A resolution on this was adopted on Friday in the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva with 43 votes out of 47. Austria also voted for it. Four countries abstained, including Russia, which argued that issues such as the environment and climate change were already being dealt with in other UN bodies.
Such resolutions have no direct impact and are not legally binding, but are considered morally important standards. They could lead to stricter environmental laws.
The UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment, David Boyd, spoke of an historic breakthrough. “The future of the world looks a little brighter today,” he said. In the room where the Human Rights Council met there was applause for minutes. The German ambassador in Geneva, Katharina Stasch, was also pleased with the vote. The United Nations would have opened a new chapter in the fight against man-made climate change and for a cleaner environment.
The Human Rights Council also created the position of special rapporteur on climate change for the first time on Friday. Rapporteurs provide regular reports on progress in their areas.
