A Right to Defend the Environment. Legal Protection for Environmental Advocacy in the IACtHR’s Climate Advisory Opinion
By Nina Alizadeh Marandi and Philipp Schönberger. As the world faces an escalating triple planetary crisis – climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution – those who step forward to defend the environment are increasingly stigmatized, criminalized, and subjected to violence. It is therefore not surprising that the protection of environmental defenders features prominently in the Inter-American Court of Human Rights’ (IACtHR). By recognizing environmental defenders as essential actors in democratic climate governance, the IACtHR’s advisory opinion advances a bold vision of environmental democracy that positions civic engagement as a vital precondition for legitimate and effective climate action.


