A/HRC/RES/57/28
Acknowledging that the loss of biodiversity and the decline in ecosystem services can
have a negative impact on the enjoyment of the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable
environment, which has adverse effects, both direct and indirect, on the effective enjoyment
of all human rights, as well as for the safeguarding of the needs and interests of future
generations,
Recognizing that the adverse effects of climate change, environmental degradation
and biodiversity loss often result from and contribute to reinforcing existing patterns of
discrimination and inequality, particularly among persons in vulnerable situations,
Recognizing also that human rights defenders working on environmental matters,
referred to as environmental human rights defenders, make a positive, important and
legitimate contribution to the promotion and protection of all human rights, and expressing
deep concern about the multiple and intersecting forms of violence and discrimination against
environmental human rights defenders, particularly women, girls and Indigenous defenders,
Taking note of international instruments such as the Convention on Access to
Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental
Matters, for the protection of environmental defenders, and the Regional Agreement on
Access to Information, Public Participation and Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin
America and the Caribbean (the Escazú Agreement), for the protection of environmental
human rights defenders,
Taking note also of the guidance on integrating human rights in national biodiversity
strategies and action plans of the United Nations Environment Management Group,
Looking forward to more ambitious commitments at the sixteenth meeting of the
Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, to be held in Cali,
Colombia, from 21 October to 1 November 2024, consistent with its focus on achieving peace
with nature,
1.
Requests the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights to increase its support, technical assistance and capacity-building for States, with their
consent, to implement approaches that integrate the promotion and protection of human rights
in the context of conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components
and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic
resources, taking into account a gender-responsive approach and building on its previous
work in this area, including by working with national human rights institutions, national
mechanisms for implementation, reporting and follow-up, Indigenous Peoples
representatives and other stakeholders, as well as with United Nations country teams, in
accordance with obligations under international human rights law, and requests the
Secretary-General to further strengthen the dedicated capacity of the Office of the High
Commissioner at the regional level to provide such increased support;
2.
Encourages the strengthening of means of implementation, as well as of all
forms of technical and scientific cooperation, to contribute to the full and effective
implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework;
3.
Requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in
consultation with States, the special procedures of the Human Rights Council, the United
Nations Environment Programme, the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity
and other relevant international organizations and intergovernmental bodies, including the
Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, to
conduct a global analytical study on the implementation of a human-rights based approach
into the goals and targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, in line
with the provisions of the Convention, consistent with the considerations set out in section C
of the Framework and taking into consideration the outcomes of the sixteenth meeting of the
Conference of the Parties to the Convention, to be submitted to the Council at its sixty-first
session, and also requests that the High Commissioner make the report available in accessible
formats, including in easy-to-read versions;
4.
Encourages the Office of the High Commissioner to cooperate with other
relevant United Nations organizations and bodies, including the United Nations Environment
Programme and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, as well as with
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