Environmental Rights Specialist | UNEP Young Talent Pipeline

Mission and objectives

Since its inception in 1972, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has been the global authority that sets the environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. 

UNEP’s mission is to provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.

Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, UNEP works through its divisions as well as regional, liaison and out-posted offices and a growing network of collaborating centres of excellence.

Context

UNEP's mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action. Advancing the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment (the right to a healthy environment) is an explicit priority in UNEP’s Medium-Term Strategy for 2022–2025. Following the adoption of United Nations General Assembly resolution 76/300 in July 2022, which recognized the right to a healthy environment at the universal level, UNEP’s role in advancing the right to a healthy environment has become more important than ever.

The implementation of General Assembly resolution 76/300 is expected to have several benefits. It is expected to serve as a catalyst for constitutional amendments, as well as strengthening environmental legislation, regulations, standards, and policies; educate policymakers, civil servants, judiciaries, national human rights institutions (NHRIs), and the private sector; and inform and empower civil society, environmental human rights defenders, indigenous peoples and other rightsholders, including the general public. It will promote a rights-based approach, facilitate accelerated environmental actions and help States meet their obligations under multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs). It will also assist States and stakehold-ers to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - particularly SDGs 1, 5, 12, 13, 15, 16, and 17 - and environmental protection in several ways. Predominantly, this will be done by providing the tools to implement rights-based approaches to all actions including environmental, social, and economic. It will also help to inform a consistent approach to the UN system’s activities that involve addressing environmental impacts and human rights.

The newest global human rights – the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. Time for implementation. Be the one of the first change makers in the implementation of the right.

The right to a healthy environment is the newest human right that’s been recognized as a universal human right by UN General Assembly resolution 76/300.

Following the adoption of the General Assembly resolution, Inger Andersen, UNEP Executive Director, said “But now we must build on this victory and implement the right because the triple planetary crisis is a huge threat to present and future generations. If nations implement this right fully, it will change so much – by empowering action on the triple planetary crisis, providing a more predictable and consistent global regulatory environment for businesses, and protecting those who defend nature. UNEP is committed to assisting Member States and all stakeholders as they implement this vital right.”

The Law Division of UNEP is committed in the protection, promotion, and realization of the right to a healthy environment for all with a special attention for those that are in vulnerable situation including children, youth, women and indigenous peoples.

The Law Division of UNEP is looking for Environmental Rights International UN Volunteer Specialist to join us in the implementation of the right at the international, regional, and national levels.

Task description

Under the direct supervision of the responsible Legal Officer in the Frontiers in Environmental Law Unit of the Environmental Rule of Law Branch in the Law Division the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

• Support the implementation of Secretary-General’s Call to Action for Human Rights in particular Area 5 on Climate Justice • Implement OHCHR-UNEP joint activities on environmental rights;
• Support UNEP’s work on environmental human rights defenders;
• Collaborate with partners in advancing the right to a healthy environment;
• Engage with UN human rights mechanisms including treaty bodies, Special Procedures;
• Support integration of the right to a healthy environment in multilateral environmental agreements;
• Assist Member States to address priorities in the nexus of human rights, gender equality, and the environment;
• Conduct legal research on a diverse range of assigned issues related to the right to a healthy environment;
• Support capacity building of UNEP staff in human rights, gender equality, and the environment;
• Support the production of websites, publications, posters, and public information activities; and, 
• Support various meetings on human rights and environment including through preparing relevant documents.

Results/Expected Outputs

• Background materials and summaries of environmental law meetings according to standards required by the Law Division and consistent with UN style format and protocol. 
• High-quality well-reasoned and clearly written recommendations, opinions, and identification of issues on environmental law and human rights issues.
• Clarity on the main intergovernmental and inter-agency processes relevant to international environmental and human rights law, global environmental sustainability, and sustainable development agendas.
• High-quality legal research on international environmental and human rights law including analysis and presentation of key information to facilitate decision-making.
• Develop and implement capacity-building programmes in environmental and human rights law.
• Diplomatic interaction with confidence and effectiveness with Member States.