Human rights as a protection mechanism for the environment: is it possible to include IACHR's Advisory Opinion 23/17 in the Ecuadorian legal system?
| Autor | Josselyn Jessenia Espinoza Bautista |
| Cargo | Student of Law |
| Páginas | 80-98 |
abStRaCt
e Inter-American Court of Human Rights, on November 15th of 2017, issued
an Advisory Opinion on the environment and human rights. e relevance of this
Opinion is reected in the development made by the Court on state obligations
in relation to the environment. e Court recognized the “undeniable relationship
between the protection of the environment and the realization of other human
rights.” In this virtue, this article seeks to scrutinize and synthesize the foundations
of the Advisory Opinion. Finally, since advisory opinions are not binding nor obli-
gatory for Ecuador (or any other state), this article develops an analysis on one pos-
sible solution (conventionality control) for the inclusion of the Advisory Opinion
23/17 in the Ecuadorian legal system.
KEywoRdS
environmental human rights; environment; protection mechanism; advisory opi-
nion; Inter-American System; Inter-American Court of Human Rights
Derechos humanos como mecanismo de protección para del
medio ambiente: ¿es posible incluir la Opinión Consultiva
23/17 de la Corte IDH en el sistema jurídico ecuatoriano?
RESUmEn
La Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos, el 15 de noviembre de 2017, emitió
una Opinión Consultiva sobre el medio ambiente y los derechos humanos. La relevancia
de este dictamen se reeja en el desarrollo realizado por el tribunal sobre las obligaciones
estatales en relación con el medio ambiente. La Corte reconoció “la innegable relación
entre la protección del medio ambiente y la realización de otros derechos humanos”. En
esta virtud, este artículo busca examinar y sintetizar los fundamentos de la Opinión
Consultiva. Finalmente, dado que las opiniones consultivas no son vinculantes ni
obligatorias para Ecuador (o cualquier otro Estado), este artículo desarrolla un análisis
de una posible solución (control de convencionalidad) para la inclusión de la Opinión
Consultiva 23/17 en el sistema legal ecuatoriano.
PalabRaS ClavE
derechos humanos ambientales; ambiente; mecanismo de protección; opinión consultiva;
Sistema Interamericano; Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos
Human rights as a protection mechanism for the environment: is it possible to include IACHR’s ...
Volumen VI • 81
1. intRodUCtion
e Inter-American Court of Human Rights (hereinafter the Court, IACHR, or
the Inter-American Court), on February 7, 2018, made its response to a request
for an advisory opinion made by the Republic of Colombia (hereinafter Colom-
bia) on March 14, 2016. is request resulted in the Advisory Opinion 23/17,
ocially titled “State obligations in relation to the environment in the frame-
work of the protection and guarantee of the rights to life and physical integrity
- Interpretation and scope of Articles 4.1 and 5.1, in relation to Articles 1.1. and
2 of the American Convention on Human Rights”1.
It should be recalled that in March of 2016, Colombia requested the Inter-Amer-
ican judges to clarify what was happening to the rights of the Colombian island
populations in the Caribbean threatened by megaprojects promoted by other
States that could have a transboundary impact on the Caribbean marine environ-
ment. As is well known, once a request for an advisory opinion has been received,
it is object of notication to the other States and to the Inter-American organs (as
to the general public)2. e text of the Advisory Opinion 23/17 rearms a series
of principles in environmental matters and in the matter of human rights that go
far beyond of what was indicated by Colombia in its ocial request.
As this is the rst opportunity in which the Court is requested in environmental
matters, in the framework of an advisory procedure, the broad interpretation
given by the Inter-American judges allows us to specify the scope of some of the
provisions of the American Convention of Human Rights of 1969 (hereinafter
the Convention, the American Convention, or the ACHR) and of other Inter-
American instruments. In that sense, this paper will discuss some basic concepts
related to the subject in question; among them, the rights of nature and the
biocentric perspective of law. In addition, new trends in environmental law and
its relation to human rights will be discussed. Moreover, this work will focus on
the lines that follow in the consultative procedure foreseen by the Inter-American
Human Rights System. Finally, since advisory opinions are not mandatory nor
binding for Ecuador, a solution for the possible inclusion of the Advisory Opin-
ion 23/17 in the Ecuadorian legal system will be outlined.
2. PREliminaRy ConCEPtS
2.1. adviSoRy oPinion
e advisory opinions issued by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights are
intended to help the State parties to comply with the treaties without submit-
1 Inter-American Court of Human Rights. Advisory Opinion 23/17 of November 15th, 2017.
2 Rules of Procedure of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.Article73. Approved by the Court during its LXXXV Regular
Period of Sessions, held from November 16 to 28, 2009.
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