Untying the Gordian Knot: Towards the human right to a climatically sustainable environment?

Abstract

The Declaration adopted at the 1972 UN Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm, Sweden, provides that the concept of 'environment' includes the 'natural resources of the earth, including the air, water, land, flora and fauna'. The most important reason for focusing today on a human rights approach to environmental protection lies in the existential challenge posed to humanity by the impending threat of anthropogenic climate change. However, is this situation sufficient in itself to justify such an approach, particularly based on a right to a (climatically) sustainaible, satisfactory, safe, clean, healthy environment(al) protection ?