United Nations Guidance Note on Environmental Human Rights Defenders

United Nations 3 years ago

This guidance note is prepared as part of the Secretary- General’s Call to Action for Human Rights in order to increase support from the United Nations on the ground to Environmental Human Rights Defenders (EHRDs). It outlines concrete actions which UN Country Teams (UNCTs) may take, including under the lead of the Resident Coordinators as appropriate, in order to better protect EHRDs, in their work to support governments on the ground.  This includes – but is not limited to: empowering EHRDs to participate in decision-making, contributing to the protection of EHRDs through the work of the UN, promoting a safe and enabling civic space, strengthening access to justice for EHRDs and engaging with businesses to enhance the protection of EHRDs. The aim of the guidance note is to support UNCTs worldwide who have identified environmental concerns as a priority issue to undertake the following three actions, as part of their broader work on environment, while also encouraging all UNCTs to go further by consulting and using this guide: Engage regularly with civil society groups to understand trends and emerging threats to EHRDs and build safe spaces for EHRDs’ engagement with the UN. Consistently engage with government authorities to raise awareness of the important role that EHRDs play in promoting sustainable development, protecting the environment and preserving biodiversity, and the need to protect them. Publicly recognize and promote, on a regular basis, the positive contribution of EHRDs to sustainable development, environmental protection, peace and stability, and the enjoyment of human rights, including
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layersDaily Sustainability Digest

Published about 9 hours ago



A new global study shows permafrost thaw accelerating, with active layers thickening by more than 36 cm a year in some mountain regions, undermining long-held ground stability assumptions. Resilience must be engineered into sustainable building design through rethought foundations, drainage and monitoring, underpinned by lifecycle assessment, whole life carbon assessment and life cycle cost analysis that capture maintenance, settlement risk and programme resilience. Clients should stress-test building lifecycle performance and insurance models as part of environmental sustainability in construction.

In cities, reuse is now the clearest route to carbon footprint reduction. London’s most competitive offices are increasingly deep retrofits—exemplified by 75 London Wall—where the circular economy in construction shifts value from demolition to retention, materially cutting embodied carbon and the carbon footprint of construction. Project teams are standardising sustainable material specification, using environmental product declarations (epds), low embodied carbon materials, renewable building materials and green building materials, and planning end-of-life reuse in construction within circular construction strategies. The approach aligns with whole life carbon targets, net zero whole life carbon trajectories and accelerates sustainable urban development.

Policy is moving in step. A promised clampdown on rogue builders is set to steer domestic refurbishment towards accredited firms and verifiable performance, lifting standards for net zero carbon buildings and carbon neutral construction. New playbooks on material retention, reuse and specification complement breeam and breeam v7 pathways, embedding life cycle thinking in construction and clearer routes to low carbon design without exotic supply chains.

Modular construction is gaining institutional traction in the Benelux, signalling industrialised, lower‑waste delivery across Europe. Factory precision improves resource efficiency in construction, programme certainty and quality control, while enabling low-impact construction, low carbon building typologies and energy-efficient buildings through low carbon construction materials, eco‑friendly construction methods and green construction. Benefits extend to life cycle cost certainty and a reduced environmental impact of construction.

Market signals are unambiguous. Climate physics is shrinking the margin for design error and clients are rewarding evidence. Leaders will prioritise reuse, circular economy outcomes and eco-design for buildings, demonstrate decarbonising the built environment through transparent whole life carbon reporting, and industrialise quality at speed. Retrofit is the baseline for sustainable construction, sustainable design and sustainable building practices on the path to net zero carbon.

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