Below you can read and/or download the introductory research paper of the project.
Author: Dipke
Research papers
Below you can read and/or download the introductory research papers of the project.
2. Elsa Tsiumani, “Environmental rights: An introduction to global law and policy”.
- Asterios Tsiumanis, “An introduction to the evolution of human rights. Celebrating the inclusion of environmental rights”
Video 5 | Environmental Defenders
Program:
Friday 6 October 2023
1st session – Human rights and the environment. From theory to practice.
Presenting project’s main points and introducing key concepts of environmental defenders.
Dr. Asterios Tsiumanis (ΤIESS)
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2nd session – Skouries (Giorgos Kalyvas)
Facilitator: Dr. Elsa Tsiumani
Screening documentary “Golden Forest” on Giorgos Kalyvas (22’)
Director: Stratis Viyatzis (The caravan project)
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Dr. Giorgos Velegrakis (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens)
Social, economic and environmental dimensions and impacts of mining in NE Halkidiki
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Alexandra Karina, Nestor Nestoros (Megali Panagia Struggle Committee)
Struggle for land and freedom. Who are we?
–
Stavroula Poulimeni (Alterthess)
SLAPP, environmental movements and the case of Alterthess.
20.00-21.00
Discussion
–
Saturday 7 October (09.30-14.00)
3rd session – Volos (Vassilios Maggos)
Facilitator: Dr. Asterios Tsiumanis
Dr. Markos Vaxevanopoulos (Geologist)
The case of garbage burning in Volos.
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Coordination of Volos Associations Against Garbage Burning
The movement against garbage burning.
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Yiannis Maggos
Repression and police violence. The case of Vassilis Maggos
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4th session – Agrafa | Western Macedonia
Facilitator: Dr. Maria Alebaki
Sophia Zygogianni (Athens Initiative for the protection of Agrafa, Struggle Committee of the People of Agrafa)
The struggle for the protection of Agrafa (2018-2023)
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Dr. Nikos Giannakis (biologist)
Environmental movements in Western Macedonia
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5th session – The right to the environment
Dr. Nikos Giannakis, Dr. Maria Alebaki, Dr. Asterios Tsiumanis
Round table – closing remarks and the project’s final results and conclusions.
Policy paper 4 | Open seminar | Human rights and climate change
Newsletter and social media | Open seminar | Human rights and climate change
Video 4 | Open seminar | Human rights and climate change
Meeting | Human Rights and the Environment: Challenges in practice | Environmental Defenders (Skouries, Volos, Agrafa)
Conference will take place 6-7 October 2023, in Thessaloniki, Greece.
It will foucs on enviromental defenders in Skouries, Volos and Agrafa.
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Program:
Friday 6 October 2023 (17.00-21.00)
17.00-17.30
Registration
1st session – Human rights and the environment. From theory to practice.
17.30-18.00
Presenting project’s main points and introducing key concepts of environmental defenders.
Asterios Tsiumanis (ΤIESS)
2nd session – Skouries (Giorgos Kalyvas)
Facilitator: Vassia Thomaidou
18.00-18.30
Screening documentary “Golden Forest” on Giorgos Kalyvas (22’)
Director: Stratis Viyatzis (The caravan project)
18.30-19.00
Giorgos Velegrakis (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens)
Social, economic and environmental dimensions and impacts of mining in NE Halkidiki
19.00-19.30
Alexandra Karina (Megali Panagia Struggle Committee)
Struggle for land and freedom. Who are we?
19.30-20.00
Stavroula Poulimeni (Alterthess)
SLAPP, environmental movements and the case of Alterthess.
20.00-21.00
Discussion
Saturday 7 October (09.30-14.00)
09.30-10.00
Registration
3rd session – Volos (Vassilios Maggos)
Facilitator: Maria Alembaki
10.00-10.20
Markos Vaxevanopoulos (Universtiy of Thessaly)
The case of garbage burning in Volos.
10.20-10.40
(Coordination of Volos Associations Against Garbage Burning)
The movement against garbage burning.
10.40-11.00
Yiannis Maggos
Repression and police violence. The case of Vassilis Maggos
11.00-11.30
Discussion
11.30-12.00
Break
4th session – Agrafa | Western Macedonia
Facilitator: Elsa Tsiumani
12.00-12.30
Sophia Zygogianni (Athens Initiative for the protection of Agrafa, Struggle Committee of the People of Agrafa)
The struggle for the protection of Agrafa (2018-2023)
12.30-13.00
Nikos Giannakis (biologist)
Environmental movements in Western Macedonia
13.00-13.30
Discussion
5th session – The right to the environment
13.30 – 14.00
Round table – closing remarks and the project’s final results and conclusions.
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Meeting
The meeting will be held in a hybrid format in-person (TIESS’ seminar hall) and online (via Zoom).
Online participation requires no prior registration. The meeting will be held in Greek. A policy paper including key messages as well as all project’s deliverables will be published both in English and Greek in the project’s website.
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Project
The Transdisciplinary Institute for Environmental and Social Studies (TIESS), in collaboration with a group of academic researchers, was successful to its application for a Jean Monnet grant to analyze and study environmental rights under the title “Human rights and the environment in the EU: Towards an inclusive debate”. The three-year project addresses various aspects of the concept of environmental rights, and aims to add to the ongoing discussion, following the recognition of the “right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment as a human right that is important for the enjoyment of human rights” (UN Human Rights Council Resolution 48/13).
The project is divided in five thematic areas, which will be addressed in separate seminars. Following the previous four seminars, this fifth meeting will try to link human rights and climate change in order to offer additional focus on the interrelationship between environmental degradation and the fulfillment of human rights.
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Environmental defenders (backround)
This section will address specific challenges at the intersection of human rights and environmental protection. These include topics attracting increasing attention, such as environmental rights defenders, as well as cases of potential implementation of human rights approaches to local development decisions.
A “human rights defender” is a term used to describe people who, individually or with others, act to promote or protect human rights. An “environmental rights defender” or “environmental defender” is a person who is defending environmental rights, when the exercise of those rights is being threatened. A growing body of literature indicates that violations of environmental rights, although significantly differing by region, have been increasing worldwide due to greater competition for given natural resources, inadequacy or limited implementation of environmental laws, and corruption. Recent work examines, among others, challenges faced by environmental defenders, especially women, violations by non-state actors, and the impact of relevant legislation. A report from 2016 on global killings of land and environmental defenders estimates that “nearly four people are murdered every week protecting their land and the natural world from industries like mining, logging and agribusiness”.
Case studies that attract national interest will also be included in the study. Implementation of human rights approaches to a healthy environment will be analyzed vis-à-vis the management decisions associated with the case of mining activities in Skouries, Halkidiki, Greece. Following years of tension, including judicial persecutions, the proposal’s ambition is to frame the ongoing discussion on a human rights framework, informing future relevant decision making.
Visit our website: https://environmentalrights.eu/
Contact: environmentalrights2021@gmail.com
For more information on TIESS see our activities and seminars.
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
Subscribe to our Youtube channel
Newsletter – sent to the media and several mailing lists
Social media – announcements and posts (Facebook, Twitter)
Challenges in practice
This section will address specific challenges at the intersection of human rights and environmental protection. These include topics attracting increasing attention, such as environmental refugees and environmental rights defenders, as well as cases of potential implementation of human rights approaches to local development decisions.
Environmental refugees, a term used to describe “people who have been forced to leave their traditional habitat, temporarily or permanently, because of a marked environmental disruption (natural and/or triggered by people) that jeopardizes their existence and/or seriously effects the quality of their life,” has attracted attention for at least two decades. Despite the ongoing discussion on typologies and difficulties around asserting a sole cause in a given case of migration, it is undeniable that increasing pressure posed by climate change, biodiversity loss, and spread of desertification, call for further efforts and additional analytic work to inform future decision making. Recently, the Nansen Initiative, a consultative process aims at developing a protection agenda for displaced people impacted by environmental disasters of climate change. The EU is directly involved in the Nansen Initiative and has also channeled research efforts in providing additional clarity on the topic of environmental refugees.
A “human rights defender” is a term used to describe people who, individually or with others, act to promote or protect human rights. An “environmental rights defender” or “environmental defender” is a person who is defending environmental rights, when the exercise of those rights is being threatened. A growing body of literature indicates that violations of environmental rights, although significantly differing by region, have been increasing worldwide due to greater competition for given natural resources, inadequacy or limited implementation of environmental laws, and corruption. Recent work examines, among others, challenges faced by environmental defenders, especially women, violations by non-state actors, and the impact of relevant legislation. A report from 2016 on global killings of land and environmental defenders estimates that “nearly four people are murdered every week protecting their land and the natural world from industries like mining, logging and agribusiness”.
Case studies that attract national interest will also be included in the study. Implementation of human rights approaches to a healthy environment will be analyzed vis-à-vis the management decisions associated with the case of mining activities in Skouries, Halkidiki, wind turbins in Agrafa, central Greece, burning trash in Volos, Thessaly and water privatization in Stagiates, Pelion. Following years of tension, including judicial persecutions and police violence the proposal’s ambition is to frame the ongoing discussion on a human rights framework, informing future relevant decision making.
Open seminar | Human rights and climate change
| Thursday 03.08.2023
| 12.00 (GMT +2)
| Join Zoom Meeting: :
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86085065676?pwd=NDRxdXBhcXZkTFRhSjM3VVdPU21tQT09
| Passcode: 030823
| Watch live on our YouTube channel
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Program
Program
12.00- 12.10
Registration
12.10- 12.20
Welcome – Introductory remarks
Dr. Asterios Tsioumanis
12.20- 12.35
Climate and human rights | Video Interview
Dr. Annalisa Savaresi
12.35- 12.50
Climate and human rights | Video Interview
Professor Saleemul Huq
12.50- 13.05
Human rights and climate change. Legal and policy framework.
Chris Spence
13.05- 13.40
Climate change and human rights. Existing power imbalances and inequalities.
Dr. Kiara Worth
13.40- 13.50
Discussion
13.50- 14.00
Closing remarks
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Speakers:
Chris Spence (MA Hons) examines the legal and policy framework on climate change and human rights, including recent developments such as the UN General Assembly’s recognition in July 2022 of the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment (A/76/L.75 ).
Chris is an adviser and consultant on climate change and sustainable development to several organizations, including the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), European Capacity Building Initiative (ecbi), and Oxford Climate Policy group. He has held leadership roles at environmental non-profits in San Francisco and New York, as well as consulting for IUCN, UNDP, the UNFCCC (UN Climate Secretariat) and various other organizations. An award-winning writer, Chris has been following the UN climate negotiations since COP 4 in 1998, primarily as a writer and team leader for the Earth Negotiations Bulletin.
Dr. Kiara Worth will be exploring how climate change exacerbates existing power imbalances and inequalities, and what this means for the protection of human rights.
Kiara Worth is a photographer and storyteller who has been documenting the global negotiations on environment and development with the UN for nearly a decade, focusing on climate change, sustainable development, and chemicals management, among other topics. With a PhD in Political Science, Kiara has a particular interest in how power dynamics influence the decisions made for sustainability and uses her photography to capture these moments at a global scale.
Dr. Annalisa Savaresi, Professor of International Environmental Law, University of Eastern Finland and
Professor Saleemul Huq, Director of the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD)
will also contribute to the seminar (video interviews)
Project coordinator Asterios Tsioumanis (PhD, MSc), TIESS, will facilitate the open seminar providing introductory remarks.
Asterios has an academic background in agricultural and environmental economics, with his doctorate thesis, awarded in 2004 by the Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, focusing on public perceptions towards applications of modern biotechnology, including genetically modified food. As a writer for the Earth Negotiations Bulletin, he has followed closely developments in international environmental policy for the past decade.
Seminar
The seminar will be held in a hybrid format in-person and online (via Zoom). A limited number of invitations will be issued for in-person participants, following COVID-19-related restrictions.
Online participation requires no prior registration. The seminar will be held in English. A report including key messages as well as all project’s deliverables will be translated in Greek in the project’s website.
–
Project
The Transdisciplinary Institute for Environmental and Social Studies (TIESS), in collaboration with a group of academic researchers, was successful to its application for a Jean Monnet grant to analyze and study environmental rights under the title “Human rights and the environment in the EU: Towards an inclusive debate”. The three-year project addresses various aspects of the concept of environmental rights, and aims to add to the ongoing discussion, following the recognition of the “right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment as a human right that is important for the enjoyment of human rights” (UN Human Rights Council Resolution 48/13).
The project is divided in five thematic areas, which will be addressed in separate seminars. Following the previous three seminars, this fourth seminar will try to link human rights and climate change in order to offer additional focus on the interrelationship between environmental degradation and the fulfillment of human rights.
Human rights and climate change (backround)
Almost thirteen years ago, the Human Rights Council adopted its first resolution on climate change and human rights, in which it underscored its concern that climate change poses an immediate and far-reaching threat to people and communities around the world and has implications for the full enjoyment of human rights.
Since then, a growing body of literature focuses on the issue, indicating that adverse effects of climate change have significant implications for the effective enjoyment of human rights, especially by those already vulnerable. The importance of a human rights perspective on climate action has been repeatedly emphasized in multilateral fora.
During the pivotal conference of the parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Paris in 2015, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights emphasized that urgent action to combat climate change is essential to satisfy the duties of states under human rights law. The subsequent Paris Agreement, one in which the European Union played a catalytic role during the negotiations, explicitly refers to human rights in its preamble. “Parties should, when taking action to address climate change, respect, promote and consider their respective obligations on human rights, the rights to health, the rights of indigenous peoples, local communities, migrants, children, persons with disabilities and people in vulnerable situations and the right to development, as well as gender equality, empower of women and intergenerational equity”.
Given the strategic role that the EU played in negotiating and agreeing the Paris Agreement, the European long-term strategy for a modern, climate neutral economy, as expressed in the long-term vision document “A Clean Planet for All”, which provides the framework for the European Union’s climate strategy to 2050 is in line with the Paris Agreement.
The document warns that climate change could “have severe consequences on the productivity of Europe’s economy, infrastructure, ability to produce food, public health, biodiversity and political stability”. It further establishes the links with the enjoyment of basic rights, stating that climate change “could undermine security and prosperity in the broadest sense, damaging economic, food, water and energy systems, and in turn trigger further conflicts and migratory pressures”.
This section of the project offers an additional opportunity for increased focus on the intersection between climate change and human rights.
Visit our website: https://environmentalrights.eu/
Contact: environmentalrights2021@gmail.com
For more information on TIESS see our activities and seminars.
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
Subscribe to our Youtube channel
Newsletter – sent to the media and several mailing lists
Social media – announcements and posts (Facebook, Twitter)
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
Subscribe to our Youtube channel
