A/HRC/25/53 6. The Independent Expert has also supported the efforts of others working to integrate human rights and environmental considerations. He participated in the Asia-Europe Meeting seminar on human rights and the environment, addressed the International Bar Association and met with its working group on human rights and climate change, and spoke to a meeting of the countries in Latin America and the Caribbean considering a regional agreement on implementation of principle 10 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development. He has worked with the Harvard Human Rights Center as it develops a “knowledge platform” to describe cases in which human rights were brought to bear on environmental issues, and with the Universal Rights Group to develop a programme of meetings and reports highlighting the issues facing environmental human rights defenders. II. Mapping human rights obligations relating to the environment 7. In order to fulfil the request made by the Human Rights Council in its resolution 19/10 that the Independent Expert “study the human rights obligations, including nondiscrimination obligations, relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment,” he reviewed a wide range of sources of human rights law. Scholars had previously examined some, but not all, of these sources. While recognizing the importance of the previous scholarly work, the Independent Expert undertook a fresh examination of the primary materials. To ensure that the study was as thorough as possible, he sought and received substantial pro bono assistance from academics and international law firms. With their help, thousands of pages of materials were reviewed, including texts of agreements, declarations and resolutions; statements by international organizations and States; and interpretations by tribunals and treaty bodies. 8. The relevant statements are described in 14 reports, each devoted to a particular source or set of sources. Before being finalized, the reports were edited in light of the regional consultations and were reviewed by outside experts. The reports are available both at the OHCHR website3 and the Independent Expert’s personal website.4 9. The reports fall into four major categories: (a) United Nations human rights bodies and mechanisms; (b) global human rights treaties; (c) regional human rights systems; and (d) international environmental instruments. 10. Under the category of United Nations human rights bodies and mechanisms, three reports were prepared. The first report examines statements made by States through General Assembly and Human Rights Council resolutions and through the universal periodic review process.5 A second report reviews statements and reports by 11 special procedures of the Human Rights Council whose mandates are particularly relevant to the nexus of human rights and the environment.6 They are: • The Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, and on the right to non-discrimination in this context • The Special Rapporteur on the right to education 3 4 5 6 4 http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Environment/IEEnvironment/Pages/IEenvironmentIndex.aspx http://ieenvironment.org Individual report on the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council, including the universal periodic review process. Individual report on the special procedures of the Human Rights Council (Report on special procedures).