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UK Bill of Rights must include right to a healthy environment
19 January 2009
The right to live in a healthy environment should be included in a UK Bill of Rights, Friends of the Earth said today (19 January 2009).
The call comes as the Government published its response to a report from a committee of MPs which urged the Government to make the right to a healthy and sustainable environment a legal obligation.
The environmental campaign group welcomed the Government's recognition that the change could "help to foster awareness of and collective responsibility for our environment". This would make it easier for people to challenge high-carbon developments like new airports and roads, and could be used to protect the rights of people abroad affected by decisions made in the UK.
Friends of the Earth's environmental rights campaigner Claire Wilton said:
"Everyone should have the right to live in a healthy environment - and this must be spelt out in a Bill of Rights."
"It's often the poorest and most vulnerable people who live with the worst environmental conditions and struggle to make their views heard."
"The Government must improve the lives of this and future generations - and make it easier for people to challenge decisions that damage their environment and health."
Notes:
1. The Joint Committee on Human Rights published a report in August 2008 which called for the right to a healthy and sustainable environment to be part of a new UK Bill of Rights. Today's Government response to this report is available at www.parliament.uk/jchr/
2. Friends of the Earth believes that everyone has the right to live in a healthy environment, and is campaigning for a new, strong environmental right in the UK that will enable ordinary people to hold decision makers to account for actions which harm the environment on which we all depend.
3. The Ministry of Justice is shortly expected to publish a Green Paper on the Bill of Rights. Justice Secretary Jack Straw will appear before the Joint Committee on Human Rights tomorrow to discuss what would be a major constitutional change for the UK.
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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Feb 2009
