Dr. David R. Boyd
@drdavidboyd.bsky.social
390 followers 44 following 45 posts
Professor, lawyer, author, activist, ultra-sport enthusiast, father, nature lover, and former UN Special Rapporteur on the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment
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drdavidboyd.bsky.social
Looking forward to this Climate Solutions event on Thursday!
Reposted by Dr. David R. Boyd
ires.ubc.ca
Join @drdavidboyd.bsky.social's talk next week on this summer's powerful legal updates on the right to a healthy environment!

📍September 11, 2025 | CIRS BC Hydro Theatre
2:00 – 2:30 pm Networking (in-person)
2:30 – 3:30 pm Presentation (in-person and online)
climatesolutions.ubc.ca/news-and-eve...
drdavidboyd.bsky.social
are required to guarantee the effective enjoyment of such rights, it is difficult to see how these obligations can be fulfilled without at the same time ensuring the protection of the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment as a human right. "
drdavidboyd.bsky.social
Surely the time for excuses and delays is over. The Council of Europe must finally adopt a protocol recognizing the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. As the International Court of Justice unanimously concluded, "in so far as States parties to human rights treaties ...
drdavidboyd.bsky.social
-detoxify people’s bodies and the planet (A/HRC/49/53); and
-protect and restore the world's oceans (A/HRC/58/59).
These are obligations, not options.
drdavidboyd.bsky.social
-phase out the use of coal, oil and natural gas by investing in renewable energy, energy storage and energy efficiency and assist climate vulnerable nations in adapting to the climate emergency (A/74/161);
-conserve, protect and restore biodiversity (A/75/161);
drdavidboyd.bsky.social
-improve air quality by reducing both outdoor and household air pollution (A/HRC/40/55);
-ensure everyone has access to safe and sufficient water (A/HRC/46/28);
-transform industrial agriculture to produce healthy and sustainable food (A/76/179);
drdavidboyd.bsky.social
The substantive obligations stemming from the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment can be found in previous reports by the Special Rapporteur, and confirmed by courts across the world. States must take immediate and ambitious rights-based action to:
Reposted by Dr. David R. Boyd
ires.ubc.ca
July 2025 marked a significant milestone for climate justice as the human right to a healthy environment was recognized by top judicial authorities.

@drdavidboyd.bsky.social, IRES professor & former UN Special Rapporteur, discussed its implications:
🔗 verfassungsblog.de/icj-climate-...
drdavidboyd.bsky.social
Big question
Has there ever been a more important court ruling than last week's advisory opinion on climate change from the International Court of Justice?
Facing an existential threat, the ICJ ruled that all States are obligated to protect the climate system by decarbonizing ASAP or polluters pay $
drdavidboyd.bsky.social
Driven by youth and Small Island States, courts have made it clear that bold climate action and generous climate finance are legally binding obligations that States must fulfil to protect the climate system & protect human rights
verfassungsblog.de/icj-climate-...
verfassungsblog.de/right-to-a-h...
A Right Foundational to Humanity’s Existence
verfassungsblog.de
Reposted by Dr. David R. Boyd
sabincenter.bsky.social
🌍⚖️ The ICJ now recognizes the right to a healthy environment—a breakthrough for international climate justice.

Read the latest blog post by @drdavidboyd.bsky.social unpacks what this means for law, human rights, and environmental accountability.

🔗 buff.ly/hmYD5xA

#ICJ #HumanRights
drdavidboyd.bsky.social
ICJ Advisory Opinion! This is an absolutely massive and historic day for climate justice! Huge thanks to Pacific Island Students Fighting Climate Change and World Youth for Climate Justice who deserve the Nobel Peace Prize for their role in this. Also kudos to Vanuatu for incredible leadership!
Reposted by Dr. David R. Boyd
laurimyllyvirta.bsky.social
New from me: How China's clean energy manufacturing boom is helping reduce CO2 emissions overseas. In 2024, China’s exports of solar panels, batteries and electric vehicles are shaved 1% off global emissions outside of China.
carbonbrief.org
NEW – Analysis: China’s clean-energy exports in 2024 alone will cut overseas CO2 by 1% | @laurimyllyvirta.bsky.social

Read here: buff.ly/V7BVSsL
China’s clean-energy footprint spans essentially the entire world, with exports to 191 of the 192 UN member states, excluding China, manufacturing plans in 25 countries in 12 of the 17 UN regions and clean-energy project financing in 27 countries in 11 regions.
Reposted by Dr. David R. Boyd
sabincenter.bsky.social
‼️ 🌍⚖️NEW POST: @drdavidboyd.bsky.social discusses 3 points on the advisory opinion—the right to a healthy climate, the rights of Nature, & the recognition of a new jus cogens norm prohibiting massive & irreversible damage to the climate & environment.
Read ➡️ blogs.law.columbia.edu/climatechang...
Reposted by Dr. David R. Boyd
drdavidboyd.bsky.social
quarrying deep, if necessary, into its very bedrock. Seams of untold strength and richness lie therein, waiting to be quarried. Do these sources contain principles mightier than might alone, wherewith to govern the mightiest weapon of destruction yet devised?"
www.icj-cij.org/sites/defaul...
www.icj-cij.org
drdavidboyd.bsky.social
I like this quote from Justice Weeramantry, from an earlier advisory opinion on the legality of using nuclear weapons:
"It is thus the gravest of possible issues which confronts the Court in this Advisory Opinion. It requires the Court to scrutinize every available source of international law, ...
drdavidboyd.bsky.social
Tomorrow the world's highest court, the International Court of Justice, will issue what may be the most important judicial ruling in human history.
Facing an unprecedented climate emergency, will the Court have the courage to stand up to the fossil fuel giants and hold them accountable?
Stay tuned!
Reposted by Dr. David R. Boyd
ciel.org
🔥 TOMORROW, history will be made.

The International Court of Justice #CIJ_ICJ will issue its first-ever Advisory Opinion on the #ClimateCrisis, a legal milestone that could redefine states’ responsibilities to protect #HumanRights and the planet.
Reposted by Dr. David R. Boyd
healthyenvcoe.bsky.social
Climate justice win! IA Court on Human Rights elaborates legal obligations around a healthy climate as part of the right to a healthy environment.
Meanwhile @coe.int still debates whether it should recognise it.
Our answer? YES - we urge the Council to adopt a protocol to the European Convention!
drdavidboyd.bsky.social
The right to a healthy environment is at the heart of the Inter_American Court of Human Rights powerful new ruling on the climate emergency.
The right basically prohibits "anthropogenic conduct with an irreversible impact on the vital balance of the planetary ecosystem"
More to follow ...
drdavidboyd.bsky.social
OK, here we go! The Inter-American Court of Human Rights is releasing its Advisory Opinion on human rights and the climate emergency.
Huge anticipation that this could be a powerful catalyst for climate justice, by clarifying the obligations that State must respect and the actions they must take ...
drdavidboyd.bsky.social
Trump's budget has $1.1 trillion in tax cuts for people making more than $500,000/year. And it has $1.1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid and food stamps. Straight transfer from people who cannot afford food and medical care to people who can afford to fly first class.
Ezra Klein NYT