Time for Europe to Recognize the Right to a Healthy Environment

Click to expand Image Karin Kvarfordt Niia, a reindeer herder from Sweden’s Sami community and a member of Sweden’s Sami Parliament, attends the opening session of the 1st European Forum on Environmental Human Rights Defenders in Strasbourg, France, June 4, 2026. © 2026 Council of Europe, Strasbourg On the eve of World Environment Day, I joined around 400 environmental defenders and policymakers from across Europe in Strasbourg, France, where they gathered at the first European Forum on Environm