Event organised by the Council of Europe and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)

at the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP30  

11 November 2025, 10:00-11:00am (BRT)

National Pavilion of Portugal (Blue Zone)

Belém, Brazil

Environmental Human Rights Defenders (EHRDs) play a vital role in addressing environmental crises such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution while upholding human rights. Their essential contribution has been recognised internationally—from the 1998 UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders to the 2022 UN General Assembly recognition of the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment.

Building on the  Reykjavík Declaration adopted at the 2023 Summit of Heads of States and Government of the Council of Europe (CoE) in May 2023 and the CoE Strategy on the Environment adopted in 2025, efforts focus on ensuring a safe, enabling environment for EHRDs and integrating protection standards for defenders and whistleblowers into environmental governance as one of the strategic objectives of the Organisation.

Participants in the event examined ways to foster a safe, enabling environment for defenders and integrate stronger protection standards into environmental governance and presented a new initiative “European Forum on Environmental Human Rights Defenders”. The purpose of the Forum is to enhance the coordination between EHRDs, civil society organizations, Indigenous Peoples, government representatives and national, regional and international institutions and mechanisms, and other relevant stakeholders to address challenges, share experiences, and promote stronger protections for EHRDs. The first meeting of the European Forum will be held in the Council of Europe’s premises in the second quarter of 2026.

See also: 1st European Forum on Environmental Human Rights Defenders (EHRDs) - Reykjavík process and the Environment.

Speakers:

• Mr Rafael Benitez, Director of Social Rights, Health and Environment, Council of Europe

• Ms Marta Saraiva, Former Deputy Permanent Representative of Portugal to the Council of Europe

• Dr. Elisa Morgera, UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change

• Mr. Michel Forst, Special Rapporteur on Environmental Defenders under the Aarhus Convention

• Ms. Ana Paula Souza, Human Rights Officer, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

• Ms. Camilla Pollera, Program Associate, Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL)