Human rights and the advisory role of ecologists

Background/Question/Methods

The well-being of humankind is inextricably linked to the environment. Deliberate abuse or negligent treatment of our environment impacts the lives and livelihoods of people and communities in all regions of the world. Soil contamination, water pollution, desertification and erosion, disruption of natural ecosystems, unsustainable use of natural resources, toxic waste dumping and global climate change each threaten the fulfillment of fundamental human rights, including the rights to life, health, food and an adequate standard of living. Given these evident connections, what role can ecologists play in promoting and protecting human rights?

Results/Conclusions

Presently, ecologists play a vital role in environmental policy development and management processes across both the private and public sectors. As researchers, ecologists also have an important role and function in engaging communities and identifying vulnerable populations impacted by environmental changes. Consistent with these roles, burgeoning opportunities now exist for ecologists to integrate human rights into their work as the connections between our natural and human made environments on the one hand and human rights on the other become increasingly evident.

A stronger understanding among ecologists of the nexus between human rights legal principles and ecological concerns is an important place to start. Other strategies for bringing ecological concerns and human rights issues closer together include: forging stronger links between organizations engaged in human rights and organizations focused on environmental advocacy; identifying issues of mutual concern and avenues for collaborative engagement across the human rights and ecological communities; giving focus to human rights issues in ecological research and policy; designing practical measures to address the rights of vulnerable and other affected populations in ecological management processes; and raising ecological issues within existing institutions mandated to protect human rights.