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Child’s right to clean environment noted by UN

The United Nations’ Committee on the Rights of the Child has launched its General Comment on children’s rights and the environment, with a special focus on climate change (18 September).

Community Law & Mediation (CLM) has called on the Government to heed the findings of the report, which states that “the triple planetary crisis, comprising the climate emergency, the collapse of biodiversity and pervasive pollution, is an urgent and systemic threat to children’s rights globally”, including the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.

CLM has consistently warned that the longer transformative climate action is delayed, the more difficult the transition will be, particularly for children and future generations.

Drastic reductions

It is calling on the Irish Government to take climate action in accordance with its legal obligations to avoid unduly burdening young and future generations with drastic emissions reductions in the future.

Ruth Barry, children’s law solicitor at CLM said: “The climate crisis is ultimately a children’s rights crisis. These rights must be protected amidst an escalating climate and biodiversity crisis. Environmental decisions generally concern children, and the best interests of the child should be a primary consideration in the adoption and implementation of environmental policies.”