OVERVIEWOFFUNDAMENTAL

PRINCIPLESONENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE
Prof.Sedfrey M.Candelaria
Head,Research,PublicationsandLinkagesOffice
Chair,DepartmentofSpecialAreasofConcern
PhilippineJudicialAcademy
I.INTRODUCTION:SCOPEOFINQUIRY

A. Concept of Environment
Basic Elements of the Earth: air, land and
water
All living elements of the earth as well as
natural resources
Holistic: place of humans in the
environment
I.INTRODUCTION:SCOPEOFINQUIRY
B. Theory of Environmental Justice
Lazarus Environmental Justice focuses on the
distribution of environmental hazards across
society and seeks a fair distribution of those
hazards x x x
Hofrichters x x x equal access to natural
resources and the rights to clean air and water,
adequate health care, affordable shelter, and a
safe workplace x x x.
II.PRELIMINARYCONSIDERATIONS

A.EnvironmentalProtectionv.Development
1.Brundtland Commission(1987):
SustainableDevelopment
integratesenvironmentaland
developmentalaspirationsatalllevelsof
decisionmaking.
developmentthatmeetstheneedsof
thepresentwithoutcompromisingthe
abilityoffuturegenerationstomeettheir
ownneeds.
II.PRELIMINARYCONSIDERATIONS

B.LegalCharacterizationofEnvironmentalProtection
Principles
1.ChallengingTraditionalLegalSystems(not
indigenouslaw)asimpediments
(i) concept of right and duty bearers: only
the living
(ii) only human beings as possessed with
rights
(iii) absolute freedom of contract
(iv) absolute ownership
2.ShiftingNotionofStateSovereignty:
Fromindividualisttosociallyoriented
pollutiondoesnotrecognizethe
doctrineofstatesovereigntyasit
proceedsbeyondstateboundaries
 III.DEVELOPMENTOFNORMATIVESTANDARDS
INENVIRONMENTALPROTECTION
A.StockholmDeclaration(1972)
Principle1 fundamentalrighttoxxxadequate
conditionsoflife,inanenvironmentofaqualitythat
permitsalifeofdignityandwellbeing,andasolemn
responsibilitytoprotectandimprovetheenvironment
forpresentandfuturegenerationsxxx.
Principle21 stateshave,inaccordancewiththe
CharteroftheUnitedNationsandthePrinciplesof
InternationalLaw,thesovereignrighttoexploittheir
ownresourcespursuanttotheirownenvironmental
policies,andtheresponsibilitytoensurethatactivities
withintheirjurisdictionorcontroldonotcause
damagetotheenvironmentofotherstatesorofareas
beyondthelimitsofnationaljurisdiction.
III.DEVELOPMENTOFNORMATIVESTANDARDS
INENVIRONMENTALPROTECTION
B.Brundtland Report(1987)
e.g.intergenerationalandintragenerational
equity equitable accessto
environmentalresourcesbothwithinthe
presentgenerationaswellasforfuture
generations
e.g.precautionaryprinciple
e.g.maintenanceofbiologicaldiversityand
biologicalintegrity
III.DEVELOPMENTOFNORMATIVESTANDARDS
INENVIRONMENTALPROTECTION
C.World Charter for Nature (1992)

- Respect for nature; principles of conservation

of the environment; exploitation of non-
renewable resources with restraint; use of
best available technologies.
III.DEVELOPMENTOFNORMATIVESTANDARDS
INENVIRONMENTALPROTECTION
D.Rio Declaration (1992) and AGENDA 21
Principle 1 Human beings x x x center of
concerns for sustainable development x x x
entitled to a healthy and productive life in
harmony with nature.
Principle 3 x x x meet x x x needs of present
and future generations.
Principle 8 x x x environmental protection x x x
an integrated part of developmental process x
x x.
Principle 10
x x x participation of all concerned citizens x x x
x x x access to information concerning the
environment x x x
x x x effective access to judicial and administrative
proceedings x x x
Principle 15
x x x the precautionary approach shall be widely
applied by states according to their capabilities.
Where there are threats of serious or irreversible
damage, lack of full scientific certainty shall not be
used as reason for postponing cost-effective
measures to prevent environmental degradation.
Principle 16
x x x the polluter should, in principle, bear the cost
of pollution, x x x
Principle 17
x x x EIA x x x as a national instrument x x x
IV.THECOREENVIRONMENTALLAWRIGHTS
ANDDUTIESINRELATIONTOPHILIPPINE
CONSTITUTIONALLAWFRAMEWORK
A.RighttoLifeandHealth
INTERNATIONAL CONSTITUTION

erga omnes (non-derogable) A3, S.1 (life) in relation to A2,

ratio legis (ECOSOC) of S.15 (health) and 16 (ecology),
environmental law A13, S.11-13 (health)
more than absence of illness
W.H.O. the attainment by all
citizens x x x of a level of
health that will permit them to
lead a socially and
economically productive life
Health problems related to x x
x environmental living
conditions; health status is a
first indicator of environmental
degradation x x x
B.FreedomofAssociation
INTERNATIONAL CONSTITUTION

A 20, UDHR A3, S.8 (association) in relation

to A2, S.18 (labor), A13, S.3
A 21, ICCPR (labor), A13, S.15-16 (peoples
organizations)
C.RighttoAccesstoInformationandParticipation
INTERNATIONAL CONSTITUTION

A 19, UDHR A3, S.7 (matters of public

concern)
A 19, ICCPR
Principle 10: Rio Declaration
(access to environmental
information)
Principles 18 and 19
(notification in transboundary
environmental disasters)
D. Sectoral Concerns
INTERNATIONAL CONSTITUTION

1.IndigenousPeoples
ILO169(TribalPopulation)
UNDRIPS,2007
Principle22,RioDeclaration+
Chapter26,Agenda21
A12,S.5(ancestraldomain)in
relationtoA2,S.22(indigenous
peoples),A10,S.1521
(autonomousregion),A13,S.6
(ancestrallands)

2.Women
A2,S.14(women),A13,S.14
Principle20,RioDeclaration (women)
1993ViennaDeclaration

Part1,par(18) equal
participationofwomen

3.Children
Article29,par9(e),CRC A2,S.12(child)and13(youth)
D. Sectoral Concerns
INTERNATIONAL CONSTITUTION
4. Migrant Workers
Migrant Workers Convention A13, S.3 (overseas workers)

5. Disabled A13, S.11 (disabled)

Environmental factors often
responsible for disability

6. Refugees, Internally Displaced and

Victims of Armed Conflict
Deterioration of environment as a
main cause of displacement
1977 Protocol 1 Additional to Four R.A. No. 9851 (IHL)
Geneva Conventions of 1949
Article 35, par. 3 prohibited means
of warfare
Article 55 attacks v. environment
Principle 26 of Stockholm Declaration,
pars. 5 and 20 of World Charter
Principle 24 of Rio Declaration
V.CONCLUDINGOBSERVATIONS:PARADIGM
SHIFTANDNORMATIVECREATIVITY
Jurisprudence:

Oposa v. Factoran intergenerational responsibility

Zia v. Wapda citizens suit; precautionary principle

Farooque v. Bangladesh locus standi

Mehta v. Kamal Nath public trust; polluter pays

MMDA v. Concerned Citizens continuing

mandamus (clean-up of Manila Bay)