From the right to a healthy planet to the planetary right to health

Abstract

The rich potential of legal rights in advancing planetary health is no longer untapped.1 In July, 2022, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution A/76/L.75, which recognised “the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment as a human right”, by a landslide of 161 votes. This historic resolution stands on the shoulders of a long line of UN initiatives, such as the Human Rights Council's Resolution 48/13, which was enacted in October, 2021, and recognised the right to a healthy environment as “important for the enjoyment of human rights”.