Group 5.4: Human rights and environment

„The right to a healthy environment is a fundamental part of the right to life and to personal integrity.“ Greenhouse effect, melting of polar ice caps, emission of CO2, climate change: Terms like these are much used in the current discourse on environment in the media. The environmental awareness of politics, economy and society seems to be higher than ever. Campaigns and initiatives concerning climate protection are constantly emerging. But to what extent have environment and environmental awareness found their way into the Declaration of Human Rights? Should they become a more central part of the Declaration? Should a basic right to a clean and intact environment be defined in the Declaration? Besides this question, the participants shall deal with the problem how to practice environmental protection and initiate measures against climate change. What has to be done to save our environment? Which campaigns already exist? Have there been any results, yet? How can we act locally and achieve a global effect? Another topic to discuss may be the problem of waste: Where is it produced? Where to dispose of it? What do innovative forms of recycling look like? What effect does it have on our society? The participants shall discuss these and similar questions and develop possible solutions.


The finishing lecture will be held by Tilman Santarius