1. Defending the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment: a human rights framework

1.7 What are the global frameworks that protect and recognise the work of EHRDs?

Today, a powerful stack of international frameworks exists specifically to protect Environmental Human Rights Defenders (EHRDs). These aren’t just words on paper. They are tools you can use to demand safety and justice.

Global Milestones

Let’s walk through the 5 Key Milestones that recognise your vital role:

The Foundation: The 1998 UN Declaration

States must protect you from violence, threats, and discrimination.
You have the right to speak, assemble, access information, and talk to international bodies without fear.
If you are attacked, the State in question must investigate it and punish perpetrators.

Why the 1998 UN Declaration (Resolution A/RES/53/144) matters: It legitimised your work. You are no longer a 'trouble-maker'. You are a rights-holder.

For more information on the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, please check our online course.

The Breakthrough: Recognising Environmental Defenders (2019)

Resolution A/HRC/RES/40/11 was a historic first. The Human Rights Council explicitly said: Those who defend the environment, land, and climate ARE Human Rights Defenders.

It linked environmental protection directly to human survival.
It urges States to stop using laws to criminalise you (e.g., false terrorism charges) and must create a 'safe and enabling environment'.
It acknowledged that violence against EHRDs is escalating globally due to the climate crisis.

Reinforcing the Call: The 2023 UN General Assembly Resolution

In 2023, UN General Assembly Resolution (Resolution 78/216) demanded that States go beyond words and take action.

It called for concrete measures to counter discrimination and violence, especially against those defending the environment.
It urged governments must stop staying silent and ensure activists enjoy an 'enabling space', meaning an environment in which you can work without heightened risks.

Incorporating Corporate Accountability

Often, the threats come from private companies, not just the State. This changed with the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights: guidance on ensuring respect for human rights defenders, published by the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights.

Companies have a responsibility to respect defenders’ rights under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (For more, browse through see Section 1.9 - What are the framework that promotes accountability?).
States must regulate businesses to prevent attacks. If a mining company threatens you, the State is responsible for stopping it.
Due Diligence: Companies must now include your safety in their risk assessments. If they ignore you, they are violating international standards.

Biodiversity & Inclusion: The Kunming-Montreal Framework (2022)

Adopted at the global Biodiversity Conference Of State Parties, Target 22 is one of the most inclusive frameworks yet.

It explicitly mandates the full protection of EHRDs.
It guarantees that Indigenous Peoples, women, youth, and persons with disabilities must have a seat at the decision-making table.
It recognises that you cannot save biodiversity without protecting the people who live on the land.

While these global milestones set the standard, Regional Human Rights Systems (in Africa, the Americas, Europe, etc.) often provide even stronger, customised protections based on local realities. We will dive deep into how to use these regional tools in Section 3: Advocating at the Regional Level.

Why is this useful and what can you do?

Don’t just read these resolutions, leverage them. Here is how:

When threatened, explicitly state: 'I am an environmental human rights defender protected under UN HRC Resolution 40/11.' This forces authorities to recognise your legal status.
If a company harasses you, cite the UN Guiding Principles. Remind them - and their investors - that attacking defenders is a violation of their own responsibilities.
When reporting attacks to the UN, reference these specific resolutions. It shows you know the law and makes it harder for them to ignore you.

Indigenous Peoples, peasant communities and defenders who have worked in rural areas have always been at the forefront of environmental defence. Let’s have a closer look at the framework that protects them.