Environment Protection: Legal and Human Rights Perspective

Abstract

All living beings depend on the environment in which we live. A safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment is integral to the full enjoyment of a wide range of human rights. Degradation of environment is therefore a violation of human rights. Of late but the world has amplified its alertness on the relationship between environmental degradation and human rights abuses. The Preamble of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment stated that “Man, is both creature and moulder of his environment, which gives him physical sustenance….” Man, while moving on the path of development has turned from changer to transformer and now destroyer of the environment. Thus, we can say that human beings (we) are violating the legal and human rights of each other. International Conventions, Municipal law have been enacted for the protection of environment and recognition of rights to the environment. This paper is intended to describe the interlink between environment protection and legal human rights approaches by analyzing instruments, initiatives taken by different international organizations, government, and environmental and human rights bodies and how far this legal and human right approach can be helpful in providing better protection to the global environment.