Environment is Foundation of Rights, Says Council of Europe at COP30

Environment is Foundation of Rights, Says Council of Europe at COP30

The Council of Europe champions environmental protection by explicitly linking it to human dignity and well-being.

RMN News Environment Desk
November 12, 2025

Belém, Brazil – November 10, 2025 – The Council of Europe (CoE) is participating in the United Nations climate change conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil, emphasizing that human rights, democracy, and environmental protection are mutually reinforcing pillars for effective climate action.

The CoE has scheduled three side events at COP30 (November 10-21, 2025) designed to explore how climate challenges impact fundamental rights, examine the role of environmental human-rights defenders, and address climate disinformation.

Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset stressed the critical link between the environment and fundamental freedoms, declaring: “Our environment is the foundation of our rights and freedoms”. Berset issued a call to action to global leaders, civil society, and young people, urging them to partner with the CoE, stating, “Climate action is action for our values – for people, and for our planet. Let us defend our future together”.

The Council of Europe champions environmental protection by explicitly linking it to human dignity and well-being. This commitment is demonstrated through pivotal conventions, including the Bern Convention, which safeguards wildlife and habitats across Europe and beyond, and the Landscape Convention, which focuses on protecting the continent’s natural and cultural landscapes. These conventions ensure that biodiversity conservation, disaster resilience, and environmental preservation are considered inseparable from the enjoyment of fundamental human rights.

Furthermore, the European Court of Human Rights has delivered rulings on over 300 environment-related cases. The Court applies key rights—such as the rights to life, respect for private and family life, freedom of expression and assembly, a fair hearing, and property—to a variety of issues, including pollution, environmental disasters, access to information, and judicial procedure.

In May 2025, the CoE’s Committee of Ministers adopted a groundbreaking Convention on the protection of the environment through criminal law, establishing a legal basis to combat environmental crime. Additionally, the CoE adopted its Strategy on the environment (2025–30) in May, which serves as a forward-looking, multidisciplinary framework that integrates environmental protection with the promotion of justice, democratic governance, and social cohesion.

The Council of Europe’s participation at COP30 includes three focused side events:

• On November 10, 2025, the CoE, co-organizing with the Council of Europe Development Bank, hosts “Human rights and climate change”. This session aims to explore how climate impacts affect fundamental rights—including life, energy, health, and housing—while showcasing rights-based solutions for creating equitable and resilient climate policies.
• Scheduled for November 11, 2025, the session on “Environmental human rights defenders,” organized with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, will highlight the protection of these activists and introduce the new European Forum on environmental human-rights defenders. This forum intends to foster collaboration among civil society, governments, indigenous peoples, and international institutions.
• Also on November 11, 2025, the CoE partners with Youth and Environment Europe for “Human rights and climate disinformation: responding to youth”. This event will tackle climate disinformation from a human-rights perspective, promoting access to reliable information and connecting with the Secretary General’s initiative, the New Democratic Pact for Europe, which is a collaborative process designed to reinforce democracy.

The Council of Europe – representing 46 member states – is an international organisation with the goal of upholding human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in Europe.