The Council of Europe is participating in the United Nations climate change conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil, with three side events highlighting how human rights, democracy, and environmental protection are mutually reinforcing pillars for effective climate action. The side events - details below - explore how climate challenges affect fundamental rights, the role of environmental human-rights defenders and disinformation.
"Let us defend our future together"
"Our environment is the foundation of our rights and freedoms," said Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset. "As the world gathers at COP30, I call on governments, civil society, and young leaders: work with us. Climate action is action for our values - for people, and for our planet. Let us defend our future together."
The Council of Europe champions environmental protection, linking it to human dignity and well-being. Pivotal conventions - including the Bern Convention, which safeguards wildlife and habitats in countries in Europe and beyond, and the Landscape Convention, which focuses on protecting the continent's natural and cultural landscapes - ensure that biodiversity conservation, disaster resilience, and environmental preservation are inseparable from the enjoyment of fundamental human rights.
The European Court of Human Rights has ruled on over 300 environment-related cases, applying key rights - including the rights to life, respect for private and family life, freedom of expression and assembly, a fair hearing, and property - to a wide range of issues such as pollution, environmental disasters, access to information, and judicial procedure.
The Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers this past May adopted a groundbreaking Convention on the protection of the environment through criminal law, creating a legal basis to combat environmental crime. Also in May, the Council of Europe adopted its Strategy on the environment (2025-30) - a forward-looking, multidisciplinary framework that integrates environmental protection with the promotion of justice, democratic governance, and social cohesion.
Council of Europe side events at COP30
On 10 November 2025 the organisation will participate at the "Human rights and climate change" event, which is co-organised with the Council of Europe Development Bank. This session will explore how climate impacts affect fundamental rights - including life, energy, health, and housing - and showcases rights-based solutions for equitable and resilient climate policies.
"Environmental human rights defenders" will highlight the protection of these activists and will introduce the new European Forum on environmental human-rights defenders, fostering collaboration between civil society, governments, indigenous peoples, and international institutions. It takes place on 11 November 2025, and is organised with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Also on 11 November 2025 is "Human rights and climate disinformation: responding to youth", in partnership with Youth and Environment Europe. This event tackles climate disinformation from a human-rights perspective, promoting access to reliable information and linking to the Secretary General's initiative, the New Democratic Pact for Europe, a collaborative process to reinforce democracy.
