Prof. David Boyd: Here Are 5 Things To Know About COP15 and How It Affects B.C.
Prof. David Boyd (SPPGA; IRES) outlines how the COP15 biodiversity summit impacts B.C.
Prof. David Boyd: Barrick Gold Under Fire by UN for Toxic Spills From Veladero Mine in Argentina
Prof. David Boyd (SPPGA; IRES) signed a UN letter expressing concern about toxic spills from the Veladero mine in Argentina.
Prof. David Boyd: UN Says Trillions Needed To Close Financial Gap on Sustainable Development Goals
Prof. David (SPPGA; IRES) reports the two main reasons why states are not reaching UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Prof. David Boyd: UN Says Access to A Healthy Environment Is A Human Right
Prof. David Boyd (SPPGA; IRES) calls for Australia to declare access to a healthy environment a human right.
Prof. David Boyd: Slovenia: More Ambitious Environmental Action Key to Protect Human Rights says UN expert
Prof. David Boyd (SPPGA; IRES) speaks on Slovenia playing a key role to championing the human right to clean, healthy, and sustainable environment.
Prof. David Boyd – Revealed: Huge Gas Flaring Emissions Never Reported
Prof. David Boyd (SPPGA; IRES) discusses how major oil companies fail to disclose significant gas emissions, emphasizing the prioritization of private interests over human health.
Prof. David Boyd: Drought Prompts Portugal to Restrict Water Usage at Hydropower Dams
Prof. David Boyd (SPPGA; IRES) dives into the drought issue affecting Portugal’s water source and the significance of hydropower dams being closed.
Prof. David Boyd: Slovenia: UN Expert to Assess Effects of Environmental Risks on Human Rights
Through a visit to Slovenia, UN Special Rapporteur and Prof. David Boyd (SPPGA; IRES) will assess how environmental risks affect human rights.
Prof. David Boyd: Portugal: Accelerate Rights-Based Climate and Environmental Action
UN Special Rapporteur and Prof. David Boyd (SPPGA; IRES) calls for accelerating rights-based climate action in Portugal.
Prof. David Boyd: How Biodiversity Coverage Shapes Lives and Policies
Prof. David Boyd (SPPGA; IRES) is mentioned in an impact report regarding his book, The Rights of Nature (2017).
Prof. David Boyd: Historic UN Resolution on the Right to a Clean, Healthy, and Sustainable Environment
UN Special Rapporteur and Prof. David Boyd (SPPGA; IRES) hailed the adoption of a historic resolution by the UN General Assembly. The resolution recognizes, for the first time, the human right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment for everyone, everywhere.
Prof. David Boyd Comments on Why the UK Has a ‘moral Duty’ to Improve Air Pollution
The UN’s Special Representative on Human Rights and the Environment Prof. David Boyd (SPPGA; IRES) issues an urgent call for Britain to tighten its policies on air quality
News Compilation: Environmental ‘Sacrifice Zones’ Media Mentions
Professor David Boyd (SPPGA; IRES) discusses the rise of pollution “sacrifice zones” in a recent United Nations report.
Professor David Boyd to Present Report on the Right to a Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment
Professor David Boyd (SPPGA; IRES) contributes two annexes, on global sacrifice zones and good practices respectively, to the report and is set to present it to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on March 10.
Joint Statement by UN human rights experts – Accelerate the end of the coal era to protect human rights
Professor David Boyd (SPPGA; IRES) makes a statement about the necessity to end the coal era in order to protect a range of human rights, including the rights to a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment, to life, to health, and the rights of the child and the rights of Indigenous peoples.
Tax Air Travel and Sea Shipping to Help Climate-Vulnerable Nations, UN Expert Tells COP-26 Leaders
In a message directed to world leaders gathering for COP-26, Professor David Boyd (SPPGA; IRES) states that new taxes on air travel and maritime shipping could raise the billions of dollars needed to help the countries suffering most from climate change.
UN Recognition of Human Right to Healthy Environment Gives Hope for Planet’s Future
A historic milestone was achieved today when the Human Rights Council’s recognized the human right to a healthy environment. This has the potential to improve the life of everyone on the planet, says Prof. David Boyd (SPPGA; IRES), UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and environment.
Indonesian Court Rules President Negligent over Pollution
The Central Jakarta District Court orders President Widodo and six other officials to strengthen air quality standards after finding them guilty of neglecting citizens’ right to clean air. Professor David Boyd (SPPGA & UBC IRES) emphasizes the constitutional and legislative duty of the Indonesian government to protect its people from the dire consequences of air pollution.
Human Rights Could Address the Health and Environmental Costs of Food Production
Professor David Boyd discusses the devastating impacts caused by industrially produced food, and argues that transforming food systems that are inflicting tens of trillions of dollars in health and environmental damages is essential for realizing human rights.
Human Rights Must Be at Heart of UN Plan to save Planet – Expert
Professor David Boyd (SPPGA/IRES), UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment, says it’s not an option to leave human rights on the periphery. This is in regards to the upcoming conference to finalize the UN Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, which will look at threats to biodiversity, human well-being and the future of life on Earth.
Canada Must Recognize Our Right to a Healthy Environment
In an op-ed for the National Observer, Professor David Boyd (SPPGA; IRES) and others discuss Bill C-28, the first federal recognition that all people in Canada have the right to a healthy environment, as well as the bill’s limitations.
Biodiversity Day 2021
Professor David Boyd (SPPGA; IRES; UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment) brings an inspiring message for this year’s Biodiversity Day.
The Right to Breathe: Landmark Legal Case a Fight for South African Children Harmed by Coal’s Deadly Air
“The pollution in Mpumalanga is just one example of the devastating impact of air pollution on children.” Professor David Boyd (SPPGA; IRES; UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment) intervenes in a landmark legal case in South Africa as a friend of the court.
Citizen Lawsuit Seeks Court’s Help in Battle for Clean Air in Jakarta
Jakartans are joining a citizen lawsuit against the government to force officials to address the city’s grave air pollution. Professor David Boyd (SPPGA; IRES; UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment) submits a brief in support, pointing out that air pollution is responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths in Indonesia each year (Subscription).
Plastics Manufacturers Seek to Quash Toxic Designation in Court
Professor David Boyd (SPPGA; IRES; UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment) comments on plastics manufacturers taking the federal government to court after Ottawa designated their products as toxic (Subscription).
‘War Means Blood’: Can a Treaty Stop Latin American Activists Being Killed?
A treaty aiming to protect activists in Latin America could be a “life-saving game changer” according to Professor David Boyd (SPPGA; IRES; UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment).
Japan: UN Experts ‘Deeply Disappointed’ by Decision to Discharge Fukushima Water
Three independent UN human rights experts, including Professor David Boyd (SPPGA; IRES) expressed deep regret over Japan’s decision to discharge potentially radioactive Fukushima nuclear plant water into the ocean, impacting millions across the Pacific.
David Boyd, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment, co-launches Researchathon on Sacrifice Zones and Human Rights
Join this year’s researchathon, hosted by Professor David Boyd (SPPGA; IRES) and Marcos A Orellana, which investigates “sacrifice zones” – places of severe pollution or environmental degradation where profits have been prioritized over people and public interests.
The Human Right That Benefits Nature
As an advocate of the human right to a healthy environment, Professor David Boyd (SPPGA & UBC Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability) says that recognizing the right is “a catalyst for better actions” and calls for its recognition at the UN level.
UN Report: Human Rights and the Global Water Crisis
Professor David Boyd (SPPGA; IRES) recently presented a UN report on the global water crisis, particularly on its disproportionate effects and state/business obligations to ensure safe and sufficient water for all.
The Case for Universal Recognition of the Right to a Safe, Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment
Professor David Boyd (SPPGA; IRES), in his role as the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment, co-authored a report on “The Case for Universal Recognition of the Right to a Safe, Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment.”
COVID-19 May Have Halted Massive Protests, but Youth Are Taking Their Fight for the Future to the Courts
Professor David Boyd (SPPGA & IRES) says that if the Canadian youth win this appeal over climate inaction, it will set a strong precedent for change in environmental law.
‘2 Lost Decades’: How Some Experts View Last 20 Years of Canadian Climate Policy
Professor David Boyd (SPPGA & IRES) says that although the Trudeau government has made stronger commitments to climate action, Canada is still far behind from where it needs to be in reducing emissions.
Understanding and Responding to the Environmental Human Rights Defenders Crisis: The Case for Conservation Action
With close to two thousand environmental human rights defenders have been killed in 57 countries since 2002, Professor Philippe Le Billon (SPPGA; Geography) calls for the conservation community to put the protection of defenders at the heart of its strategy to slow down and reverse the current onslaught on the environment.
Understanding and Responding to the Environmental Human Rights Defenders Crisis
Professor Philippe Le Billon (SPPGA; UBC Geography), David Boyd (SPPGA; IRES) and others investigate the losses and risks faced by Indigenous and local communities who are involved in biodiversity conservation.
December 2020 UN Newsletter
Read Professor David Boyd’s (SPPGA; IRES) recap, as the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment, for December 2020, including reports, legal advocacy updates, press releases and compilations of recent online events.
Media Mentions: David Boyd Presents on Right to Healthy Environment to UN
On October 27, David Boyd presented a report to the United Nations General Assembly. He looks at the link between human rights and a healthy environment, and how the right to a healthy environment can hold governments and businesses accountable.
UN Watchdog Joins SA Air Pollution Case
UN watchdog David Boyd (SPPGA & UBC Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability Professor) joins a South Africa air pollution case to tackle on of “the deadliest environmental problems in the world today”. Read more from New Frame.
“It is Time for Canadians to Embrace the Rights of Nature”
“It is time for Canadians to embrace the rights of nature,” states Professor David Boyd, SPPGA and UBC Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability Associate Professor, in his article with Trek Magazine advocating for increased participation from Canada’s legal system in protecting the environment.
Hundreds March on Douglas Street to Call for Climate Action
Hundreds of climate strikers took to the streets in Victoria on Friday to demand climate action. David Boyd (SPPGA Associate Professor; IRES Associate Professor; U.N. special rapporteur on human rights and the environment) calls this a chance to push politicians to accelerate the shift towards a clean future.
UN Rights Experts Criticise London Climate Protest ‘Ban’ Before Court Hearing
SPPGA Associate Professor and U.N. special rapporteur on human rights and the environment David Boyd comments on U.K.’s police ban on Extinction Rebellion gatherings, citing a violation of human rights.
Environmentalism’s Next Frontier: Giving Nature Legal Rights
“Ships and corporations have legal standing,” declares a Mother Jones article. Should ecosystems be entitled to the same? Professor David Boyd believes they should: “It’s just a matter of determining what’s important to us.”
Kids Suing Governments About Climate: It’s a Global Trend
From Colombia to Pakistan to the Netherlands, kids are taking their right to a clean environment to the courts. Professor David Boyd says no other series of legal actions has spread as quickly across the globe as the struggle for environmental rights.
A Breath of Clean Air Should Be a Human Right
Every minute of every day, a young child dies of illness caused by air pollution. Read more on actions that we can take to protect what UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment David Boyd calls our human right to clean air.
Why Lake Erie Has the Same Rights as a Person in Toledo, Ohio
Most Canadians seem unaware of the Lake Erie’s newfound legal rights on the US side of the border – will Ontario tackle similar legislature? Professor David Boyd comments in Maclean’s on the rights-of-nature measures. Read more:
Why the Southern Resident Killer Whales Should Have the Same Rights as People
The National Post references Professor David Boyd’s pivotal book, “The Rights of Nature: A Legal Revolution That Could Save the World,” as the case is made for legal rights to be applied to southern resident killer whales.
Rights as a Response to Ecological Apocalypse
Human rights-based movements might be the key to a healthy and sustainable environment and prevent further irreparable damage caused by climate change. While accepted by many, this approach has yet to be globally recognized and enforced. SPPGA Professor David Boyd writes a compelling piece on the human right to a safe and healthy environment in […]
Pollution Claims the Lives of One Victim Every Five Seconds
Pollution claims the lives of one victim every five seconds, says David Boyd, SPPGA Professor and UN Special Rapporteur. Dr. Boyd speaks out on the consequences of continued deterioration of the environment.
Report of the Special Rapporteur: Issue of Human Rights Obligations relating to the Enjoyment of a Safe, Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment
SPPGA and IRES Professor David Boyd’s first report to the UN Human Rights Council is now available in English here and in the six official UN languages here. Air pollution is a global health crisis, causing an estimated seven million premature deaths every year, including more than 600,000 children. This is a clear violation of […]
Weak Environmental Laws in Climate Change Crisis
The efforts towards combating climate change are being undermined by weak enforcement of legislation by governments, says a newly released UN Environment report. SPPGA Professor David Boyd weighs in on these environmental threats.
UN Rights Expert Praises Fiji on Climate Change and Human Rights Leadership
Fiji has adopted many climate change mitigation measures like the Environment and Climate Adaptation Levy, investments in renewable energy, and an electrification program for rural and indigenous areas. UN Special Rapporteur and SPPGA Professor David Boyd praised the nation’s accomplishments and calls on wealthier nations to follow suit. This story was also featured in The Fiji Times.
State Takes Issue with Document Calling on Ireland to Rapidly Reduce Emissions
SPPGA Professor David Boyd disputes Ireland’s climate plan, thought to be insufficient to reduce emissions. In a legal case challenging the State’s climate plan, some argue that his statement shouldn’t be admissible evidence. Get the scoop at GreenNews.ie.
Professor David Boyd Examines the Future of Plastic Pollution
Professor David Boyd (SPPGA; IRES) wrote an op-ed in The Ottawa Citizen examining the growing problem of plastic waste globally and explores solutions through policy, leadership, and cooperation.