The Council of Europe adopted its Strategy on the Environment (2025–2030) reflecting its commitment to a forward-looking, holistic vision that aligns human rights, democracy, and the rule of law with environmental protection. An Action Plan lists the first activities undertaken to ensure its effective implementation.

Recognising that a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment is essential for the full enjoyment of human rights by present and future generations, the Strategy pursues five key objectives:

  1. Integrating human rights considerations in environment-related strategies, instruments, legislation, policies and actions, and vice versa. This entails:
  • Holistic and inclusive strategies that align environmental goals with the realization of human rights.
  • Just transition ensuring that social equity remains at the core of environmental action, leaving no one behind.
  • Reflecting on the nature, content, and implications of the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment and promoting its recognition as a human right at the national level.
  1. Strengthening good democratic governance in environmental matters through:
  • Integration of good democratic governance principles in environmental governance.
  • Enhanced transparency, access to information, awareness, and education. Combat misinformation and disinformation.
  • Inclusive, meaningful, and effective public participation.
  • Access to justice and strengthened accountability.
  1. Supporting and protecting environmental Human Rights Defenders, Environmental Defenders and Whistle blowers by:
  • Enabling individuals, groups, and associations to freely strive for the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in environment-related matters.
  • Empowering and protecting young people and children who act as environmental human rights defenders.
  • Integrating the protection of defenders and whistle-blowers into environmental governance.
  1. Preventing and prosecuting environment-related crimes through the:
  • Ratification of the new Council of Europe Convention on the protection of the environment through criminal law.
  • Comprehensive policies and national strategies for the prevention and prosecution of environment-related crime.
  • Enhance corporate environmental accountability.
  1. Protecting wildlife, ecosystems, habitats, and landscapes, meaning:
  • Embed Nature-based Solutions and ecosystem-based approaches in the broader governance structures.
  • Harness synergies of biodiversity conservation and restoration measures with climate change mitigation and adaptation measures.
  • Sustainable landscape management and planning.
  • Assess and reduce risks of major natural and technological hazards, improve preparedness and post-crisis analysis.

The Strategy calls for just transitions, inclusive public participation, enhanced transparency and accountability, and the recognition of the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment at the national level. It also addresses democratic backsliding, misinformation, and the disproportionate impacts of environmental degradation on vulnerable communities.

The Strategy is part of the broader environment package considered during the Committee of Ministers session on 14th May, which also includes the new Convention on the Protection of the Environment through Criminal Law.

By integrating human rights into environmental policies, the Strategy lays the groundwork for a future where both ecological conservation and human well-being are prioritised. It is a bold step towards ensuring that the enjoyment of human rights goes hand in hand with environmental stewardship, paving the way for a healthier, more equitable planet.

 Strategy on the Environment (2025–2030)

 Action Plan

Strasbourg – 14 May 2025

https://www.coe.int/en/web/reykjavik-process-and-the-environment/-/council-of-europe-adopts-comprehensive-environment-strategy-highlighting-human-rights-1