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Sustainable Development and Human Rights: An Integrated Conception

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 January 2008

Dominic McGoldrick
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This article seeks to present an integrated conception of sustainable development, with particular emphasis on the contribution of international human rights law and theory. Part II considers a structural conception of sustainable development. Part III considers parallels between sustainable development and self-determination. Part IV provides some general reflections on international environmental law and international human rights law in terms of analogous concepts, principles and systems. What similarities are there and what differences? Part V considers the progress made towards recognition of a “human right to the environment”. Part VI considers how international environmental claims could be brought within the existing international human rights complaint systems. Part VII analyses the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in the Lopez Ostra case (1994), the leading case on environmental claims to have reached that Court.

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Articles
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International & Comparative Law Quarterly , Volume 45 , Issue 4 , October 1996 , pp. 796 - 818
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Copyright © British Institute of International and Comparative Law 1996

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94. I.CJ. Rep. (1996), 8 July 1996. General List No.93.

95. Ibid. pr.31.

96. I.C.J. Rep. (1996), 8 July 1996, General List No.95.

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98. Ibid. pr.33.

99. Ibid. pr.25.

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112. See R. Churchill, “Environmental Rights in Existing Human Rights Treaties”, in Anderson and Boyle, idem, 89.

113. See Arts.4(l), 7(3), (4) and 23.

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128. Cf. Appn.9234/81, X. v. Germany, 26 D.R. 270.

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132. See Alston, op. cit. supra n.103.

133. Cf. Sands, op. cit. supra n.5. at p.359. who notes a change by the World Bank that allows an affected party to complain that rights or interests have been affected by the Bank's omission to follow its procedures with respect to projects provided that the failure has or threatens to have a material adverse effect.Google Scholar

134. See Ksentini Report, supra n.36, at paras.163–171. There is no such right in the ECHR.

135. See McGoldrick, op. cit. supra n.48, at pp.255–256; Churchill, op. cit. supra n.112.Google Scholar

136. See Ksentini Report, supra n.36, at paras.172–175.

137. See Supra.127.

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139. Lopez Ostra, infra n.149, at para.60.

140. Harris et al., op. cit. supra n.104, at pp.174–195.Google Scholar

141. McGoldrick, op. cit. supra n.48, at pp.414–416.Google Scholar

142. See Ksentini Report, supra n.36, at paras.203–216.

143. See e.g. Powell and Rayner v. UK, Ser.A, Vol.172 (1990).CrossRefGoogle Scholar

144. See Harris et al., op. cit. supra n. 104. at pp.516–539Google Scholar; Pine Valley Development Ltd and Others v. Ireland, Ser.A, Vol.222 (1991). There is no right to property in the ICCPR.Google Scholar

145. Art. 13. Harris et al., idem, pp.443–461; Powell and Rayner, supra n.143.

146. See Ksentini Report, supra n.36, at para.44.

147. There is no equivalent in the ECHR or in the AmCHR.

148. Annual Report of the Human Rights Committee 1990, UN Doc.A/45/40. Vol.11, App.See, A. McGoldrick, D., “Canadian Indians. Cultural Rights and the Human Rights Committee” (1991) 40 I.C.L.Q. 658.Google Scholar

149. Ser.A. Vol.303-C, 9 Dec. 1994. See A. Garcia Ureta, “Lopez Ostra v. Spain: Environmental Protection and the European Convention on Human Rights” [1995] Environmental Liability 81. In Fredin v. Sweden, Ser.A, Vol.192 (1991) the European Court of Human Rights had stated that protecting nature is “an increasingly important consideration in today's society”.Google Scholar

150. Lopez Ostra, idem, para.51.

151. Ibid.

152. Idem, para.58.

153. Cf. Appn.No.7889/77, Arrondelle v. UK (1980) 26 Decisions and Reports of the European Commission on Human Rights 5: aviation authority, friendly settlement.

154. See Clapham, A., Human Rights in the Private Sphere (1993), pp.215–222.Google Scholar

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156. See Hession and Macrory, op. cit. supra n.32, in the context of the EC.