On July 28, 2022, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) recognized the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. This recognition was achieved after decades of mobilization by ESCR-Net members alongside other civil society organizations, social movements and Indigenous Peoples. However, the importance of this victory depends on how the right is implemented. Our collective work is focused on advocating for its meaningful implementation that responds to communities’ needs and priorities, especially in light of dominant extractive economic models prioritizing profit over peoples.
05/10/2024
Article | News & Events
The ruling of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in the case “Community of La Oroya vs. Peru” sets an important precedent for the protection of the right to a healthy environment across the Americas and for adequate state oversight of corporate activities. The first-of-its-kind decision holds Peru accountable for its failure to protect the inhabitants of the Andean city of La Oroya who were exposed to toxic pollution from a smelter complex that operated without adequate pollution controls for a century.
