General comment No. 26 (2023) on Children’s Rights and the Environment, with a Special Focus on Climate Change

Abstract

A clean, healthy and sustainable environment is both a human right itself and necessary for the full enjoyment of a broad range of children’s rights. Conversely, environmental degradation, including the consequences of the climate crisis, adversely affects the enjoyment of these rights, in particular for children in disadvantaged situations or children living in regions that are highly exposed to climate change. The exercise by children of their rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association, to information and education, to participate and be heard and to effective remedies can result in more rights-compliant, and therefore more ambitious and effective, environmental policies. In this way, children’s rights and environmental protection form a virtuous circle. The present general comment is focused on children’s rights and the environment, with a particular emphasis on climate change. Its aims are to: (a) emphasize the urgent need to address the adverse effects of environmental degradation, with a special focus on climate change, on the enjoyment of children’s rights; (b) promote a holistic understanding of children’s rights as they apply to environmental protection; and (c) clarify the obligations of States party to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (the Convention) and provide authoritative guidance on legislative, administrative and other appropriate measures to address environmental harm, with a special focus on climate change.