Research Project

Implementing the Right to a Healthy Environment at the National Level

Principal Investigator
Brontie Ansell
University steps chalked with human rights declaration

This project is in collaboration with the Earth Law Center and Lawyers for Nature.

In Resolution 48/131 of October 2021, the UN Human Rights Council recognised the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment as a human right that is important for the enjoyment of other human rights. The Human Rights Council also encouraged States to work together, as well as with civil society and other stakeholders to implement this right nationally.

The Human Rights Centre Clinic will examine the implications of the international recognition of the right to a healthy environment at the level of national laws and policies, with a particular focus on the UK. The project will include comparative research of States that are already taking action, as well as a strategic mapping exercise of the UK’s response to these global challenges.

This project will be carried out in partnership with the Essex Law Clinic.


Project description

How to apply

This exciting research project is open to postgraduate human rights students as part of the Human Rights Centre Clinic Module (HU902). If you want to join the module-based projects of the Human Rights Centre Clinic in 2022-23, please submit your application by Monday 10 October at 5pm to humanrightscentreclinic@essex.ac.uk.

The application should include two attachments:

  • your CV (two pages maximum)
  • a 400-word statement explaining why you want to join the Clinic and what you expect to learn from it. The statement should include your preferred three module-based projects in order of preference. We would do our best to accommodate your choices

Interviews will take place via Zoom on Wednesday 12 October (afternoon), Thursday 13 October (all day) and Friday 14 October (morning). You would be allocated a time slot for a short conversation with the HRC Clinic Director and one of the Co-Deputy Directors.

We will communicate the decision on Monday 17 October, and we expect to have the teams in place that week itself.

Important:

  • students taking part in any of the six module-based projects will also need to enrol in HU902 (Spring Term and two sessions in Autumn Term)
  • the process described above applies to module-based projects only, not to the stand-alone project on arbitrary detention, which follows its own application process. Students on the stand-alone project do not need to take HU902
  • students are free to apply to module-based projects and to the stand-alone project at the same time, but note that the module-based projects will require approximately 8-10 hours of your time per week from late October to the end of June on top of the coursework for all other modules. We recommend you do not overstretch your commitments
Fountains on the lake
Get in touch
Human Rights Centre Clinic Human Rights Centre
Essex Law School
Bronte Ansell Project Supervisor