CYIL vol. 12 (2021)

jan lhotský CYIL 12 (2021) The (missing) right to a healthy environment in international human rights law, especially the European Convention on Human Rights Jan Lhotský Abstract: The article discusses the extent to which the right to a healthy environment is formally anchored in international law. As environmental rights are becoming more topical, the text focuses on their relationship with human rights law. Although the right to a healthy environment is contained in a number of international instruments, it is not included in the European Convention on Human Rights. In the article, two possible solutions are suggested. First, a new protocol on the right to a healthy environment could be elaborated and ratified to be formally included in the Convention. Second, the European Court of Human Rights could develop its current jurisprudence on environmental matters based on the living instrument doctrine in order to reflect societal developments and the need for environmental protection. Resumé: Článek se zaměřuje na míru zakotvení práva na zdravé životní prostředí v mezi- národním právu. Jelikož jsou environmentální práva vnímána jako velmi aktuální téma, příspěvek se zaměřuje na jejich vztah k lidským právům. Přestože právo na zdravé životní prostředí lze nalézt v řadě mezinárodních instrumentů, není zahrnuto do Evropské úmluvy o lidských právech. V dané situaci se nabízí dvě možná řešení. Zaprvé lze vypracovat nový protokol definující právo na zdravé životní prostředí, který by musel být následně smluvní- mi stranami ratifikován. Zadruhé může Evropský soud pro lidská práva na základě doktríny living instrument rozvinout svoji stávající judikaturu týkající se environmentálních témat tak, aby lépe odpovídala současnému společenskému vývoji a potřebám ochrany životního prostředí. Key words: Right to a healthy environment; European Convention on Human Rights; European Court of Human Rights; Urgenda; environmental rights. About the Author: Jan Lhotský works as a senior researcher at the Centre for International Law of the Institute of International Relations. He is a director of an independent academic institution, the Czech Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, where he also serves as head of the international criminal justice section. Furthermore, he works as a lawyer at the Office of the Public Defender of Rights (Czech ombuds institution). He graduated from the Faculty of Law (PhD) and the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration at Masaryk University, as well as the European Inter-University Centre for Human Rights and Democratization in Venice (E.MA). He worked as a Visiting Professional at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, lawyer-trainee at the European External Action Service in Brussels, junior lawyer at the law firm Rödl & Partner and as an Assistant Lawyer at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. His professional interests mainly include public international law, human rights and international criminal law.

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