F eedom, Secu i y & Jus ice:
Eu opean Legal S udies
Ri is a giu idica di classe A
2022, n. 3
DIRETTORE
Angela Di S asi
O dina io di Di i o In e nazionale e di Di i o dell’Unione eu opea, Uni e si à di Sale no
Ti ola e della Ca ed a Jean Monne 2017-2020 (Commissione eu opea)
"Judicial P o ec ion o Fundamen al Righ s in he Eu opean A ea o F eedom, Secu i y and Jus ice"
COMITATO SCIENTIFICO
Se gio Ma ia Ca bone, P o esso e Eme i o, Uni e si à di Geno a
Robe a Cle ici, O dina io . . di Di i o In e nazionale p i a o, Uni e si à di Milano
Nigel Lowe, P o esso Eme i us, Uni e si y o Ca di
Paolo Mengozzi, P o esso e Eme i o, Uni e si à "Alma Ma e S udio um" di Bologna - già A oca o gene ale p esso la Co e di gius izia dell’UE
Massimo Panebianco, P o esso e Eme i o, Uni e si à di Sale no
Guido Raimondi, già P esiden e della Co e EDU - P esiden e di Sezione della Co e di Cassazione
Sil ana Scia a, P o esso e Eme i o, Uni e si à di Fi enze - P esiden e della Co e Cos i uzionale
Giuseppe Tesau o, P o esso e . . di Di i o dell'UE, Uni e si à di Napoli "Fede ico II" - P esiden e Eme i o della Co e Cos i uzionale
An onio Tizzano, P o esso e Eme i o, Uni e si à di Roma “La Sapienza” - Vice P esiden e Eme i o della Co e di gius izia dell’UE
Ennio T iggiani, P o esso e Eme i o, Uni e si à di Ba i
Ugo Villani, P o esso e Eme i o, Uni e si à di Ba i
COMITATO EDITORIALE
Ma ia Ca e ina Ba u i, O dina io di Di i o In e nazionale, Uni e si à di Ve ona
Giandona o Caggiano, O dina io . . di Di i o dell’Unione eu opea, Uni e si à Roma T e
Al onso-Luis Cal o Ca a aca, Ca ed á ico de De echo In e nacional P i ado, Uni e sidad Ca los III de Mad id
Pablo An onio Fe nández-Sánchez, Ca ed á ico de De echo In e nacional, Uni e sidad de Se illa
Inge Go ae e, Di ec o o he Eu opean Legal S udies Depa men , College o Eu ope, B uges
Paola Mo i, O dina io di Di i o dell'Unione eu opea, Uni e si à "Magna G aecia" di Ca anza o
Lina Panella, O dina io di Di i o In e nazionale, Uni e si à di Messina
Nicole a Pa isi, O dina io . . di Di i o In e nazionale, Uni e si à di Ca ania - già Componen e ANAC
Lucia Se ena Rossi, O dina io di Di i o dell'UE, Uni e si à "Alma Ma e S udio um" di Bologna - Giudice della Co e di gius izia dell’UE
COMITATO DEI REFEREES
B uno Ba el, Associa o . . di Di i o dell’Unione eu opea, Uni e si à di Pado a
Ma co Ben enu i, O dina io di Is i uzioni di Di i o pubblico, Uni e si à di Roma "La Sapienza"
Ra aele Cadin, Associa o di Di i o In e nazionale, Uni e si à di Roma “La Sapienza”
Ruggie o Ca a i Panico, O dina io . . di Di i o dell’Unione eu opea, Uni e si à di Milano
Ida Ca acciolo, O dina io di Di i o In e nazionale, Uni e si à della Campania - Giudice dell’ITLOS
Fede ico Casola i, Associa o di Di i o dell’Unione eu opea, Uni e si à “Alma Ma e S udio um” di Bologna
Luisa Casse i, O dina io di Is i uzioni di Di i o Pubblico, Uni e si à di Pe ugia
Gio anni Cellama e, O dina io di Di i o In e nazionale, Uni e si à di Ba i
Giuseppe D’Angelo, O dina io di Di i o ecclesias ico e canonico, Uni e si à di Sale no
Ma cello Di Filippo, O dina io di Di i o In e nazionale, Uni e si à di Pisa
Rosa io Espinosa Calabuig, Ca ed á ica de De echo In e nacional P i ado, Uni e si a de València
Ana C. Gallego He nández, P o eso a Ayudan e de De echo In e nacional Público y Relaciones In e nacionales, Uni e sidad de Se illa
Pie o Ga giulo, O dina io di Di i o In e nazionale, Uni e si à di Te amo
Gianca lo Gua ino, O dina io . . di Di i o In e nazionale, Uni e si à di Napoli “Fede ico II”
Elspe h Guild, Associa e Senio Resea ch Fellow, CEPS
Vic o Luis Gu ié ez Cas illo, P o eso de De echo In e nacional Público, Uni e sidad de Jaén
I an Ing a allo, Associa o di Di i o In e nazionale, Uni e si à di Ba i
Paola I aldi, O dina io di Di i o In e nazionale, Uni e si à di Geno a
Luigi Kalb, O dina io di P ocedu a Penale, Uni e si à di Sale no
Luisa Ma in, Ma ie Cu ie Fellow, EUI e Rice ca o e di Di i o dell’UE, Uni e si à dell’Insub ia
Simone Ma inai, Associa o di Di i o dell’Unione eu opea, Uni e si à di Pisa
Fab izio Ma ongiu Buonaiu i, O dina io di Di i o In e nazionale, Uni e si à di Mace a a
Daniela Ma ani, Rice ca o e di Di i o In e nazionale, Uni e si à di Sale no
Ros ane Medhi, P o esseu de D oi Public, Uni e si é d’Aix-Ma seille
S e ano Mon aldo, Associa o di Di i o dell’Unione eu opea, Uni e si à di To ino
Viole a Mo eno-Lax, Senio Lec u e in Law, Queen Ma y Uni e si y o London
Claudia Mo iducci, P o esso e Senio di Di i o dell’Unione eu opea, Uni e si à Roma T e
Michele Nino, Associa o di Di i o In e nazionale, Uni e si à di Sale no
C iseide No i, Associa o di Di i o In e nazionale, Uni e si à di Foggia
Anna O iolo, Associa o di Di i o In e nazionale, Uni e si à di Sale no
Leona do Pasquali, Associa o di Di i o dell'Unione eu opea, Uni e si à di Pisa
Pie o Penne a, O dina io . . di Di i o In e nazionale, Uni e si à di Sale no
Emanuela Pis oia, O dina io di Di i o dell’Unione eu opea, Uni e si à di Te amo
Conce a Ma ia Pon eco o, O dina io di Di i o In e nazionale, Uni e si à di Napoli “Fede ico II”
Pie o Pus o ino, O dina io di Di i o In e nazionale, Uni e si à LUISS di Roma
San iago Ripol Ca ulla, Ca ed á ico de De echo in e nacional público, Uni e si a Pompeu Fab a Ba celona
Gianpaolo Ma ia Ruo olo, O dina io di Di i o In e nazionale, Uni e si à di Foggia
Te esa Russo, Associa o di Di i o dell'Unione eu opea, Uni e si à di Sale no
Alessand a A. Souza Sil ei a, Di e o a do Cen o de Es udos em Di ei o da UE, Uni e sidad do Minho
Ángel Tinoco Pas ana, P o eso de De echo P ocesal, Uni e sidad de Se illa
Chia a En ica Tuo, O dina io di Di i o dell’Unione eu opea, Uni e si à di Geno a
Tali ha Vassalli di Dachenhausen, O dina io . . di Di i o In e nazionale, Uni e si à di Napoli “Fede ico II”
Alessand a Zanobe i, O dina io di Di i o In e nazionale, Uni e si à “Alma Ma e S udio um” di Bologna
COMITATO DI REDAZIONE
F ancesco Buonomenna, Associa o di Di i o dell’Unione eu opea, Uni e si à di Sale no
Angela Fes a, Rice ca o e di Di i o dell’Unione eu opea, Uni e si à della Campania “Luigi Van i elli”
Ca e ina F a ea, Associa o di Di i o dell’Unione eu opea, Uni e si à di Ve ona
Anna Ie mano, Rice ca o e di Di i o In e nazionale, Uni e si à di Sale no
Angela Ma one, Do o e di ice ca in Di i o dell’Unione eu opea, Uni e si à di Sale no
Michele Messina, Associa o di Di i o dell’Unione eu opea, Uni e si à di Messina
Rossana Palladino (Coo dina o e), Rice ca o e di Di i o dell’Unione eu opea, Uni e si à di Sale no
Re isione linguis ica degli abs ac s a cu a di
F ancesco Campo eda, Do o e di ice ca in Di i o In e nazionale, Uni e si à di Sale no
Ri is a quad imes ale on line “F eedom, Secu i y & Jus ice: Eu opean Legal S udies”
www. sjeu os udies.eu
Edi o iale Scien i ica, Via San Biagio dei Lib ai, 39 - Napoli
CODICE ISSN 2532-2079 - Regis azione p esso il T ibunale di Noce a In e io e n° 3 del 3 ma zo 2017
Indice-Somma io
2022, n. 3
Edi o iale
No ae e e e es “ on ie e” della ci adinanza eu opea
Angela Di S asi
p. 1
Saggi e A icoli
In ema di immuni à dello S a o dalla giu isdizione: il complesso bilanciamen o a u ela dei
di i i della pe sona e p e oga i e della San a Sede
Sil ia Can oni
The Eu opean Union Ex e nal Ac ion, Adminis a i e Func ion and Human Righ s P o ec ion
unde he Lens o he EU Ombudsman and a Recen S a egic Ini ia i e
F ancesca Ma ines
Libe à di esp essione e u ela della digni à delle gio nalis e: il con as o all’online sexis ha e
speech nello spazio digi ale eu opeo
Claudia Mo ini
La no malizzazione della so eglianza di massa nella p assi giu isp udenziale delle Co i di
S asbu go e Lussembu go: e so il cambio di pa adigma del appo o p i acy . secu i y
Michele Nino
Il di i o del mino e alla libe à di eligione: la ecen e
giu isp udenza della Co e eu opea dei di i i dell’uomo e il ilie o della Con enzione sui di i i
dal anciullo
Giuseppina Pizzolan e
In e na ional Sanc ions o he Eu opean Union in Sea ch o E ec i eness and Accoun abili y
Al edo Rizzo
Commen i e No e
La ispos a della Commissione eu opea al “de e io amen o” del di i o di asilo in G ecia:
i lessioni sull’a enua o a i ismo dell’Is i uzione “gua diana dei T a a i”
Ma cella Come i
La mig azione legale pe mo i i di la o o a due anni dalla p esen azione del “Nuo o Pa o sulla
mig azione e l’asilo”: una i o ma (in)compiu a?
F ancesca Di Gianni
p. 16
p. 39
p. 67
p. 105
p. 134
p. 158
p. 175
p. 211
Ques ioni giu idiche e p oblemi di u ela dei di i i ondamen ali nella ispos a dell’Unione
eu opea alle p a iche di s umen alizzazione dei lussi mig a o i
Mi ko Fo i
En i onmen al Solida i y in he A ea o F eedom, Secu i y and Jus ice. Towa ds he Judicial
P o ec ion o (In e gene a ional) En i onmen al Righ s in he EU
Emanuele Vanna a
p. 245
p. 266
F eedom, Secu i y & Jus ice: Eu opean Legal S udies ISSN 2532-2079
2022, n. 3, pp. 266-288 DOI :10.26321/E.VANNATA.03.2022.11
www. sjeu os udies.eu
ENVIRONMENTAL SOLIDARITY IN THE AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY
AND JUSTICE. TOWARDS THE JUDICIAL PROTECTION OF
(INTERGENERATIONAL) ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS IN THE EU
Emanuele Vanna a*
SUMMARY: 1. In oduc ion. – 2. Making C edible a “Solida is ic” Dimension Behind
he In e na ional Legal Sys em in En i onmen al Ma e s. – 3. En i onmen al
Solida i y in EU. A Ma e o P inciples-Values in he A ea o F eedom, Secu i y
and Jus ice. – 4. En i onmen al Rule o Law and Clima e Jus ice: The EU T end.
– 5. Clima e Change Li iga ion and EU Jus ice. The “S anding” Wall: Wai ing o
he Fall? – 6. Conclusions.
1. In oduc ion
En i onmen al p o ec ion is a co e issue in he in e na ional communi y’s agenda.
The ise in global wa ming and he o e all wo sening o he e ec s o clima e change,
including he deple ion o common esou ces, ha e apidly unde mined he adi ional
dogma o en i onmen al ma e s as a sphe e o domaine ése é o S a es, os e ing he
de elopmen o in e na ional en i onmen al laws, and inc easing p oac i i y and
coope a ion a he uni e sal le el.
Indeed, he wo ld-wide ecosys em is highly h ea ened by global wa ming,
biodi e si y loss, and clima e change, cons i u ing “a clima e and en i onmen al
eme gency”
1
, as well as a se ious isk o he quali y o he en i onmen , public heal h, he
economy, and as such, one o he mos signi ican challenges o humani y
2
.
Double blind pee e iewed a icle.
* Ph.D. Candida e in “Legal Sciences” (In e na ional, Eu opean and Compa a i e Law), Uni e si y o
Sale no. E-mail: [email p o ec ed].
1
Eu opean Pa liamen Resolu ion, on he clima e and en i onmen al eme gency, o 28 No embe 2019,
2019/2930(RSP); Repo o he Sec e a y-Gene al, Special Rappo eu on he Issue o Human Righ s
Obliga ions Rela ing o he Enjoymen o a Sa e, Clean, Heal hy and Sus ainable En i onmen , o 1
Feb ua y 2016, A/HRC/31/52, pa a. 68.
2
Con aining global wa ming below he 1.5°C h eshold equi es much mo e incisi e ac ion in e ms o
ha m ul emissions, a om he cu en con ibu ions a he na ional le el, which a e nowhe e nea su icien
o main ain he h eshold se by he Pa is Ag eemen o well below 2°C (acco ding o he p ojec ions, ebus
sic s an ibus, 3.2°C by 2100, assuming ha clima e ac ion con inues s eadily h oughou he 21s cen u y).
Emanuele Vanna a
267
The di e consequences o clima e change pose a no able challenge o in e na ional
en i onmen al law bu also na ional and in e na ional cou s. So, ecen yea s ha e seen
an inc easing ocus on clima e jus ice, which looks a he clima e c isis h ough a human
igh s lens in he belie ha by wo king oge he we can c ea e a be e u u e o his
gene a ion and hose o come. Indeed, add essing clima e change aises issues o jus ice
and equi y, bo h be ween and wi hin na ions and gene a ions in line wi h he solida is ic
equi emen s o en i onmen al law as bo h a ela ion among indi iduals belonging o a
communi y o in e es s, and a mu ual suppo wi hin a g oup.
In his pe spec i e, mo ing om he en i onmen al solida i y a he in e na ional and
EU le el, his a icle ocuses on he ule o law as legal ounda ion o he judicial
p o ec ion o indi idual and collec i e en i onmen al igh s in o de o emphasize he ole
o na ional and in e na ional cou s in he p og essi e a i ma ion o a igh s-based
app oach in en i onmen al ma e s
3
and he cons uc ion o a mo e e hical ecological
go e nance.
2. Making C edible a “Solida is ic” Dimension Behind he In e na ional Legal
Sys em in En i onmen al Ma e s
As an icipa ed, he de ini ion o solida i y in con empo a y dic iona ies speaks o a
ela ion among indi iduals belonging o a communi y o in e es s, bu also mu ual suppo
wi hin a g oup
4
. In mo e s ic ly legal e ms, e en in he absence o a uni e sally
ecognized classi ica ion, an in e es ing de ini ion o he p inciple o solida i y in he
in e na ional legal o de can be aced o UN Gene al Assembly Resolu ion 56/151 o 19
Decembe 2001
5
whe e solida i y is de ined as “a undamen al alue, by i ue o which
global challenges mus be managed in a way ha dis ibu es cos s and bu dens ai ly, in
See Repo o he Uni ed Na ions En i onmen P og amme (UNEP), Emissions Gap Repo 2018, o 27
No embe 2018. See also UNEP, Emissions Gap Repo 2021, o 26 Oc obe 2021. This wel h edi ion o
he UNEP Emissions Gap Repo con i ms he indings o he UNFCCC epo . The epo shows ha new
o upda ed NDCs and announced pledges o 2030 ha e only limi ed impac on global emissions and he
emissions gap in 2030, educing p ojec ed 2030 emissions by only 7.5 pe cen , compa ed wi h p e ious
uncondi ional NDCs, whe eas 30 pe cen is needed o limi wa ming o 2°C and 55 pe cen is needed o
1.5°C. I con inued h oughou his cen u y, hey would esul in wa ming o 2.7°C.
3
The analysis aims o expo in he en i onmen al ma e s he app oach adop ed by some schola s in
ansna ional c iminal law and conce ning he ole o he EU judicia y in enhancing he ule o law
especially in i s subs an ial dimension, i.e., he adequa e p o ec ion o human igh s and he S a e’s
compliance wi h i s in e na ional obliga ions o espec , p o ec , and ul il indi idual gua an ees. See A.
ORIOLO, The Rule o Law, T ansna ional C imes, and he Human Righ s-Based App oach in he Eu opean
Union: The Cou o Jus ice as Ul ima e Gua dian o he ‘Good’ Laws, in T. RUSSO, A. ORIOLO, G. DALIA
(eds.), Solida i y and Rule o Law. The New Dimension o EU Secu i y, Be lin, 2023, o hcoming.
4
See he de ini ion o “solida i y” p o ided by Ox o d English Dic iona y
(h ps://www.oed.com/ iew/En y/184237? skey=GpylL & esul =1&isAd anced= alse#eid) o Collins
Dic iona y (h ps://www.collinsdic iona y.com/dic iona y/english/solida i y).
5
Uni ed Na ions Gene al Assembly Resolu ion 56/151, P omo ion o a democ a ic and equi able
in e na ional o de , o 19 Decembe 2001, A/RES 56/151.
En i onmen al Solida i y in he A ea o F eedom, Secu i y and Jus ice
268
acco dance wi h basic p inciples o equi y and social jus ice, and ensu es ha hose who
su e o [who] bene i he leas ecei e help om hose who bene i he mos ”
6
.
Acco ding o some schola s, he key elemen s o he concep a e: i) he p esence o a
sys em o common goals and alues sha ed be ween all he membe s o a gi en
in e dependen communi y, such as he in e na ional communi y; ii) a o m o help gi en
by some ac o s o o he ac o s wi hou expec a ions o ecip oci y, no necessa ily limi ed
o he con ex o a S a e- o-S a e (ho izon al) ela ionship, bu also as help p o ided by
one o mo e S a es o he popula ion o he S a e ( e ical ela ionship); iii) a clea ly
iden i iable ela ion be ween p o ide s and bene icia ies
7
.
While coope a ion, mu ual assis ance, and solida i y do no en i ely o e lap, he la e
seems o ope a e as a ele an alue ha pe mea es he in e na ional legal sys em in
en i onmen al ma e s.
A e all, i ’s a he memo y o he egocen ic na u e o in e na ional en i onmen al
law, conce ned only wi h p ese ing he S a e e i o y om en i onmen al damage
caused by ano he membe o he in e na ional communi y
8
, quickly shi ed owa ds “an
al uis ic app oach [...] based on a coope a i e will o all he pa ies in achie ing new
common objec i es o p ese e he en i onmen ”
9
. This pe spec i e has i s ounda ions
in many in e na ional en i onmen al ins umen s. Conside , o example, P inciple 7 o
he Rio Decla a ion on En i onmen and De elopmen o 1992
10
a i ming: “S a es shall
coope a e in a spi i o global pa ne ship o conse e, p o ec and es o e he heal h and
in eg i y o he Ea h’s ecosys em”. The solida i y pe spec i e also unde lies he ca dinal
p inciple o in e na ional en i onmen al law conce ning common bu di e en ia ed
esponsibili ies – ensh ined in P inciple 7 o he Rio Decla a ion bu also in he
F amewo k Con en ion on Clima e Change
11
(P eamble and A s. 3-4) as much as in he
Pa is Ag eemen
12
(P eamble and A s. 2-4) – acco ding o which all coun ies a e
esponsible o he de elopmen o he global socie y, al hough each wi h a di e en se
o capabili ies ha hey can con ibu e o his p ojec .
Indeed, an impo an s ep o wa d in he e olu ion o en i onmen al p o ec ion was
made a he Uni ed Na ions Con e ence on En i onmen and De elopmen (UNCED) in
6
I i, pa a. 3( ).
7
D. CAMPANELLI, Solida i y, P inciple o , in Max Planck Encyclopedia o Public In e na ional Law, 2011,
a ailable a h ps://opil.ouplaw.com/ iew/10.1093/law:epil/9780199231690/law-9780199231690-
e2072? skey=bgIR J& esul =3&p d=MPIL.
8
K. LIFTIN, So e eign y in Wo ld Ecopoli ics, in Me shon In e na ional S udies Re iew, 1997, n. 41(2), pp.
167-175.
9
F. GAUDIOSI, The P inciple o Solida i y in In e na ional En i onmen al Law: The Mul ile el Go e nance
Role in The Pos -Pandemic E a, in Cammino Di i o, 2021, n. 3, pp. 1-18, p. 8.
10
Rio Decla a ion on En i onmen and De elopmen , p oclaimed a The Uni ed Na ions Con e ence on
En i onmen and De elopmen (UNCED) o 1992, adop ed a i s 19 h plena y mee ing, on 14 June 1992,
A/CONF.151/26/Re .l (Vol. I).
11
Uni ed Na ions F amewo k Con en ion on Clima e Change (UNFCCC) (New Yo k, 9 May 1992),
adop ed by he In e go e nmen al Nego ia ing Commi ee o a F amewo k Con en ion on Clima e
Change, du ing i s Fi h session, second pa , en e ed in o o ce 21 Ma ch 1994.
12
Pa is Ag eemen (Pa is, 12 Decembe 2015), adop ed a he wen y- i s session o he Con e ence o he
Pa ies o he Uni ed Na ions F amewo k Con en ion on Clima e Change, en e ed in o o ce on 4 No embe
2016.
Emanuele Vanna a
269
1992
13
, namely “sus ainable de elopmen ”, a ue achie emen o he Ea h Summi . Wi h
he 1987 B und land Repo and he Rio Con e ence, he mul idimensional na u e o his
concep (en i onmen al, economic, and social) embodied he new (coope a i e)
pe spec i e acco ding o which S a e ac ion o p og ess needs o ake in o accoun he
epe cussions on he whole in e na ional communi y, he common ecosys em, and abo e
all, he in e es s o u u e gene a ions. In ac , sus ainable de elopmen in in e na ional
law is de ined as “[ he] de elopmen ha mee s he needs o he p esen wi hou
comp omising he abili y o u u e gene a ions o mee hei own needs”
14
. This exp esses
a “solida is ic” iew whe e “ he ac ion o he single s a e de e mines collec i e bene i s
no only wi h ega d o he p o ec ion o he en i onmen and he enhancemen o a new,
mo e sus ainable economic sys em, bu also h ough a solida is ic dimension ha
enhances he in e es owa ds he u u e gene a ions”
15
.
The e o e, e e y hing would seem o o bi a ound a “communi y o in e es s” in a
con ex o meaning ul coope a ion and mu ual assis ance, going well beyond he mu ual
obliga ion o S a es ypical o he “con ac ual” na u e o in e na ional ela ions a he
o igin o in e na ional law
16
. In ac – as ecalled also by eminen schola s – “In e na ional
En i onmen al Law, as in insically speci ic law, equi es “new” me hods o in e na ional
coope a ion and new kinds o legal and non-legal ules which, by o e coming he
classical hie a chy o he sou ces o In e na ional Law, ind in he ecou se o ac s o so
law he ins umen o be p e e ed”
17
. Ne e heless, i mus also be emembe ed ha –
abo e all in he ield o clima e change whe e hus a a poin o no e u n is so close –
he global in e es in o a apid egula ion and a quickly en i onmen al ac ion is absolu ely
in con as wi h he slow o ma ion and en o cemen o in e na ional law h ough non-
binding no ms
18
.
13
Uni ed Na ions Con e ence on En i onmen and De elopmen (UNCED), also known as he “Ea h
Summi ”, held in Rio de Janei o, B azil, om 3-14 June 1992, A/RES/43/196.
14
Repo o he Uni ed Na ions Wo ld Commission on En i onmen and De elopmen , o 4 Augus 1987,
A/42/427, Chap e 2, pa a. 1.
15
F. GAUDIOSI, The P inciple o Solida i y in In e na ional En i onmen al Law: The Mul ile el
Go e nance Role in The Pos -Pandemic E a, ci ., p. 9. In ela ion o clima e change, i is use ul o conside
he concep o “common conce n o humankind”, embodied in he P eamble o he UNFCCC, which
acknowledges ha “change in he Ea h’s clima e and i s ad e se e ec s a e a common conce n o
humankind”, a i ming he human igh s dimension o en i onmen al p o ec ion. The common conce n o
humankind is a ace o “common in e es ”, which may induce no ma i e de elopmen in ela ion o issues
o common in e es and, in pa icula , may cons i u e – acco ding o Bellinkx, Casalin, T kelli, Schol z
and Vandenhole – a sui able basis o he ex a e i o ial human igh s obliga ions o s a es. See V.
BELLINKX, D. CASALIN, G. ERDEM TÜRKELLI, W. SCHOLTZ, W. VANDENHOLE, Add essing Clima e Change
h ough In e na ional Human Righ s Law: F om (Ex a)Te i o iali y o Common Conce n o Humankind,
in T ansna ional En i onmen al Law, 2022, n. 11(1), pp. 69-93.
16
U. LEANZA, I. CARACCIOLO (eds.), Il Di i o in e nazionale: Di i o pe gli S a i e Di i o pe gli indi idui,
Pa e gene ale, To ino, 2021, p. 68.
17
A. DI STASI, The No ma i e Fo ce o he Ou come Documen “The Fu u e We Wan ”: B ie Rema ks, in
M. FITZMAURICE, S. MALJEAN-DUBOIS, S. NEGRI (eds.), En i onmen al P o ec ion and Sus ainable
De elopmen om Rio o Rio+20, Leiden, 2014, pp. 9-26, p. 12.
18
Ibid.
En i onmen al Solida i y in he A ea o F eedom, Secu i y and Jus ice
270
3. En i onmen al Solida i y in EU. A Ma e o P inciples-Values in he A ea o
F eedom, Secu i y and Jus ice
The EU does no escape om his ecip oci y-based app oach mind ul o he ideas o
solida i y and peace ul coope a ion unde pinning he cons uc ion o Eu opean
in eg a ion since i s i s b ea h
19
.
In he EU sys em, solida i y is undoub edly a ounding alue – ensh ined in A . 2 o
he T ea y on Eu opean Union (TEU), angible in many p o isions in he EU T ea ies as
well as in he Cha e o Fundamen al Righ s o he EU (CFREU)
20
– whose pos -Lisbon
legal cons uc ion highligh s a leas a h ee-dimensional unde s anding ha includes
ho izon al solida i y (a aining in e -s a e ela ions) and a e ical elemen ( aking in o
accoun he ole o indi iduals), bu also an in e -gene a ional dimension (in he
pe spec i e o e lec he esponsibili y owa ds u u e gene a ions).
Nex o espec o human digni y, eedom, democ acy, equali y, espec o human
igh s and ule o law, solida i y o ms pa o he Eu opean cons i u ional he i age, also
unde pinning he c ea ion and consolida ion o he A ea o F eedom, Secu i y and Jus ice
(AFSJ)
21
. O iginally closely linked o he ealiza ion o he single ma ke , he AFSJ
ensu es EU ci izens no only he igh o mo e eely ( he absence o in e nal bo de
con ols in he Schengen a ea), bu also a high le el o secu i y and access o jus ice, as
19
A. SANGIOVANNI, Solida i y in he Eu opean Union, in Ox o d Jou nal o Legal S udies, 2013, n. 33(2),
pp. 213-241. See also A.J. Menendez, (2003) The Sinews o Peace. Righ s o Solida i y in he Cha e o
Fundamen al Righ s o he Eu opean Union, in Ra io Ju is, 2003, n. 16(3), pp. 374-398, p. 374; C.
BARNARD, EU Ci izenship and he P inciple o Solida i y. In E. SPAVENTA, M. DOUGAN (eds.), Social
Wel a e and EU Law, Ox o d, 2005, pp. 157-180.
20
A . 2, TEU: “The Union is ounded on he alues o espec o human digni y, eedom, democ acy,
equali y, he ule o law and espec o human igh s, including he igh s o pe sons belonging o
mino i ies. These alues a e common o he Membe S a es in a socie y in which plu alism, non-
disc imina ion, ole ance, jus ice, solida i y and equali y be ween women and men p e ail”; u he mo e,
o example, A s. 1, pa a. 3, 3, pa a. 3, 24, pa as. 2 and 3, 31, pa a. 1 TEU. P eamble o he CFREU: “(...)
Conscious o i s spi i ual and mo al he i age, he Union is ounded on he indi isible, uni e sal alues o
human digni y, eedom, equali y and solida i y; i is based on he p inciples o democ acy and he ule o
law. I places he indi idual a he hea o i s ac i i ies, by es ablishing he ci izenship o he Union and by
c ea ing an a ea o eedom, secu i y and jus ice (...)”. The Cha e con ains also an en i e “Solida i y”
chap e (Chap e IV, A s. 27–38).
Fo an o e iew o such deba e, see F. MARTINES, Solida i y in he EU. Beyond EU ea y p o isions on
solida i y, in L. PASQUALI (ed.), Solida i y in In e na ional Law. Challenges, Oppo uni ies and The Role
o Regional O ganiza ions, Abingdon-New Yo k-To ino, 2022, pp. 165-190; G. MORGESE, Il “ a icoso”
pe co so della solida ie à nell’Unione eu opea, in I pos di AISDUE, Sezione “A i con egni ASIDUE”,
2021, n. 6, pp. 85-127; J. WOUTERS, Re isi ing A icle 2 o he TEU: A T ue Union o Values?, in Eu opean
Pape s, n. 1, 2020, pp. 255-277; A. BIONDI, E. DAGILYTÈ, E. KÜÇÜK (eds.), Solida i y in EU law: Legal
P inciple in he Making, Chel enham-No hamp on, 2018; A. GRIMMEL, S. MY GIANG (eds.), Solida i y in
he Eu opean Union: A Fundamen al Value in C isis, Sp inge , 2017; T. RUSSO, La solida ie à come alo e
ondamen ale dell'Unione eu opea: p ospe i e e p oblema iche, in E. TRIGGIANI, F. CHERUBINI, I.
INGRAVALLO, E. NALIN, R. VIRZO (a cu a di), Dialoghi con Ugo Villani, Ba i, 2017, pp. 667-672.
21
See A. DI STASI, L.S. ROSSI (a cu a di), Lo Spazio di Libe à Sicu ezza e Gius izia a en ’anni dal
Consiglio eu opeo di Tampe e, Napoli, 2020; A. DI STASI, Il pe ezionamen o dello spazio eu opeo di
libe à, sicu ezza e gius izia: a anzamen i e c i ici à, in A. DI STASI (a cu a di), Tu ela dei di i i
ondamen ali e spazio eu opeo di gius izia. L’applicazione giu isp udenziale del Ti olo VI della Ca a,
Napoli, 2019, pp. 103-147.
Emanuele Vanna a
277
and i s na u al esou ces
49
. Thus, conce n o he needs o u u e gene a ions alls in o he
ca ego y o wha is some imes e med in e gene a ional solida i y, ha is widely
unde s ood as “social cohesion be ween gene a ions”
50
, whe e humani y as a whole o ms
an in e gene a ional communi y in which all membe s (gene a ions) espec and ca e o
each o he , ul illing he common goal o he su i al o humankind.
As Edi h B own Weiss no ed, ha dly any o he ield o in e na ional law has
de eloped wi h such speed and in such olume as in e na ional en i onmen al law
51
and
he in e na ional legal o de go e ning he en i onmen acing an uphill ba le in
e ec i ely coun e ing he main en i onmen al challenges o ou ime
52
. Despi e his,
s eng hening he ule o law is c ucial o p o ec ing he en i onmen al, social, and
cul u al alues, and o achie ing ecologically sus ainable de elopmen . As he
In e na ional Union o Conse a ion o Na u e Wo ld Decla a ion on he En i onmen al
Rule o Law
53
s a es, “wi hou he en i onmen al ule o law and he en o cemen o legal
igh s and obliga ions, en i onmen al go e nance, conse a ion, and p o ec ion may be
a bi a y, subjec i e, and unp edic able”
54
. In his pe spec i e, he en i onmen al ule o
law should se e as he legal ounda ion o p omo ing en i onmen al e hics and
49
See E. BROWN WEISS, In e gene a ional Equi y, in Max Planck Encyclopedias o In e na ional Law,
2021, a ailable a h ps://opil.ouplaw.com/ iew/10.1093/law:epil/9780199231690/law-9780199231690-
e1421?p d=MPIL. Mo e ela ed o sus ainable de elopmen , he p inciple o equi y is cen al. Acco ding
o P inciple 2.1 o he In e na ional Law Associa ion (ILA) Resolu ion 2002/3, New Delhi Decla a ion o
P inciples o In e na ional Law Rela ing o Sus ainable De elopmen , 2022 “i e e s o bo h in e -
gene a ional equi y ( he igh o u u e gene a ions o enjoy a ai le el o he common pa imony) and in a-
gene a ional equi y ( he igh o all peoples wi hin he cu en gene a ion)” and “is cen al o he a ainmen
o sus ainable de elopmen ”. On he g ound o he heo y o in e -gene a ional equi y, i is qui e in e es ing
he sepa a e opinion exp essed by Judge Cancado T ingade in he case o Whaling in he An a c ic
(In e na ional Cou o Jus ice, Judgmen o 31 Ma ch 2014, Aus alia . Japan: New Zealand in e ening),
whe e he unde lined – as a cen al poin o he heo y, ecalling he “Goa Guidelines on In e gene a ional
Equi y” (adop ed on 15 Feb ua y 1988 by The Ad iso y Commi ee, composed o P o esso s om dis inc
con inen s, me in Goa, India, o he Uni ed Na ions Uni e si y on a p ojec on he ma e ) – ha he igh
o each gene a ion o bene i om his na u al and cul u al he i age is insepa ably coupled wi h he
obliga ion o use his he i age in such a manne ha i can be passed on o u u e gene a ions in no wo se
condi ion ha i was ecei ed om pas gene a ions, so as o p o ide an inno a i e esponse o ising and
g owing conce ns o e he deple ion o na u al esou ces and he deg ada ion o en i onmen al quali y and
he ecogni ion o he need o conse e he na u al and cul u al he i age (a all le els, na ional, egional and
in e na ional; and go e nmen al as well as non-go e nmen al).
50
See R. KATZ, A. LOWENSTEIN, J. PHILLIPS, S. OLAV DAATLAND, Theo izing In e gene a ional Family
Rela ions: Solida i y, Con lic , And Ambi alence in C oss-Na ional Con ex s, in V.L. BENGTSON, A.C.
ACOCK, K.R. ALLEN, P. DILWORTH-ANDERSON, D.M. KLEIN (eds.), Sou cebook o Family Theo y and
Resea ch, Thousand Oaks, 2005, pp. 393-421; R.E.L. ROBERTS, L.N. RICHARDS, V.L. BENGTSON,
In e gene a ional Solida i y in Families: Un angling he Ties ha Bind, in Ma iage and Family Re iew,
2009, n. 16(1-2), pp. 11-46; V.L. BENGTSON, E. OLANDER E. HADDAD, The “Gene a ion Gap” and Aging
Family Membe s: Towa d a Concep ual Model, in J.F. GUBRIUM (ed.), Time, Roles, and Sel in Old Age,
1976.
51
E. BROWN WEISS, The E olu ion o In e na ional En i onmen al Law, in Japanese Yea book o
In e na ional Law, 2011, n. 54, pp. 1-27.
52
A. KREILHUBER, A. KARIUKI, En i onmen al Rule o Law in he Con ex o Sus ainable De elopmen ,
ci ., p. 593.
53
In e na ional Union o Conse a ion o Na u e (IUCN), IUCN Wo ld Decla a ion on he En i onmen al
Rule o Law, IUCN Wo ld Cong ess on En i onmen al Law, ha ing me in Rio de Janei o (B azil) om
26 o 29 Ap il 2016.
54
IUCN Wo ld Decla a ion on he En i onmen al Rule o Law, p. 2.
En i onmen al Solida i y in he A ea o F eedom, Secu i y and Jus ice
278
achie ing en i onmen al jus ice, global ecological in eg i y, and a sus ainable u u e o
all, including o u u e gene a ions, a link ha binds c i ical en i onmen al needs wi h
he essen ial elemen s o he ule o law, p o iding he basis o e o ming en i onmen al
go e nance
55
.
In Feb ua y 2013, he Uni ed Na ions En i onmen P og am Go e ning Council
adop ed Decision 27/9
56
o suppo na ional go e nmen s in de eloping and implemen ing
he en i onmen al ule o law o mu ually suppo go e nance ea u es, including
in o ma ion disclosu e, public pa icipa ion, implemen able and en o ceable laws,
implemen a ion and accoun abili y mechanisms including coo dina ion o oles,
en i onmen al audi ing, and c iminal, ci il and adminis a i e en o cemen . In pa icula ,
as K eilhube and Ka iuki no ed, he Decision highligh s he ac ha he law, coupled
wi h s ong implemen ing ins i u ions, is essen ial o socie ies o espond o inc easing
en i onmen al p essu e in a way ha espec s he undamen al igh s and p inciples o
ai ness, including o u u e gene a ions
57
.
In ac , acco ding o hese au ho s, one o he key cha ac e is ics o he en i onmen al
ule o law is in e gene a ional equi y as he ounda ion o sus ainable de elopmen
58
,
s ongly linked o he solida y a ionale o he concep o sus ainable de elopmen
59
. E en
i s ill con o e sial as o whe he he p inciple o in e gene a ional equi y also con eys
igh s, as Weiss s essed, in e gene a ional igh s could be iewed as pa o in e na ional
human igh s law a guably encompassed in he speci ic igh s gua an eed in pa icula
ins umen s in he absence o explici e e ences o he igh s o u u e gene a ions in
in e na ional human igh s ag eemen s
60
. Recognizing u u e gene a ions as human igh s
holde s would be a s ep owa ds sus ainabili y, in a way ha he igh s o u u e
gene a ions become e ec i e. Hence, he en o cemen o hese igh s “mus be ounded
on he elemen s o en i onmen al ule o law”
61
.
In he EU sys em, in a- and in e gene a ional equi y can be unde s ood as policy
p inciples in line wi h sus ainable de elopmen – as a goal o be a ained – oge he wi h,
in e alia, he p omo ion and p o ec ion o undamen al igh s and he in ol emen o
ci izens
62
.
55
Ibid.
56
Go e ning Council o he Uni ed Na ions En i onmen P og amme Decision 27/9 ad ancing jus ice,
go e nance and law o en i onmen al sus ainabili y, adop ed by he Go e ning Council a i s wen y-
se en h and i s uni e sal session, Nai obi, om 18 o 22 Feb ua y 2013.
57
A. KREILHUBER, A. KARIUKI, En i onmen al Rule o Law in he Con ex o Sus ainable De elopmen ,
ci ., p. 593.
58
I i, p. 595.
59
M.C. CORDONIER SEGGER, Sus ainable De elopmen in In e na ional Law, in H.C. BUGGE, C. VOIGT
(eds.), Sus ainable De elopmen in In e na ional and Na ional Law: Wha Did he B und land Repo Do
o Legal Thinking and Legal De elopmen , and Whe e Can We Go om He e?, 2008, p. 168; D. FRENCH,
In e na ional law and Policy o Sus ainable De elopmen , Manches e , 2005, p. 29.
60
E. BROWN WEISS, In e gene a ional Equi y, ci .
61
A. KREILHUBER, A. KARIUKI, En i onmen al Rule o Law in he Con ex o Sus ainable De elopmen ,
ci ., p. 595.
62
See 2005 EU Guiding P inciples o Sus ainable De elopmen . See also M. KENIG-WITKOWSKA, The
Concep o Sus ainable De elopmen in he Eu opean Union Policy and Law, in Jou nal o Compa a i e
U ban Law and Policy, 2017, n. 1, pp. 64-80.
Emanuele Vanna a
279
A e all, despi e i s inclusion in ea ies (A . 3, pa a. 3 TEU; A . 37 CFREU),
implemen ed in he so-called in eg a ion p inciple, he EU concep o sus ainable
de elopmen indica es, in he p ac ical ou come o he p inciple, “i s ope a ional na u e
in he o m o a goal o achie e, en e ed in o he gene al ea y goals o he Eu opean
Union in ela ion o Eu ope and Ea h (...), among many o he goals o an economic
na u e”
63
. In essence, EU en i onmen al law and policy e lec a gene al no ion o conce n
o he in e es s o u u e gene a ions ha lacks speci ici y as well as no ma i e powe
64
.
As al eady men ioned, he EU has commi ed o achie ing clima e neu ali y by 2050:
an objec i e ha will equi e a ans o ma ion (cos -e ec i e and socially balanced) o
Eu ope’s socie y and economy.
Wi hou e icien legal ins umen s o en o cemen , he New G een Deal impac is
comp omised.
An en i onmen al ule o law appea s o be cen al o sus ainable de elopmen also
in he EU and may highligh clima e sus ainabili y, e lec uni e sal mo al alues and
e hical no ms o beha iou , and p o ide a ounda ion o en i onmen al igh s and
obliga ions.
A posi i e end seems o be he posi ions assumed in he applica ion o
in e gene a ional igh s by a la ge numbe o na ional and in e na ional cou s ac oss he
wo ld add essing clima e change issues.
No longe can be igno ed he ac ha clima e change is an “inhe en ly
in e gene a ional p oblem”
65
, no he e y eal implica ions o equi y be ween his and
u u e gene a ions and among communi ies now and in he u u e. No longe can we
igno e he call o measu es o igh clima e change, p e en o mi iga e damage om
clima e change, and measu es o assis coun ies in adap ing o clima e change. No longe
can we igno e he ac ha he wellbeing o u u e gene a ions depends on he ac ions ha
we ake oday, no omo ow.
In acing he signi ican challenges ha clima e change poses – pe mea ing na ional
bounda ies and “whe e he sou ces o he p oblem (...) a e so many and so b oad, equi ing
ac ions ha ouch upon i ually e e y aspec o human endea ou and ac ion”
66
– he
judge’s ole on clima e change has e ol ed, and na ional and in e na ional cou s ha e
s a ed ac ing.
63
I i, p. 65.
64
L.M. COLLINS, En i onmen al Righ s o he Fu u e: In e gene a ional Equi y in he EU, in Re iew o
Eu opean Communi y and In e na ional En i onmen al Law, 2007, n. 16, pp. 321-331.
65
E. BROWN WEISS, Clima e Change, In e gene a ional Equi y, and In e na ional Law, in Ve mon Jou nal
o En i onmen al Law, 2008, n. 9, pp. 615-627.
66
P. SANDS, Clima e Change and he Rule o Law: Adjudica ing he Fu u e in In e na ional Law, in Jou nal
o En i onmen al Law, 2016, n. 1, pp. 19-35, p. 23.
En i onmen al Solida i y in he A ea o F eedom, Secu i y and Jus ice
280
5. Clima e Change Li iga ion and EU Jus ice. The “S anding” Wall: Wai ing o he
Fall?
The no ion o clima e jus ice has eme ged as a way o encapsula ing he equi y
aspec s o clima e change, building a pla o m o equi able de elopmen , human igh s,
and poli ical oice. Human igh s play a c ucial ole in ca alysing ac ion o add ess clima e
change, ecognizing i s impac on a wide ange o human igh s, and he disp opo ionali y
wi h which clima e b eakdown a ec s people.
Pu suan o in e na ional human igh s-based app oach (HRBA), S a es ha e bo h
subs an i e and p ocedu al obliga ions no only o p o ec human igh s om
en i onmen al ha m bu also o ul il hei in e na ional commi men s.
Many yea s ago, Judge Tesau o s a ed ha a igh is no such i i does no ind
adequa e and e ec i e p o ec ion
67
. Tha assump ion is pa icula ly ue in espec o he
dual pe spec i e o access o in o ma ion and judicial p o ec ion
68
.
Any igh isks losing meaning when a o dable and imely access o jus ice is no
g an ed, people a e unable o ha e hei oices hea d, exe cise hei igh s, challenge
disc imina ion, o hold decision-make s accoun able.
The ecen lou ishing o clima e change li iga ion – bo h a he in e na ional and
na ional le el – subs an ia es he posi i e inclina ion owa d he e ec i eness o
egula o y aspi a ions ha s uggle o ind a ai and clea pa hway.
Ne e heless, he HRBA is p og essi ely a i ming, b inging en i onmen al
p o ec ion wi hin he b oade human igh s amewo k, esul ing in he EC HR’s indings
on en i onmen al dimensions o he igh o li e, heal h, p i acy, ood, housing, p ope y,
and non-disc imina ion, con ibu ing decisi ely – a leas in he Eu opean egional con ex
– o he “ igh o he en i onmen ”, an e olu iona y and in e p e a i e app oach known
as he “g eening o human igh s”
69
. While i is clea ha he e ec s o clima e change
67
G. TESAURO, The E ec i eness o Judicial P o ec ion and Coope a ion Be ween he Cou o Jus ice and
Na ional Cou s, in Yea book o Eu opean Union Law, 1993, n. 1, pp. 1-17, p. 1.
68
F. FERRARO, L’e oluzione della poli ica ambien ale dell’Unione: e e o B uxelles, nuo i obie i i e
ecchi limi i, in Con egni Annuali e In e inali AISDUE, 2022, p. 188, a ailable a
h ps://www.aisdue.eu/ abio- e a o-le oluzione-della-poli ica-ambien ale-dellunione-e e o-b uxelles-
nuo i-obie i i-e- ecchi-limi i/.
69
He e we wan o immedia ely unde line he dynamic app oach – h ough he equen ecou se o
ex ensi e in e p e a ions o he exis ing egula o y bases – which cha ac e izes he Eu opean Con en ion
o Human Righ s (ECHR) o 1950 as a “li ing ins umen ” capable o adap ing o he needs o a social,
cul u al and legal eali y in cons an e olu ion. See A. DI STASI, La Con enzione eu opea dei di i i umani:
l’e e i i à di un unicum a 70 anni dalla sua i ma, in his Jou nal, 2020, n. 3, pp. 1-9. On en i onmen al
amewo k, see N. SADELEER, En o cing EUCHR P inciples and Fundamen al Righ s in En i onmen al
Cases, in No dic Jou nal o In e na ional Law, 2012, n. 81, pp. 39-74; A. BOYLE, Human Righ s o
En i onmen al Righ s? A Reassessmen , in Fo dham En i onmen al Law Re iew, 2006, n. 18(3), pp. 471-
511. See also, ex mul is, Eu opean Cou o Human Righ s, Fi s Sec ion, Judgmen o 24 Janua y 2019,
applica ion nos. 54414/13 and 54264/15, Co della and o he s I aly; Eu opean Cou o Human Righ s ,
G and Chambe , Judgmen o 28 Sep embe 2010, applica ion no. 12050/04, Mangou as Spain; Eu opean
Cou o Human Righ s, Thi d Sec ion, Judgmen o 7 Ap il 2009, applica ion no. 6586/03, B anduse
Romania; Eu opean Cou o Human Righ s, Thi d Sec ion, Judgmen o 27 Janua y 2009, applica ion no.
Emanuele Vanna a
281
hinde he ull enjoymen o human igh s – bo h ci il and poli ical (e.g., igh o li e and
p ope y), economic, social, and cul u al igh s (e.g., adequa e s anda d o li ing, he
highes possible s anda d o heal h), hi d-gene a ion igh s (e.g., o a heal hy
en i onmen ) – his pa h is by no means wi hou di icul ies (e.g., he “ e i o iali y” o
human igh s, he exis ence (o no ?) o “collec i e obliga ions”, he excessi e expansion
o new igh s, he iden i ica ion o ic i ious holde s o igh s), and p ocedu al (e.g., p oo
o he quali y o ic im)
70
. Mo eo e , in e na ional cou s and ibunals o limi ed
ju isdic ion (such as he ECJ) may add ess – and in some cases al eady ha e add essed –
he issue o clima e change wi hin a “limi ed p ism”
71
, while in e na ional cou s and
ibunals o mo e gene al ju isdic ion – such as he In e na ional Cou o Jus ice o he
In e na ional T ibunal o he Law o he Sea – may apply ea ies bu also cus oma y law,
uling (in con en ious o ad iso y cases) on he esponsibili y o S a es o con ibu ing o
clima e change o o ailing o add ess hei clima e change obliga ions
72
.
As no ed, an impo an elemen o he en i onmen al ule o law is public
pa icipa ion in decision-making, and access o jus ice and in o ma ion, in acco dance
wi h P inciple 10 o he Rio Decla a ion as well as A s. 4-6-7-9 o he Con en ion on
Access o In o ma ion, Ci izen Pa icipa ion and Access o Jus ice in En i onmen al
Ma e s o 1998 (Aa hus Con en ion)
73
. Al hough he ECJ has add essed (limi ed)
67021/01, Ta a and Ta a Romania; Eu opean Cou o Human Righ s, Fou h Sec ion, Judgmen o 11
Decembe 2007, applica ion no. 62040/00, Kozubek Poland; Eu opean Cou o Human Righ s, Fi s
Sec ion, Judgmen o 9 June 2006, applica ion no. 55723/00, Fadeye a Russia; Eu opean Cou o Human
Righ s, Fou h Sec ion, Judgmen o 5 July 2005, applica ion no. 39737/98, Aa niosalo and o he s
Finland; Eu opean Cou o Human Righ s, Judgmen o 30 No embe 2004, applica ion no. 48939/99,
Öne yildiz Tu key; Eu opean Cou o Human Righ s, Judgemen o 12 Decembe 2000, applica ion no.
50924/99, Bahia No a S.A. Spain; Eu opean Cou o Human Righ s, Chambe , Judgemen o 9 Decembe
1994, applica ion no. 16798/90, López Os a Spain; Eu opean Cou o Human Righ s, Chambe ,
Judgmen 23 Feb ua y 1994, applica ion no. 18928/91, F edin Sweden.
70
A. NOLLKAEMPER, A. REINISCH, R. JANIK, F. SIMLINGER (eds.), In e na ional Law in Domes ic Cou s.
Ox o d, 2019; E.A. POSNER, Clima e Change and In e na ional Human Righ s Li iga ion, in Uni e si y o
Pennsyl ania Law Re iew, 2006, n. 155, pp. 1925-1927.
71
P. SANDS, Clima e Change and he Rule o Law: Adjudica ing he Fu u e in In e na ional Law, ci ., p.
24.
72
P. SANDS, Clima e Change and he Rule o Law: Adjudica ing he Fu u e in In e na ional Law, ci ., p.
25. I is also ue ha schola s (and judges) ha e also in e p e ed human igh s ea ies as obliga ing s a es
o mi iga e clima e change by limi ing hei g eenhouse gas emissions, an a gumen ins umen al o he
de elopmen o clima e li iga ion. See B. MAYER, Clima e Change Mi iga ion as an Obliga ion unde
Human Righ s T ea ies?, in Ame ican Jou nal o In e na ional Law, 2021, n. 3, pp. 409-451; M.
WEWERINKE-SINGH, S a e Responsibili y o Human Righ s Viola ions Associa ed wi h Clima e Change, in
S. DUYCK, S. JODOIN, A. JOHL (eds.), Rou ledge Handbook o Human Righ s and Clima e Go e nance,
Abingdon-New Yo k, 2018, pp. 75-89.
73
Con en ion on Access o In o ma ion, Public Pa icipa ion in Decision-Making and Access o Jus ice in
En i onmen al Ma e s, done a Aa hus, Denma k, signed in 1998 and en e ed in o o ce in 2001. The
Con en ion was app o ed by he Eu opean Union by Council Decision 2005/370/EC, on he conclusion,
on behal o he Eu opean Communi y, o he Con en ion on access o in o ma ion, public pa icipa ion in
decision-making and access o jus ice in en i onmen al ma e s, o 17 Feb ua y 2005, OJ L 124, 17 May
2005, pp.1-3. The Eu opean Pa liamen and Council hen adop ed Regula ion (EC) No. 1367/2006, on he
applica ion o he p o isions o he Aa hus Con en ion on Access o In o ma ion, Public Pa icipa ion in
Decision-making and Access o Jus ice in En i onmen al Ma e s o Communi y ins i u ions and bodies, o
6 Sep embe 2006, OJ L 264, 25 Sep embe 2006, pp. 13-19.
En i onmen al Solida i y in he A ea o F eedom, Secu i y and Jus ice
282
clima e change issues, di icul ies emain in e ec i ely accessing jus ice in he EU in
en i onmen al ma e s, especially wi h ega d o na u al o legal pe sons asse ing hei
legal s anding be o e he Cou .
A global end in clima e li iga ion is ha applican s a e no longe only en i onmen al
associa ions ope a ing wi hin a S a e o ecognized by he S a e agains which hey in end
o ac , bu also indi iduals denouncing di ec and conc e e o enses o hei li es and hei
ex ension.
The Luxembou g Cou has al eady dismissed se e al cases in he ield o clima e
change – whe e he applican s s i e o be e EU legisla ion ega ding clima e change
also complaining he iola ion o human igh s – h ough he se e e applica ion o he
locus s andi pu suan o A . 263, pa a. 4 o he T ea y on he Func ioning o he Eu opean
Union (TFEU)
74
, as in e p e ed seamlessly since he Plaumann judgmen
75
.
The Cou o Jus ice he e o e seems o ake he posi ion o clea ly ejec ing a e ision
o he Plaumann es , p e en ing indi iduals om seeking e iews o he pe o mance o
S a es and ins i u ions on ac s o measu es adop ed, e en when human igh s a e iola ed.
While he posi ion o he ECJ is pa ially jus i ied by a ision o he EU as a “comple e
sys em o legal emedies and p ocedu es”
76
based on he combina ion o A s. 263 and
267 TFEU, and hence he (decisi e) ole o na ional cou s, elega ing p o ec ion o
exclusi e ecou se o a po en ial e e ence o a p elimina y uling (while he same could
also apply o an in ingemen p ocedu e ex 258 TFEU) could ake he o m o he igh o
access o jus ice ha is only heo e ical o illuso y, a he han p ac ical and e ec i e
77
.
This app oach would seem o be con i med in he posi ion aken wi h ega d o he EU
commi men s made wi h he a i ica ion o he Aa hus Con en ion by he Aa hus
Con en ion Compliance Commi ee (ACCC) es ablished o gua an ee he e ec i eness
o he igh s ecognized he ein. In ac , he 2011 and 2017 epo s
78
would appea o
es ablish a iola ion o he Aa hus Con en ion by he EU, since i would no allow
s anding in cases o an en i onmen al na u e, inso a as nei he he Aa hus Regula ion
no ECJ case-law implemen o con o m wi h he obliga ions o he Con en ion (in
pa icula , wi h e e ence o A . 9, pa as 3 and 4).
74
See Cou o Jus ice, Fou h Chambe , O de o 6 May 2020, Pe e Sabo and O he s Eu opean
Pa liamen and Council o he Eu opean Union, case T-141/19; Cou o Jus ice, Second Chambe , O de
o 8 May 2019, A mando Ca alho and O he s Eu opean Pa liamen and Council o he Eu opean Union,
case T-330/18.
75
Cou o Jus ice, Chambe , Judgmen o 15 July 1963, Plaumann & Co. Commission o he Eu opean
Economic Communi y, case 25/62.
76
Cou o Jus ice, Six h Chambe , Judgmen o 25 Ma ch 2021, A mando Ca alho and O he s Eu opean
Pa liamen and Council o he Eu opean Union, case 565/19 P, pa . 68; Cou o Jus ice, Eigh h Chambe ,
O de o 14 Janua y 2021, Pe e Sabo and O he s Eu opean Pa liamen and Council o he Eu opean
Union, case C-297/20 P, pa . 17.
77
See Opinion o Ad oca e Gene al F. JACOBS, deli e ed on 21 Ma ch 2002, in he case C-50/00 P, Unión
de Pequeños Ag icul o es Council o he Eu opean Union.
78
Findings and ecommenda ions wi h ega d o communica ion ACCC/C/2008/32 (Pa I), conce ning
compliance by he Eu opean Union, o 14 Ap il 2011, ECE/MP.PP/C.1/2011/4/Add.1; Findings and
ecommenda ions o he Compliance Commi ee wi h ega d o communica ion ACCC/C/2008/32 (pa II),
on compliance by he Eu opean Union, o 17 Ma ch 2017, ECE/MP.PP/C.1/2017/7.
Emanuele Vanna a
283
On he o he side, a he na ional le el, se e al cou s ha e been shown no e icence
in ecognizing a su icien legal in e es o b ing a case, o example, on he g ounds o
he “p o ec ion o a sus ainable socie y”
79
o “in e gene a ional esponsibili y”
80
,
admi ing he plain i s – in he la e case – on behal o u u e gene a ions, also hanks
o he in eg a ion o in e gene a ional alues in a cons i u ional dimension
81
. A signi ican
numbe o cases om di e en coun ies ha e ound an in e gene a ional aspec o
cons i u ional igh s, assuming ha u u e gene a ions a e p o ec ed by igh s, ha he
p inciple o in e gene a ional equi y in o ms he in e p e a ion o igh s, and ha
sus ainable de elopmen o mee he needs o u u e gene a ions is a undamen al igh in
i sel
82
. Domes ic legal sys ems, de ining hei own condi ions o s anding, demons a e
a mo e a ou able a i ude o he implemen a ion o human igh s ea ies. Indeed, as
Maye no ed, he absence o iden i iable “ ic ims” “could s ike a a al blow o indi idual
o g oup applica ions be o e egional human igh s cou s and complain s o ea y
bodies”
83
.
The EC HR has admi ed ele an cases in en i onmen al ma e s whe e admissibili y
was limi ed o applican s who we e “di ec ly and se iously a ec ed”
84
o o he wise could
p o e “a easonably o eseeable h ea ” o hei igh s
85
. Howe e , as igh ly no ed, “ he
ele an cases admi ed by he Eu opean Cou o Human Righ s, o ins ance, ypically
79
Dis ic Cou o The Hague, judgmen o 24 June 2015, U genda Founda ion The S a e o he
Ne he lands (Minis y o In as uc u e and he En i onmen , C/09/456689/HA ZA 13-1396.
80
Sup eme Cou o he Philippines, Judgmen o 30 July 1993, Oposa Fac o an, 224 S.C.R.A. 792.
81
See A. KREILHUBER, A. KARIUKI, En i onmen al Rule o Law in he Con ex o Sus ainable De elopmen ,
ci ., p.596; D.R. BOYD, The Implici Cons i u ional Righ o Li e in a Heal hy En i onmen , in Re iew o
Eu opean Communi y and In e na ional En i onmen al Law, 2011, n. 2, pp. 171-179.
A mo e ecen analysis o mode n Cons i u ions allows us o eco d a good ma gin o endency owa ds a
“cons i u ionaliza ion o he en i onmen ”. In he pe spec i e o gi e cons i u ional alue o he p o ec ion
o he en i onmen and he common he i age o human being, see F ench Cons i u ional Cou , judgmen
o 31 Janua y 2020, n. 2019-823QPC. On he in e p e a ion o he cons i u ional igh o heal h as
inco po a ing he igh o li e in a heal hy en i onmen in I aly, see I alian Cons i u ional Cou , Judgmen
o 22 May 1987, n. 210/1987; I alian Cons i u ional Cou , Judgmen o 7 Ma ch 1990, n. 127/1990. In
I aly, e y ecen is he de ini i e app o al o he amendmen o A s. 9 and 41 o he Cons i u ion (P oposal
o Cons i u ional Law No. 3156), wi h which he p inciple o p o ec ing he en i onmen , biodi e si y and
ecosys ems has been in oduced, wi hin he amewo k o he undamen al p inciples se ou in he
Cons i u ion, “also in he in e es o u u e gene a ions”.
An in e es ing o e iew o cases be o e Eu opean na ional cou s can be ound in N. DE SADELEER, G.
ROLLER, M. DROSS, Access o Jus ice in En i onmen al Ma e s. Final Repo , 2002, a ailable a
h ps://ec.eu opa.eu/en i onmen /aa hus/pd /access ojus ice_ inal.pd ; J. EBBESSON (ed.), Access o Jus ice
in En i onmen al Ma e s in he EU, The Hague, 2002.
82
L. SLOBODIAN, De ending he Fu u e: In e gene a ional Equi y in Clima e Li iga ion, in Geo ge own
En i onmen al Law Re iew, 2020, n. 32, pp. 569-589, p. 583.
83
B. MAYER, Clima e Change Mi iga ion as an Obliga ion unde Human Righ s T ea ies?, ci ., p. 422.
84
Eu opean Cou o Human Righ s, Fi s Sec ion), Judgmen o 24 Janua y 2019, applica ion nos.
54414/13 and 54264/15, Co della and o he s I aly; Eu opean Cou o Human Righ s, Thi d Sec ion,
Judgmen o 1 Decembe 2020, applica ion no. 17840/06, Ye geniy Dmi iye Russia, pa a. 32; Eu opean
Cou o Human Righ s, G and Chambe , Judgmen o 8 July 2003, applica ion no. 36022/97, Ha on UK,
pa a. 96.
85
Eu opean Cou o Human Righ s, Judgmen o 29 June 2010, applica ion no. 48629/08, Hube Ca on
and o he s F ance. On he g ound o legi ima ion and condi ions o admissibili y o he ac ions be o e
he EC HR, see widely A. DI STASI, In oduzione alla Con enzione eu opea dei di i i dell’uomo e delle
libe à ondamen ali, III ed., Pado a, 2022.
En i onmen al Solida i y in he A ea o F eedom, Secu i y and Jus ice
284
conce n indi iduals a ec ed by a disas e o di ec ly exposed o a majo local sou ce o
pollu ion, a he han hose exposed o mo e di use en i onmen al ha ms”
86
. Indeed,
demons a ing he quali y o ic im o a human igh s iola ion has p o en o be an
obs acle, since clima e change hinde s he enjoymen o human igh s in a di use way
87
.
Ins ead, he well no ed app oach emb aced by he ECJ led o inadmissibili y ulings,
o ins ance, in he Ca alho and o he s judgmen whe e “ he applican s ha e no
es ablished ha he con es ed p o isions o he legisla i e package in inged hei
undamen al igh s and dis inguished hem indi idually om all o he na u al o legal
pe sons conce ned by hose p o isions jus as in he case o he add essee”
88
. O e all, his
p ocedu al ca ea e eals a conc e e obs acle o human igh s-based clima e li iga ion,
and mo e gene ally, access o jus ice and he ule o law, wi h pa icula ega d o he
“d aconian condi ions”
89
laid down by ECJ se led case-law on he legal s anding o
indi iduals, esul ing in a ulnus o he e ec i eness o hei judicial p o ec ion.
In iew o he excep ionali y o he in e es s a s ake in he ield o clima e jus ice, a
mo e cou ageous posi ion o he ECJ
90
– ein e p e ing he locus s andi equi emen o
“indi idual conce n” o allow s anding in cases o se ious in e e ence wi h human igh s,
86
B. MAYER, Clima e Change Mi iga ion as an Obliga ion unde Human Righ s T ea ies?, ci ., p. 421.
87
Anyway, ecen ly, in Sacchi . A gen ina (Commi ee on he Righ s o he Child, Communica ion o 8
Oc obe 2021 n. CRC/C/88/D/104/2019) he Commi ee on he Righ s o he Child held ha s a es ha e
ex a e i o ial ju isdic ion o e ha ms caused by ca bon emissions, decla ing ha ic ims o ansbounda y
en i onmen al damage, including damage caused by clima e change, we e wi hin he human igh s
ju isdic ion o s a es emi ing g eenhouse gases i he pe i ione s’ ha ms we e caused by he ac o omission
o ha s a e and we e “ easonably o eseeable” consequences o he emissions allowed by hose s a es’
policies. The Commi ee subs an ially ollowed he easoning o he In e -Ame ican Cou o Human Righ s
(IAC HR) in i s Ad iso y Opinion OC-23/17 o 15 No embe 2017, eques ed by he Republic o
Colombia.
88
See Cou o Jus ice, Six h Chambe , O de o 8 May 2019, A mando Ca alho and O he s Eu opean
Pa liamen and Council o he Eu opean Union, case T-330/18. See also Cou o Jus ice, Eigh h Chambe ,
O de o 6 May 2020, Pe e Sabo and O he s Eu opean Pa liamen and Council o he Eu opean Union,
case T-141/19.
89
F. FERRARO, L’e oluzione della poli ica ambien ale dell’Unione: e e o B uxelles, nuo i obie i i e
ecchi limi i, ci ., p. 191.
90
Con i med also in he appeal judgmen s o Ca alho and o he s and Sabo. See Cou o Jus ice (Six h
Chambe , Judgmen o 25 Ma ch 2021, A mando Ca alho and O he s Eu opean Pa liamen and Council
o he Eu opean Union, case 565/19 P; Cou o Jus ice, Eigh h Chambe , O de o 14 Janua y 2021, Pe e
Sabo and O he s Eu opean Pa liamen and Council o he Eu opean Union, case C-297/20. Following
he O de on he appeal o Pe e Sabo ( he same ema ks can be ead, wi h o he s wo ds, in he judgmen
on he appeal o A mando Ca alho), he Cou is clea in e-a i ming ha “while i is ue ha ha
condi ion mus be in e p e ed in he ligh o he p inciple o e ec i e judicial p o ec ion by aking accoun
o he a ious ci cums ances ha may dis inguish an applican indi idually, such an in e p e a ion canno
ha e he e ec o se ing aside ha condi ion, exp essly laid down in he FEU T ea y, wi hou going beyond
he ju isdic ion con e ed by he T ea y on he EU Cou s” (Cou o Jus ice, Eigh h Chambe , O de o 14
Janua y 2021, Pe e Sabo and O he s Eu opean Pa liamen and Council o he Eu opean Union, case C-
297/20, pa a. 32). A he same ime, he Cou seems o wan o dep i e i sel de ini i ely o a ask which,
in i s iew, can only belong o he Membe S a es. In ac , he Cou wan ed o make clea ha “while i is,
admi edly, possible o en isage a sys em o judicial e iew o he legali y o EU measu es o gene al
applica ion di e en om ha es ablished by he ounding T ea y and ne e amended as o i s p inciples, i
is o he Membe S a es, i necessa y, in acco dance wi h A icle 48 EU, o e o m he sys em cu en ly in
o ce” (Cou o Jus ice, Eigh h Chambe , O de o 14 Janua y 2021, Pe e Sabo and O he s Eu opean
Pa liamen and Council o he Eu opean Union, case C-297/20, pa a. 33).
Emanuele Vanna a
285
o wi h hei essence
91
– owa d he adi ional app oach o s anding would ha e
con ibu ed o making he igh o e ec i e emedy – ensh ined in A . 47 CFREU – ully
e ec i e and in line wi h he needs en isaged by he Aa hus Con en ion, and would also
ha e allowed he Cou o examine he subs ance o he dispu e.
6. Conclusions
Clima e change and i s di e e ec s a e undoub edly a common conce n o humankind
and call o in e na ional coope a ion. The u gency o he cu en clima e c isis shows he
absolu e p eciousness o he ime a ailable o e e se he de as a ing e ec s, equi ing
subs an ial (collec i e) e o s. In an ideal wo ld, S a es would come oge he and si a
he able un il eaching a sha ed solu ion o de ini i ely sa e he Plane and i s inhabi an s.
The impending eali y is a he di e en han we imagined and hoped o . I looks like
he end o he wo ld as we know i whe e “wa ming by he end o he 21s cen u y will
lead o high o e y high isk o se e e, wide-sp ead and i e e sible impac s globally”
92
.
These wo ds o he In e go e nmen al Panel on Clima e Change (IPCC) lea e no oom
o doub .
A main challenge is o espond o inc easing en i onmen al p essu e and pu sue
en i onmen al sus ainabili y in he con ex o ai , e ec i e, and anspa en (global)
go e nance a angemen s and ule o law, he s eng hening o which is c ucial o
p o ec ing en i onmen al, social, and cul u al alues, and o achie ing ecologically
sus ainable de elopmen .
E ec i e global legisla i e ac ion on en i onmen al p o ec ion and clima e change
has p o en elusi e, and as Sands no ed, “ ha is one eason why a en ion is inc easingly
being gi en o o he means and o he ac o s”
93
. E en i he global esponse o he clima e
c isis is s ill unsa is ac o y, a “solida is ic spi i ” has ne e been needed mo e o enew
“social cohesion” be ween gene a ions, ul illing he common goal o he su i al o
humankind. Solida i y is he co ne s one on which he in e na ional communi y should
conc e ely ound i s ac ion, pu suing a (mo al – e en be o e legal) du y o coope a ion
among indi iduals o p ese e and p o ec he na u al en i onmen , aking in o accoun
he wellbeing o u u e gene a ions.
E en in he EU – ideal ealm o solida i y since Wo ld Wa II, a d i ing o ce o
peace ul coope a ion be ween Eu opean coun ies – ai ness and solida i y a e guiding
p inciple in aking he ele an measu es a he Union and na ional le el o achie e he
91
See G. WINTER, A mando Ca alho and O he s . EU: In oking Human Righ s and he Pa is Ag eemen
o Be e Clima e P o ec ion Legisla ion, in T ansna ional En i onmen al Law, 2020, n. 1, pp. 137-164,
pp. 163-164.
92
IPPC, Clima e Change 2014: Syn hesis Repo . Con ibu ion o Wo king G oups I, II and III o he Fi h
Assessmen Repo o he In e go e nmen al Panel on Clima e Change, 2014, a ailable a
h ps://www.ipcc.ch/si e/asse s/uploads/2018/02/AR5_SYR_FINAL_SPM.pd .
93
P. SANDS, Clima e Change and he Rule o Law: Adjudica ing he Fu u e in In e na ional Law, ci ., p.
23.
En i onmen al Solida i y in he A ea o F eedom, Secu i y and Jus ice
286
clima e-neu ali y objec i es, al hough en i onmen al p o ec ion (and sus ainable
de elopmen , on which Eu opean en i onmen al policies also ha e o be based) aces
p essu es de i ing om economic needs, no less han he balancing equi ed by A . 11
TFEU, which does no necessa ily imply p e alence ou cou o en i onmen al
equi emen s o e o he in e es s p o ec ed by EU law
94
.
A main challenge is o espond o inc easing en i onmen al p essu e and pu sue
en i onmen al sus ainabili y in he con ex o ai , e ec i e, and anspa en (global)
go e nance a angemen s and ule o law, he s eng hening o which is c ucial o
p o ec ing en i onmen al, social, and cul u al alues, and o achie ing ecologically
sus ainable de elopmen
95
.
In e gene a ional equi y, as he i s dis inguishing elemen o en i onmen al ( ule o )
law s ongly linked o he solida y a ionale o he concep o sus ainable de elopmen ,
plays a c ucial ole in global en i onmen al go e nance. The applica ion o
in e gene a ional igh s by a no able numbe o na ional and in e na ional cou s ac oss
he wo ld add essing clima e change issues shows a posi i e end in he p og essi e
a i ma ion o a igh s-based app oach in en i onmen al ma e s, al hough se e al
complexi ies a e on he ho izon.
Ne e heless, he e ec i eness o access o jus ice as a ele an elemen o he ule
o law is h ea ened, especially wi h ega d o he di icul ies encoun e ed by na u al o
legal pe sons in asse ing hei legal s anding be o e a judge. I domes ic legal sys ems
demons a e a mo e a ou able a i ude – e en i no en i ely uni o m – o he
implemen a ion o human igh s ea ies also h ough a dynamic in e p e a ion o hei
s anding c i e ia, he app oach emb aced by he ECJ is mo e e icen and de ac o p e en s
indi iduals om e iewing he pe o mance o S a es and ins i u ions on ac s o measu es
adop ed, e en when human igh s a e in ol ed.
The cons uc ion o an “Eu ope o Jus ice” – a he op o he EU’s p io i ies since
he S ockholm P og amme o 2010
96
– in he mo e gene al amewo k o he
s eng hening o he AFSJ, equi es a mo e acili a ed access o jus ice. Among he
objec i es o he AFSJ laid down in A . 67 o he TFEU, i ’s clea ly se ha “The Union
shall acili a e access o jus ice”. Ne e heless, he AFSJ is abo e all a space o enjoymen
o undamen al igh s and hei legal p o ec ion, including h ough he igh o access o
jus ice when hey a e he objec o in ingemen
97
. I is placed in his di ec ion, be ween
94
P. FOIS, Il di i o ambien ale dell’Unione eu opea, in G. CORDINI, P. FOIS, S. MARCHISIO (a cu a di),
Di i o ambien ale. P o ili in e nazionali, eu opei e compa a i, To ino, 2017, pp. 61-107; F. ROLANDO,
L’in eg azione delle esigenze ambien ali nelle al e poli iche dell’Unione eu opea, ci .
95
Taking up he ques ion posed by Di S asi in 2014 – s ill cu en – in e ms o sus ainable de elopmen :
“Beyond he global summi s, does he goal o maximum access o he h ee dimensions o sus ainable
de elopmen by e e yone all o e he plane s ill equi e shi om ision o ac ion?”. See A. DI STASI, The
No ma i e Fo ce o he Ou come Documen “The Fu u e We Wan ”: B ie Rema ks, ci ., p. 26.
96
Eu opean Council, The S ockholm P og amme — An open and secu e Eu ope se ing and p o ec ing
ci izens, 2010/C 115/01, in OJ C115, 4 May 2010, pp. 1-38.
97
As mas e ully said by Judge Poca : “Non i è al a a ea del piane a in cui la coope azione a S a i
abbia p odo o uno Spazio di libe à, di sicu ezza e di gius izia pa agonabile a quello eu opeo, sop a u o
