drafted by the human rights and environment special reporter of the United Nations, Fatma Zohra Ksentini, was the first international instrument to comprehensively link human rights and the environment.

According to the ecological footprint network, since 1961 there has been a growing ecological deficit from year to year, in which human need or greed for ecological resources has exceeded the Earth・s ability to fulfill the demand.

The greatest ecological consumption involves communities in developed countries, such as the US and Europe, in the forms of energy, forest, water and food.

Every person is entitled to the right to development. However, it could be achieved through healthy environmental conditions. If the balance between development and the environment is neglected, then development would only benefit a few at the expense of the majority.

The right to development and environmental rights is the third generation of human rights. It emphasizes collective rights and togetherness. The third generation of human rights is growing in developing countries as a result of the persistence of pressure groups.

In the last few decades, the rate of environmental destruction has been reaching its worst level due to exploitation of natural resources committed by individuals, groups, the state and corporations. It is because the environment has been reduced to an object of human exploitation, such as mineral extraction, logging as well as air and water pollution.

The environment has the right to evolve through its natural life cycle, which is something humans cannot control. The environment has a limited capacity to sustain life.

Violation of environmental rights will only lead to disaster, be it natural or human-induced, which in the past claimed millions of lives. Global warming is also an impact of violations of environmental rights committed for the sake of acceleration of economic growth and development.

Furthermore, crimes against environmental rights have caused human suffering and human rights violations as evident in pollution that affects many people, forest destruction that deprives indigenous people of their earnings, traditional food crop extinction and global warming.

Everybody needs to respect environmental rights as part of a system of life for the sake of harmonious relations between humans and the environment. Any of us, individuals or those who have financial capital and political power, should refrain from actions that can cause environmental calamity.

Respect for the environment amounts to recognition that the environment has a limited capacity to meet all human needs. Controlling human behavior to respect the environment must be established, for example, through legal instruments, regulations and policies at local, national and international levels, to keep the balance and sustainability of the environment.

It is in line with the concept of sustainable development that is based on the equilibrium of three pillars, namely social, economic and environment.

Respecting and protecting environmental rights is a foundation to set up a mutual relationship between humans and the environment. Both depend on each other and one cannot oppress the other.

The United Nations Conference on Human and Environment in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1972, which produced the Stockholm Declaration, was the initial foothold of the international community・s awareness of the importance of environmental sustainability as part of the fulfillment of basic human rights.

The conference is the backbone of sustainable development that underlines that development cannot be achieved without respect for the environment. The right to development cannot be obtained without a good environment and a peaceful life.

Respecting, protecting and fulfilling human rights will depend on a healthy environment. In a damaged ecosystem, it is impossible to enjoy and acquire the rights to life, health, safety, adequate food and culture.

When ecological resources in a country are already depleted and exhausted, it is likely that colonization of the ecology will occur, as happens today through mining and logging in natural forests, and large-scale industrial relocation to developing countries.

Human rights violations go unchecked along with rapid destruction of the environment. Therefore, we need a movement that integrates environmental rights and human rights movements to create sustainable development.

(2013-06-09/thejakartapost)