From leading the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015 to setting some of the world’s most ambitious climate targets, Europe has always been at the forefront of environmental progress.
However, in recent years, climate activism has become increasingly criminalized, with more reports of police violence and arrests at environmental protests. Researchers from the University of Bristol found that over 2,000 Environmental Defenders have been killed worldwide since 2012.
Against the backdrop of violence toward activists, the Council of Europe organized the first European Forum on Environmental Human Rights Defenders. This week, over 400 global leaders will meet to discuss the future of human rights and the environment.
The Forum will focus on Objective 3 of the Council of Europe Strategy on the Environment, “supporting and protecting environmental human rights defenders, environmental defenders and whistle-blowers.”
The Council of Europe
Not to be confused with the European Council, the Council of Europe is Europe’s leading human rights organization. It was founded in 1949 by 10 Western European countries with the mission to “promote democracy, human rights and the rule of law across Europe and beyond.”
In 1950, the Council of Europe championed the European Convention on Human Rights and played a significant role in ridding Europe of the death penalty between the early 1980s and 2002, when it adopted Protocol No. 13 to the ECHR, which abolished the death penalty in all circumstances.
The Council has been vital in supporting Ukraine following the Russian invasion and protecting women and children from domestic violence and human trafficking. With 46 member states, the Council is committed to protecting Environmental Human Rights Defenders (EHRDs) in Europe, leading to the first-ever EHRD Forum in the region.
The First European Forum on Environmental Human Rights Defenders: Objectives and Agenda
The first European Forum on Environmental Human Rights Defenders will take place on June 3 and 4 in Strasbourg, France, and will focus on improving protections and increasing collaboration among EHRDs, governments, grassroots movements, Indigenous Peoples, and civil society organizations.
One of the main objectives of the Forum is to enhance collaboration between EHRDs and other organizations, while simultaneously identifying gaps in current legislation and policies. Through the two-day Forum, the Council of Europe hopes to give activists the opportunity to communicate their needs directly to regional and national organizations and UN agencies responsible for their protection.
To increase protection for EHRDS, the Forum will adopt a gender-sensitive, intersectional, and intergenerational approach, raising awareness of available protection tools and reviewing the mechanisms currently in place.
In addition to increasing protections for environmental and human rights activists, the Forum aims to provide a safe space for these activists to share their experiences.
Day one of the Forum will be a discussion among the EHRDs. During this peer-led discussion, activists are encouraged to share stories, highlight the challenges they’ve faced, promote protection mechanisms, and raise awareness of good practices.
Over four thematic sessions, the second day will bring together EHRDs, representatives of member States, and institutional actors. This will allow climate and human rights activists to appeal to policymakers, National Human Rights Institutions, and UN-level organizations.
During the breakout session on day two, EHRDs will begin their appeal to these organizations, with government and institutional representatives invited to join the conversation.
The following session, Session 1, will highlight the risks and challenges in today’s activism space. During this session, EHRDs will build on their discussion from the day prior, with a heavy focus on criminalization and Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs).
SLAPPs aim to suppress public participation in protests and other demonstrations through lawsuits or threats of legal action. With the intention to silence activists, SLAPPs undermine the rights of freedom of expression, assembly, and association.
Women environmental human rights defenders are at a higher risk of experiencing violence and threats of violence. A 2023 UN Women report found that in Mexico and Central America alone, 1,698 women activists were attacked between 2016 and 2019.
Related Articles
Here is a list of articles selected by our Editorial Board that have gained significant interest from the public:
Session 2 will focus on environmental standards as a basic human right. The discussion will center around how governments and organizations can address environmental harm, highlighting methods to remedy and prevent it. Organizers emphasize that the recognition of the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment coincides with increased protection of EHRDs.
The concluding session will summarize the key findings and recommendations of the EHRDs, aiming to create a roadmap for the path forward. It will also include preparations for the next edition of the Forum.
Rafael Benítez, Director of Social Rights, Health and Environment, for the Council of Europe, said:
“A clean, healthy and sustainable future depends on those who defend it. Environmental human rights defenders must be empowered, supported and protected.”
The ultimate goal of this Forum and each following edition will be to uplift and protect environmental and human rights activists, providing a safer and more effective battleground for change.
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed here by the authors are their own, not those of Impakter.com — In the Cover Photo: The Council of Europe headquarters in Strasbourg, France. Cover Photo Credit: © Conseil de l’Europe, Strasbourg.
