NGOs criticize Environment Minister Serge Wilmes

Greenpeace, Fairtrade Lëtzebuerg and Action Solidarité Tiers Monde (ASTM) express their concern that Parliament recently rejected an application from Déi Gréng, the Pirates and Déi Lénk to recognize human rights to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. The Chamber forwarded the application to a parliamentary committee during the plenary session on April 1.

The right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment was recognized in 2022 by all 46 member states of the European Council, including Luxembourg, in a UN-Resolution. At a summit, all Member States decided to continue the work for this human right in the Council of Europe. The three organizations point out that the Council of Europe is the only human rights system that has not yet recognized the right to a healthy environment.

In a press release, Greenpeace, Fairtrade Lëtzebuerg and ASTM explain that they are concerned about the « lack of support » of the Chamber of Deputy in view of the triple crisis from climate change, loss of biodiversity and pollution. Serge Wilmes (CSV), Minister for the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity, is also in the sights of the NGOs. They accuse him of not tackling the topic with the necessary urgency and instead stepping on the brakes.

The organizations also criticize that Luxembourg’s attitude to recognize human rights for a healthy environment could have negative effects on the Ministerial meeting of the Council of Europe on May 14th.