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- Ελληνικά
In the context of the second part of the 2024 Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), the members of the Cypriot delegation, Mr. Christiana Erotokritou participated in a debate in Plenary on the human right to a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment and the Council of Europe's strategies for healthy seas and oceans to address the climate crisis.
In his intervention, Mr. Loucaides, referring to the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights that recently and for the first time, condemned Switzerland for its failure to mitigate the effects of climate change, indicated that the right of societies to a safe environment inherently derives from the already established fundamental human rights to access to clean water, food, sanitation and health services. He noted, however, that this right should not be the exclusive prerogative of the peoples of Europe and the West. It is urgent that this right be enshrined, he said, at a time when minorities and vulnerable groups are being displaced and ecosystems are being destroyed, and with them, the priceless intangible cultural heritage. Third countries, refugees, migrants and minorities, he further noted, are therefore disproportionately bearing the impact of a climate crisis to which they have had little input, he stressed.
Referring to Israel's aerial bombardment and ground invasion of Gaza, Mr.Loucaides noted that as a result of these actions, it has caused not only genocide but also ecocide. The devastating environmental consequences of this war can no longer be ignored, he said. He stressed that malnourished children without access to sanitation or health services are an integral part of the crimes committed by Israel, as is the destruction of all Palestinian land and the human and non-human ecosystems therein.
She urged national parliaments to adopt strong legislative and other binding measures in order to guarantee in practice the right to a healthy environment, stressing that environmental justice is inextricably linked to social justice. In particular, she pointed out, alignment with all relevant international conventions and multilateral agreements relating to environmental protection and regulating the impact of human intervention in the natural environment, including the oceans and seas, has become imperative.
Ms Erotokritou said that pollution, warming, rising water levels and acidification, as well as overfishing and loss of biodiversity are common challenges that require an urgent collective response at European and international level. He further noted that as long as the most polluting countries do not ratify important international treaties such as the Paris Agreement or the Kyoto Protocol, the destruction of the environment will continue. Consequently, he stressed, it will become much more difficult to address the adverse effects of the environmental crisis on human health and the economy, while vulnerable groups will continue to be disproportionately exposed to the associated risks. The MEP made particular reference to the high levels of pollution in the Mediterranean Sea and the huge concentration of plastic waste affecting aquatic biodiversity in a region stretching from southern Europe to northern Africa and the Middle East. In conclusion, he stressed the need to address climate change and environmental degradation immediately and effectively to ensure a healthy and sustainable environment for future generations.
(Text as sent by the House of Representatives)
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