With the aim of furthering environmental protection through human rights litigation, we uphold the universal right to live in a sustainable, healthy environment – as recognised in the landmark United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution of 8 October 2021.

While the aforementioned resolution is non-binding, international legal standards developed in instruments such as the European Convention on Human Rights, the European Social Charter and the Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats have provided a sound basis upon which to enhance environmental protection and safeguard the individual rights they affect. These include the right to life, the right to health, and the right to family life. We see great potential in this area and believe in the lasting impact of the authoritative body of case law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), which has now dealt with over 300 environment-related cases.

Starting on the Austrian sub-regional level by supporting citizens’ initiatives before domestic courts, CEHRI contributes to both national proceedings and third party interventions before the ECtHR and the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) on cases that have a link to the either environment or the changing climate. In so doing, it hopes to positively influence developments in Austria and the wider region through the binding legal decisions issued. 

More broadly, CEHRI strives to actively contribute to international developments relating to issues such as abusive practices of corporations, as well as the Oslo Principles on Global Climate Change Obligations.

Current initiatives

Reductions of fine particulate matter and noise in local communities in Austria:

Fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, over the past two calendar years. Fine particulate matter is the air pollutant with the highest impact on health in terms of premature death and disease. Despite the health risks it poses, there is a general lack of knowledge on citizens’ rights and the applicable legal framework for combating poor air quality. This lack of awareness represents a major barrier to any amelioration of the situation, as communities and local governments do not place due focus on measures designed to reduce PM2.5 levels. In order to counteract the damaging effects of air pollution, CEHRI supports strategic legal proceedings and initiatives aimed at the implementation of fine dust and noise reduction measures. 

Regarding noise in local communities, CEHRI assists individuals pursuing legal action against noise disturbances caused by traffic. A key target of the European Commission’s zero pollution action plan is to reduce the number of people chronically disturbed by noise from transport in the EU by 30%, compared with 2017 levels, by 2030. Noise annoyance, stress reactions,  and sleep disturbance are the most prevalent health effects of exposure to noise from transport sources and affect millions of people across Europe. In fact, road traffic noise is the most prevalent source of environmental noise and contributes the most to the overall effects of noise on health. Hence, CEHRI strives to create a positive change in both local and regional communities by contributing to a body of binding case law which will directly result in the amelioration of affected communities’ quality of life, and also the environment more generally.