Over a million species are at risk of extinction. The climate is heating like never before. And we are in the midst of a deadly pandemic. All a result of our destruction of nature.
The science is clear: the reckless exploitation of nature is at the root of these crises, threatening our very survival and that of many other species.
The Haribon Foundation is the BirdLife International partner in the Philippines. We join the BirdLife partnership in a demand that the United Nations recognize a new human right: the right to a healthy natural environment.
We need you to sign and share this petition to help make it a reality.
This human right is urgent, ambitious and possible: in fact, the right to a healthy environment already has constitutional or legal recognition and protection in more than 100 States. But it’s not enough: as we all share one planet, one natural world, we truly need one global right. Moreover, universal rights strengthen local action and enforcement.
From the air we breathe, to the water we drink, to the earth in which we grow our food; our environment impacts our health in many ways. It is time to recognize that the right to a healthy natural environment is essential for our survival.
With this right, we would put the Earth on the path towards a global green recovery. It is a fundamental step to transform our society’s relationship with nature.
Only on a planet where nature and people live in harmony can we help prevent future pandemics, and successfully address the climate and biodiversity crises.
With business as usual, we are doomed to sink further towards destruction. We need a human right to live on a healthy planet now.
We are a global coalition concerned about our survival and that of the planet. Specifically, we call on the UN to:
- Vote to include the right to a healthy natural environment at the UN Human Rights Council, in the UN General Assembly and as an urgent topic at the UN Summit on Biodiversity in mid-September 2020.
- Ultimately Include the right to a healthy natural environment in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Signing this petition will send a powerful message to the United Nations and its relevant bodies that the earth’s citizens demand this new human right be debated and voted on urgently.
