New project launch: Children’s Access to Environmental Justice
What can be done to make sure laws and policies better serve and uphold the environmental rights of children?
Today we launch Children’s Access to Environmental Justice, a project that looks at children’s environmental rights, and the laws and systems that affect them. We want to have conversations about how the law can be used to make children’s environmental rights a priority, and make it easier for those involved in youth climate activism to understand and use the law.
Children are leading the way but are left out of decision-making
A growing number of children and young people are protesting against climate inaction around the world. They have been at the forefront of environmental activism, are more awake to the problem than many adults, and are committed to demanding change. They have also been at the heart of some of the most cutting edge legal challenges to achieve climate justice.
Yet the reality is that they are almost entirely left out of decision-making. In addition, the law doesn’t always protect children, and their rights to speak up and take action are not always guaranteed. Children are sometimes penalised for missing school to protest, or worse, criminalised in some countries for their climate actions. Education about climate change is also lacking in many countries.
This should not be the case.
Children have a right to be informed and play a part in shaping the world they live in.
Understanding the laws and policies that affect children’s environmental rights
In this project, we look at how the laws and policies in 43 countries around the world currently protect - or fail to protect - children’s environmental rights.
We ask:
How can children currently access the courts in environmental cases?
What can courts do when children’s rights are violated?
Are children’s civil and political rights protected, so that they are able to protest and campaign on environmental issues?
Visit the website and learn more about:
The first batch of 5 country reports, looking into how laws and policies protect - or fail to protect - children’s environmental rights in Brazil, Fiji, the Philippines, Norway and Switzerland.
A story from Pedro Hartung at the Alana Institute in Brazil, about how they use legal tools to address the fact that Brazilian children, and others in countries that have been historically colonised, are the most affected by climate injustice and violations due to lasting effects of colonial practice.
What our next steps are after the country research, which helps us better understand what the law says in these countries, including developing resources for campaigners, collecting stories so that organisers around the world can learn from each others’ experiences, and more.
Next steps
This is just the start. We will be releasing research, articles, interviews and other materials on this issue, and we look forward to working in collaboration with others. Whether you work in environmental justice, children’s rights or human rights, or are involved in youth climate activism, we’d love for you to get involved and hear what you think!