Climate protection is human rights protection

Details

Published: February 17, 2025

The application of fundamental rights in environmental and climate protection by Constitutional Courts was the subject of a regional conference of the Constitutional Courts of the Western Balkans, which was organised by the IRZ together with the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 26 – 28 November 2024 in Tuzla.

The venue was carefully chosen in view of the topic discussed. As a major industrial centre, Tuzla is considered to be the city in Bosnia and Herzegovina with the greatest environmental impact.

On the basis of the environmental protection practice of the participating courts and the 2021 climate protection decision of the Federal Constitutional Court, the presidents of the Constitutional Courts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Serbia and the EU member states Croatia and Slovenia discussed the issue together with Prof Dr Gabriele Britz, former judge at the Federal Constitutional Court.

All participants agreed that the case-law of the Constitutional Courts should no longer be aimed solely at the present, but should also look to the future in order to protect future generations. They also unanimously emphasised the human rights component of climate protection. The results of the event will be summarised by the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina in a conference volume that will increase sustainability and provide an insight into the case-law of the constitutional courts of the Western Balkan states and the Federal Constitutional Court on environmental and climate protection.