New English edition! AIDA's Guide to Environmental Defense before the Inter-American System of Human Rights

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The Americas was the first region in the world to recognize the human right to a healthy environment through both an international treaty and domestically in a number of national constitutions.  Such recognition is cause for much hope, given the obvious relationship between the environment and the protection of human rights.  Furthermore, the fact that this right has been enshrined in several legal texts signifies that millions of people may see an improvement in their local environment and, by extension, their quality of life.  Nevertheless, almost two decades later, the situation in the region is far from ideal, and unfortunately, negative examples abound.  Bridging this gap between the recognition of the right to a healthy environment and its effective enjoyment is vital for the region.  

In response to this situation, the Interamerican Association for Environmental Defense (AIDA) has decided to publish this guide.  It aims to promote an understanding of the Inter-American System of Human Rights by examining the legal and strategic considerations for litigating cases of human rights violations resulting from environmental degradation.  It is our hope that communities, organizations, attorneys, and government officials from a variety of perspectives will use this publication as a reference tool and guide for implementing strategies to protect the environment and human rights.  To that end, we also hope that this guide will promote dialogue and discussions that can help strengthen efforts to achieve the effective and universal protection of human rights.

Publication File: 

AIDA's Guide to Environmental Defense