Professor Qin Tianbao Attends the United Nations High-Level Consultation

    At the invitation of the United Nations, Distinguished Professor Qin Tianbao, also Director of the Research Institute of Environmental Law, attended the consultative meeting of the Special Rapporteur of the United Nations Human Rights Council held in Geneva. He was the only one invited Asian scholar at the meeting.

    The theme of the meeting was Fulfilling Environment-related Human Rghts Obligations, and the meeting was designed to discuss human rights obligations related to the environment and the advantages and disadvantages of the method. This is an important platform for the United Nations, governments and other organizations, the official and the private sector, academia and practitioners to exchange ideas.

    During the consultations, Qin Tianbao pointed out that when considering human rights issues related to the environment, one must take into consideration the basic national conditions of different countries, respect the autonomy of different countries to take account of environmental protection and other important social issues. When paying attention to vulnerable groups, besides women and children, one has to pay particular attention to the environmental interests of local communities. Meanwhile, Qin Tianbao introduced China’s major development of environment rights protection through legislation, particularly the procedural environmental right. He also briefed on the establishment and development of the Wuhan University Institute of Human Rights, which has aroused great interest of participants.