Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the issue of human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment

The submission argues that indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) are the most effective guardians of biodiversity, yet they face systemic threats including non-recognition of land rights, 'fortress conservation' models, and violence against land defenders. It provides global case studies of successful community-led conservation and calls for a shift toward rights-based conservation, secure tenure, and the protection of environmental defenders.

• Indigenous-managed lands often exhibit higher biodiversity than other areas. Research in Australia, Brazil, and Canada indicates that native vertebrate species richness is higher in these areas than in all others, including formal protected areas.
• Secure land rights are directly linked to better environmental outcomes. Deforestation rates are lower in areas with secure land rights compared to government-managed areas, and biodiversity declines less rapidly on indigenous peoples' lands overall.
• The 'fortress conservation' model, which emphasizes the exclusion of people from nature, frequently leads to human rights abuses. This approach has resulted in the dispossession of IPLCs from ancestral territories and involves 'eco-guards' who have been complicit in abuses.
• Environmental and land defenders face increasing risks of violence, criminalization, and murder. In 2019, 40% of human rights defenders reported as threatened or killed were defending land and natural resources against profit-driven exploitation and corruption.
• Indigenous women face distinct and additional threats when acting as environmental defenders, including sexual violence and the harassment of their children by state forces or armed groups.
• Government economic incentives often contradict biodiversity goals. Examples include the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED 2009) driving palm oil imports via biofuels, and Brazil subsidizing deforestation-linked industries by approximately US $14 billion annually.
• Traditional agro-ecological practices, such as rotational farming (also known as Jhum cultivation), support biodiversity and food security. In Asia, these systems are often misunderstood by policymakers, leading to the conversion of forests into oil palm plantations.
• Legal empowerment tools, such as community paralegals, community protocols, and community audits ('ground truthings'), are essential for balancing power asymmetries and ensuring compliance with environmental regulations.

APA

Boyd, D. (n.d.). Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the issue of human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment. Natural Justice. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Special-Rapporteur-Environment_Call-for-Inputs-FINAL-1.pdf

Chicago

Boyd, David. Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the issue of human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment. Natural Justice, n.d. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Special-Rapporteur-Environment_Call-for-Inputs-FINAL-1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Boyd |first1=David |title=Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the issue of human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment |publisher=Natural Justice |url=https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Special-Rapporteur-Environment_Call-for-Inputs-FINAL-1.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{boydndmandate, author = {Boyd, David}, title = {{Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the issue of human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment}}, institution = {Natural Justice}, url = {https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Special-Rapporteur-Environment_Call-for-Inputs-FINAL-1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }