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We are facing a triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity and ecosystem loss, and pollution. This triple planetary crisis impacts the full enjoyment of human rights (including social, economic and cultural rights as well as civil and political rights) both directly and indirectly. These interlinked crises act as threat multipliers, amplifying conflicts, tensions and structural inequalities, and forcing people into increasingly vulnerable situations. Environmental threats, as they intensify, will constitute one of the greatest challenges to human rights in our era and are already contributing to people being left behind in the quest to achieve sustainable peace and development, increasing environmental injustices. The COVID-19 pandemic has further aggravated this scenario and has exposed deep inequalities in the distribution of wealth and resources, in the delivery of basic services, in the equitable access to justice and security for all, and in the promotion and protection of human rights.

Prepared with insight and expertise from the UNEP Law Division, this technical paper and guidance note form the basis for a new United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) strategy for engaging in environmental justice as an integrated and collaborative effort that brings together the rule of law, human rights, governance and nature, climate and energy workstreams (and others as relevant). For the purposes of this publication, environmental justice is conceptualized as the goal of promoting justice and accountability in environmental matters, focusing on the respect, protection and fulfilment of environmental rights, and the promotion of the environmental rule of law.

The paper presents a comprehensive technical framework for this strategy and summarizes insights and key findings from an extensive research process. This paper also summarizes findings on priority areas for programming and policy support to inform an integrated and future-oriented approach to environmental justice.

UN-Habitat is pleased to have collaborated with the Commonwealth Secretariat, the United Nations Environment Programme, and the UNFCCC Secretariat in developing the Urban Law Module of the Law and Climate Change Toolkit – an innovative online tool designed to help countries establish legal frameworks necessary for effective domestic implementation of the Paris Agreement – to which this publication is a guide on It is hoped that this publication, together with the online version of the Toolkit, will be instrumental in fulfilling the potential of urban areas to lead the way and be truly transformative spaces for climate action.

'Climate Change in the courtroom: Trends, impacts, and emerging lessons' is the fourth edition of a series first launched in 2017. Drawing on data from the Sabin Center’s Climate Change Litigation Databases, the report highlights emerging trends and key issues shaping the field of climate litigation. 

As of 30 June 2025, a cumulative 3,099 climate-related cases have been filed in 55 national jurisdictions and 24 international or regional courts, tribunals, or quasi-judicial bodies including landmark opinions by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR), among others. 

This report serves as an essential resource for judges, lawyers, advocates, policymakers, researchers, environmental defenders, climate activists, human rights advocates, NGOs, businesses, and the international community, offering insights into how courts are becoming avenues for addressing the multifaceted legal dimensions of climate change. 

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This guide is intended to help customs and border control officers in ensuring implementation of national legislation, transposing the agreements under the Green Customs Initiative (GCI), and thus promoting national compliance with those agreements. Chapter 1 explains what MEAs are and introduces the entities that are partners to the GCI. Chapter 2 provides an overview of the main international MEAs with trade related provisions, with details on how they regulate trade, the roles and responsibilities of customs and other border authorities, the specialized terminology associated with MEAs, and where to find additional information and guidance in this regard. Chapter 3 explores the practical aspects of implementing MEAs’ monitoring requirements, including: the identification and checking of suspicious items; seizure and disposal; health and safety; other legal issues; and cooperation with other authorities. This chapter also includes references to additional training and reference materials and other useful information.

The study is intended to support Parties in achieving the integrated implementation of the Cartagena Protocol. Its target audience includes national stakeholders involved in the development and implementation of biosafety-related legislation, as well as those engaged in broader cross-sectoral and sectoral policy-making processes that intersect with biosafety concerns.
Through a detailed analysis of international and national legal instruments, policies, and practical examples, the study offers a comprehensive overview of biosafety obligations. It further explores practical approaches for integrating biosafety measures into national cross-sectoral and sectoral legislation, policies, and institutional frameworks of Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, the Nagoya–Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress, and the Convention on Biological Diversity(CBD).

This publication was prepared by the CBD Secretariat in collaboration with FAO and the UNEP Montevideo Programme V, as part of the CBD Biosafety Technical Series.

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The environment plays a critical role in the development, transmission, and spread of antimicrobial resistance, making it a key component in efforts to tackle AMR. The One Health Legislative Assessment Tool for AMR (OHLAT) is aimed to assist countries in the identification and analysis of their AMR-relevant legislation across all sectors relevant to AMR. Based on existing international standards and agreed good practices, the OHLAT is not an evaluation tool but an opportunity for countries to do a thorough review of their legislation and identify areas for further analysis.  

The development of the OHLAT has been led by the legal and AMR teams of the Quadripartite: FAO, UNEP, WHO, and WOAH, and has received the financial support of the AMR Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF).  

The OHLAT is divided into seven chapters. The first chapter considers those multi-sectoral aspects that merit the development of cross-cutting and specific legislation for AMR (such as governance frameworks or integrated surveillance), while the other chapters detail the elements to be regulated by sectoral legislation to avoid legal fragmentation and duplication. Each chapter includes an explanation of the international reference standards and guidance relevant to the chapter and questions for the assessment.

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