Human Rights and the environment are intertwined. A clean, healthy and sustainable environment is integral to the full enjoyment of human rights by present and future generations.

 

Council of Europe and the environment - Let's defend our future together.

 

The 4th Summit of Heads of State and Government, recognised “the urgency of additional efforts to protect the environment, as well as to counter the impact of the triple planetary crisis of pollution, climate change and loss of biodiversity on human rights, democracy and the rule of law”. It committed to initiate the Reykjavík process of strengthening work in the field of the environment with the aim of making it a visible priority, promoting cooperation among member States, streamlining activities and coordinating efforts as laid down in Appendix V of the Reykjavík Declaration on “The Council of Europe and the environment”.

Three decisions followed this mandate:

  • the creation of a “Directorate of Social Rights, Health and Environment” and its new “Department on the Reykjavík Process and Environment” within the Directorate General Human Rights and Rule of Law (DGI).
  • the setting up of an Inter-Secretariat Task Force on the Environment.
  • the resumption of inter-governmental work on environmental matters with the creation of the Multidisciplinary Group on Environment (GME) (2024-2025) followed by that of the Steering Committee on the Environment (CDENV). 

Two major milestones in 2025 are:

 

 Timeline

May 2023

May 2023

Reykjavík summit


The 4th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe took place in Reykjavík, on 16 and 17 May 2023. The leaders decided to establish a Register of damage caused by the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine and agreed to strengthen the Council of Europe and its work in the field of human rights, democracy and the rule of law by adopting a declaration on the situation of the children of Ukraine, democracy principles, recommitting to the European Convention on Human Rights and developing tools to tackle emerging challenges in the area of technology and the environment.

The Reykjavík Declaration included a whole Appendix (V) on "The Council of Europe and the environment", and underlined “the urgency of taking co-ordinated action to protect the environment, by countering the impact of the triple planetary crisis of pollution, climate change and loss of biodiversity” on human rights, democracy and the rule of law, while committing the Council of Europe to strengthening its work “on the human rights aspects of the environment” and initiate “the Reykjavík process of strengthening the work of the Council of Europe in this field”. On this occasion, Heads of State and Government, also affirmed that “a clean, healthy and sustainable environment is integral to the full enjoyment of human rights by present and future generations.”

Jan. 2024

January 2024

Secretariat reorganised

The Secretariat was reorganised in order to enhance and better co-ordinate the existing Council of Europe activities related to the environment, with the creation of a new Directorate of Social Rights, Health and Environment including a Department on “the Reykjavík process and the environment” in DGI. 

Creation of the Inter-Secretariat Taskforce

Further to the Reykjavík Summit Declaration and its Appendix V, the Inter-Secretariat Taskforce was created by the Secretary General in January 2024 to help focus, streamline and coordinate the Organisation’s activities, making the environment a visible priority, with a view to promoting co-operation among member States.

Feb. 2024

February 2024

Exchange of views with the CM Rapporteur Group on Human Rights

The Director of Social Rights, Health and Environment, Rafael Benitez, had an exchange of views with the CM Rapporteur Group on Human Rights (GR-H) on 20 February 2024. The exchange concerned the implementation of the Reykjavík process and the environment.

May 2024

May 2024

133rd Session of the Committee of Ministers, 16-17 May 2024

On 17 May 2024, the Committee of Ministers welcomed the annual report of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe “Our Rights, Our Future” (SG(2024)1). It endorsed the report “Reykjavík – one year on”, as it appears in document CM(2024)75, and, with a view to the continued implementation of the Reykjavík Declaration, adopted the following decisions related to the Council of Europe and the environment: […]

“United in our vision for the Council of Europe – The Europe we want

The Council of Europe and the environment

28.       welcomed the strengthening of work related to human rights and the environment across the Council of Europe and encouraged in particular the completion as soon as possible of a study on the need for and feasibility of a further instrument or instruments in the field of human rights and the environment and of the draft Council of Europe Convention on Protection of the Environment through Criminal Law;

29.       with a view to implementing the Reykjavík process, invited its Deputies to set up an ad hoc intergovernmental multidisciplinary group to prepare a Council of Europe Strategy on the Environment and a related action plan;

30.     strongly encouraged member States to implement its Recommendation CM/Rec(2022)20 on human rights and the protection of the environment and invited its Deputies to continue working on the implementation of Appendix V to the Reykjavík Declaration; [...]"

From CM/Del/Dec(2024)133/2b – 133rd Session of the Committee of Ministers (Strasbourg, 17 May 2024) - 2. United around our values – b. Implementation of the Reykjavík Declaration

Jul. 2024

July 2024

Adoption of the terms of reference of the GME, 9 July 2024

Under the authority of the Committee of Ministers, the GME was instructed to prepare a draft Council of Europe Strategy on the Environment and a related Action Plan for its implementation in accordance with the Reykjavík Declaration, focusing on areas where the Council of Europe has a comparative advantage and/or unique legal instruments and expertise, ensuring an inclusive consultation process, and leveraging synergies with partners and stakeholders with a view to providing added value (please see doc GME(2024)1).

Side Event at the 2024 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development: Charting the way forward: Combating the impact of climate change on human rights, 11 July 2024, New-York

Organised by the Council of Europe and Lithuania, this side event discussed crucial questions with high-level panellists from the Council of Europe, the current and former UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Right to a Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment, the Vice-President of the Lithuanian Consumers Alliance, MPs, representatives of local and regional authorities, INGOs and young people:
• How to form constructive and resilient partnerships to effectively counter the impact of the triple planetary crisis on human rights and democracy?
• What priority areas for action to accelerate the legal anchoring and the effective implementation of the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment?
• In the face of accelerating climate change, how can we guarantee the human rights of current and future generations? (Please see more information here)

Sep. 2024

September 2024

First Meeting of the new Council of Europe Environment Governmental Committee

The Ad hoc Multidisciplinary Group on Environment (GME) held its first meeting from 25 to 27 September 2024 in Strasbourg. The GME brought together representatives from its Member States, various bodies and sectors of the Organisation, as well as civil society, to ensure that the outcomes have a real and innovative impact. At its first meeting, the GME elected its Bureau. It also identified challenges of the triple planetary crisis: pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss, for human rights, democracy and the rule of law in member States, and discussed elements for the Strategy and laid the groundwork for future sessions.

Dec. 2024

December 2024

Second Meeting of the Council of Europe Governmental Committee on Environment (GME)

The Multidisciplinary Group on Environment (GME) held its second meeting in Strasbourg, from 9 to 11 December 2024. The Committee adopted a compendium on Council of Europe’s activities on the environment and a report on the challenges faced by member states in this area. The Committee considered a draft Strategy of the Council of Europe on Environment and in this respect, conducted hearings with representatives of international organisations, civil society, youth and children which will allow for an inclusive approach to the Strategy.

Deliverable 1 - Compendium on existing activities, planned activities, and proposals for new activities on the environment (31 December 2024)

Feb. 2025

February 2025

Third Meeting of the Council of Europe Governmental Committee on Environment (GME)

Governments, intergovernmental organisations and civil society representatives gathered in Strasbourg for the third meeting of the Multidisciplinary Group on the Environment (GME) from 11 to 13 February 2025. The GME pursued examination of the draft Council of Europe Strategy on the Environment and discussed relevant developments in the Council of Europe and beyond.

The Strategy is expected to be adopted at the 134th session of the Committee of Ministers in Luxembourg in May. It will establish priorities for the Council of Europe to better guide and support action by its member States to ensure a future in which human beings fully enjoy their human rights and live in a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.

Mar. 2025

March 2025

Fourth Meeting of the Council of Europe Governmental Committee on Environment (GME) (10-12 March 2025)

At its meeting of 10 to 12 March 2025, the intergovernmental committee on the environment (GME) finalised and adopted the text of a draft Council of Europe Strategy on the Environment. The Committee also discussed an Action Plan designed to coordinate the Council of Europe’s efforts around the Strategy’s implementation. The Strategy is expected to be adopted by the Committee of Ministers at its ministerial session in Luxembourg (14 May 2025).

Deliverable 2 - Draft Council of Europe Strategy on the Environment and a related Action Plan (31 March 2025)

May 2025

May 2025

134th annual Session of the Committee of Ministers (Luxembourg)

The Council of Europe adopted its Strategy on the Environment (2025–2030) reflecting its commitment to a forward-looking, holistic vision that aligns human rights, democracy, and the rule of law with environmental protection. An Action Plan lists the first activities undertaken to ensure its effective implementation.

The Strategy is part of the broader environment package considered during the Committee of Ministers session on 14th May, which also includes the new Convention on the Protection of the Environment through Criminal Law, also adopted during the 134th session.

Nov. 2025

November 2025

Adoption of the terms of reference of the Steering Committee on the Environment (CDENV) by the Committee of Ministers, 8 November 2025

Under the authority of the Committee of Ministers, and bearing in mind the Council of Europe’s legal standards, the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights, relevant decisions and resolutions of the Committee of Ministers adopted under Article 46(2) of the ECHR, and the findings and recommendations of the relevant monitoring bodies, the CDENV co-ordinates the intergovernmental work in the field of the environment and advises the Committee of Ministers on appropriate action to be taken in its field of competence, ensuring a multidisciplinary and cross-sectoral approach, promoting democratic governance and inclusive participation, and leveraging synergies with partners and stakeholders (CDENV(2026)1).

Dec. 2025

December 2025

Deliverable 3 - Progress report on the implementation of the Council Europe Strategy on the Environment (31 December 2025)

Fifth Meeting of the Council of Europe Governmental Committee on Environment (GME) (2-4 December 2025)

Opening for signature of the Convention on the protection of the Environment through Criminal Law

Mar. 2026

March 2026

First Meeting of the Council of Europe Steering Committee on the Environment (CDENV) (24-25 March 2026)

Jun. 2026

June 2026

1st European Forum on Environmental Human Rights Defenders (EHRDs) – Strasbourg (3–4 June 2026)