This lesson introduces the right to a healthy environment as a human-rights idea and explains why environmental conditions matter to people’s safety and health. It also examines the obligations and potential benefits identified in international human-rights guidance.
People depend on safe surroundings, clean air and water, and functioning natural resources to live healthy lives. Environmental damage—including climate change—can undermine those conditions. For this reason, many human-rights organizations argue that serious environmental harm can amount to a human-rights concern: it may interfere with people’s ability to live safe and healthy lives.
All flashcards
What is the right to a healthy environment?
It is the human-rights principle that people should be able to enjoy environmental conditions that are safe, clean, healthy, and sustainable.
What is a threat multiplier?
A factor that intensifies existing difficulties or tensions; climate change can worsen resource scarcity and livelihood pressures.
What wording does UNHCR prefer to “climate refugee”?
“Persons displaced in the context of disasters and climate change.”
What did the plaintiffs argue in Juliana v. United States?
They argued that the U.S. government's failure to address environmental and climate issues harmed their future lives and could make the government accountable.
Does constitutional recognition alone guarantee effective protection?
No. Recognition can provide an important framework, but implementation and enforcement are also necessary for protections to work in practice.
Quiz questions
How can climate change act as a threat multiplier?Answer: By worsening existing pressures such as resource scarcity and livelihood difficulties.
Which term does UNHCR prefer to “climate refugee”?Answer: Persons displaced in the context of disasters and climate change.
What did the plaintiffs in Juliana v. United States argue?Answer: That government failure to address climate issues harmed their future lives and could make the government accountable.
What limit did the Ninth Circuit identify in Juliana v. United States in 2020?Answer: An Article III court could not develop and supervise a plan to mitigate human-caused climate change.
How do constitutional recognition, legislation, and litigation differ as responses to environmental concerns?Answer: Recognition states a constitutional principle, legislation sets rules, and litigation asks a court to resolve a claim.
Based on Introduction to Political Science by Mark Carl Rom, Masaki Hidaka, Rachel Bzostek Walker (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.