A/HRC/31/53 64. Second, in 2015 the World Resources Institute and The Access Initiative published the Environmental Democracy Index,13 which measures country-specific realization of the procedural rights of access to information, access to justice and public participation relating to environmental protection, according to an analysis of national laws and regulations. The index provides a useful tool for identifying gaps and charting progress. 65. Third, conservation organizations are increasingly relying on a human rights perspective in their work. For example, the Conservation Initiative on Human Rights brings together eight organizations working in this area14 that have agreed to uphold international proclaimed human rights to guide their policies and to advance the idea that human rights are essential to conservation work. The diverse partnerships of the Initiative across different regions and sectors offer an effective model for sharing information and experiences among various actors and exercising influence at many different levels. Since the creation of the Initiative, all the organizations involved have strengthened human rights integration in their policies and frameworks. 66. For example, Conservation International trains staff at its headquarters and field offices on how to integrate a rights-based approach into all aspects of their work. The mission and policies of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature explicitly recognize the importance of respecting rights in the practice of conservation and call for the organization to work towards ensuring that rights are respected for the sustainable and equitable use, management, governance and conservation of natural resources. The organization has adopted an environmental and social standard system that uses rightsbased safeguards to ensure that all of its projects fully respect the human rights of all communities and individuals linked to its conservation interventions, and that contribute as much as possible to the realization of their rights. Similarly, the World Wide Fund for Nature has taken a number of steps to build institutional knowledge, internal policy, and external engagement to proactively build human rights and social development into its conservation work. The Special Rapporteur intends to work with these and other conservation organizations to support and promote their efforts to incorporate rights-based perspectives. III. Special Rapporteur on the issue of human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment 67. From the beginning of the mandate, the Special Rapporteur has believed that clarifying human rights obligations relating to the environment, as well as identifying good practices in the use of such obligations, are necessary (although not sufficient) factors in promoting implementation of those norms. In accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 28/11, he intends to continue to clarify human rights norms and identify good practices. In the other report he is presenting to the Council at its thirty-first session, he addresses the application of human rights principles to climate change, and in 2016 he intends to examine the relationship of human rights with the protection of ecosystems and biological diversity. Where the norms already appear to be clear and well understood, the 13 14 14 2015), available from www.globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/environmental-activists/how-manymore/. Available from www.environmentaldemocracyindex.org. Birdlife International, Conservation International, Fauna & Flora International, International Union for Conservation of Nature, The Nature Conservancy, Wetlands International, Wildlife Conservation Society and World Wide Fund for Nature.

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