WORLD Policy Analysis Center

Does the constitution explicitly guarantee citizens’ right to a healthy environment?

The right to a healthy environment is the right to live in a healthy environment, the right to a pollution-free environment, the right to a clean environment, or provisions to protect the environment to preserve people’s health.

No specific provision means that the constitution does not explicitly mention the right to a healthy environment. This does not mean that the constitution denies this right, but that it does not explicitly include it. Provisions related to preserving or protecting the environment without referencing health are included in this category.

Aspirational or subject to progressive realization means that the constitution protects the right to a healthy environment but does not use language strong enough to be considered a guarantee, or states that this right will be implemented progressively or within a certain time period. For example, the nation will endeavor to provide the right to a healthy environment or will provide environmental protection within three years.

Guaranteed right means that the constitution explicitly guarantees the right to a healthy environment to citizens in authoritative language. For example, constitutions in this category might guarantee citizens’ right to a healthy environment or make it the State’s responsibility to ensure protection of the environment.

Countries

Afghanistan - No specific provision

Antigua and Barbuda - No specific provision

Armenia - No specific provision

Australia - No specific provision

Austria - No specific provision

Bahamas - No specific provision

Bahrain - No specific provision

Bangladesh - No specific provision

Barbados - No specific provision

Belize - No specific provision

Bosnia and Herzegovina - No specific provision

Botswana - No specific provision

Brunei - No specific provision

Burundi - No specific provision

Cambodia - No specific provision

Canada - No specific provision

Croatia - No specific provision

Cyprus - No specific provision

Czech Republic - No specific provision

Denmark - No specific provision

Djibouti - No specific provision

Dominica - No specific provision

Equatorial Guinea - No specific provision

Eritrea - No specific provision

Estonia - No specific provision

The Gambia - No specific provision

Germany - No specific provision

Ghana - No specific provision

Greece - No specific provision

Greenland - No specific provision

Grenada - No specific provision

Guatemala - No specific provision

Guinea-Bissau - No specific provision

Haiti - No specific provision

Iceland - No specific provision

India - No specific provision

Iraq - No specific provision

Ireland - No specific provision

Israel - No specific provision

Italy - No specific provision

Japan - No specific provision

Jordan - No specific provision

Kiribati - No specific provision

Kuwait - No specific provision

Laos - No specific provision

Lebanon - No specific provision

Liberia - No specific provision

Libya - No specific provision

Liechtenstein - No specific provision

Luxembourg - No specific provision

Madagascar - No specific provision

Malaysia - No specific provision

Marshall Islands - No specific provision

Mauritius - No specific provision

Micronesia, Federated States of - No specific provision

Monaco - No specific provision

Myanmar - No specific provision

Nauru - No specific provision

New Zealand - No specific provision

Nigeria - No specific provision

Oman - No specific provision

Pakistan - No specific provision

Papua New Guinea - No specific provision

Peru - No specific provision

Qatar - No specific provision

Samoa - No specific provision

San Marino - No specific provision

Sao Tome and Principe - No specific provision

Sierra Leone - No specific provision

Singapore - No specific provision

Slovakia - No specific provision

Solomon Islands - No specific provision

Sri Lanka - No specific provision

St. Kitts and Nevis - No specific provision

St. Lucia - No specific provision

St. Vincent and the Grenadines - No specific provision

Suriname - No specific provision

Eswatini - No specific provision

Sweden - No specific provision

Syria - No specific provision

Tajikistan - No specific provision

Tanzania - No specific provision

Thailand - No specific provision

Tonga - No specific provision

Trinidad and Tobago - No specific provision

Tuvalu - No specific provision

United Arab Emirates - No specific provision

United Kingdom - No specific provision

United States of America - No specific provision

Uzbekistan - No specific provision

Vanuatu - No specific provision

Vietnam - No specific provision

Zambia - No specific provision

Albania - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

El Salvador - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Finland - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Gabon - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Kazakhstan - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Lesotho - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Malawi - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Maldives - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Morocco - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Mozambique - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Namibia - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

The Netherlands - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Palau - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Saudi Arabia - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Sudan - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Uruguay - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Algeria - Guaranteed right

Andorra - Guaranteed right

Angola - Guaranteed right

Argentina - Guaranteed right

Azerbaijan - Guaranteed right

Belarus - Guaranteed right

Belgium - Guaranteed right

Benin - Guaranteed right

Bhutan - Guaranteed right

Bolivia - Guaranteed right

Brazil - Guaranteed right

Bulgaria - Guaranteed right

Burkina Faso - Guaranteed right

Cameroon - Guaranteed right

Cabo Verde - Guaranteed right

Central African Republic - Guaranteed right

Chad - Guaranteed right

Chile - Guaranteed right

China - Guaranteed right

Colombia - Guaranteed right

Comoros - Guaranteed right

Democratic Republic of the Congo - Guaranteed right

Republic of the Congo - Guaranteed right

Costa Rica - Guaranteed right

Cote d'Ivoire - Guaranteed right

Cuba - Guaranteed right

Dominican Republic - Guaranteed right

Ecuador - Guaranteed right

Egypt - Guaranteed right

Ethiopia - Guaranteed right

Fiji - Guaranteed right

France - Guaranteed right

Georgia - Guaranteed right

Guinea - Guaranteed right

Guyana - Guaranteed right

Honduras - Guaranteed right

Hungary - Guaranteed right

Indonesia - Guaranteed right

Iran - Guaranteed right

Jamaica - Guaranteed right

Kenya - Guaranteed right

Democratic People's Republic of Korea - Guaranteed right

Republic of Korea - Guaranteed right

Kyrgyzstan - Guaranteed right

Latvia - Guaranteed right

Lithuania - Guaranteed right

North Macedonia - Guaranteed right

Mali - Guaranteed right

Malta - Guaranteed right

Mauritania - Guaranteed right

Mexico - Guaranteed right

Moldova - Guaranteed right

Mongolia - Guaranteed right

Montenegro - Guaranteed right

Nepal - Guaranteed right

Nicaragua - Guaranteed right

Niger - Guaranteed right

Norway - Guaranteed right

Panama - Guaranteed right

Paraguay - Guaranteed right

The Philippines - Guaranteed right

Poland - Guaranteed right

Portugal - Guaranteed right

Romania - Guaranteed right

Russian Federation - Guaranteed right

Rwanda - Guaranteed right

Senegal - Guaranteed right

Serbia - Guaranteed right

Seychelles - Guaranteed right

Slovenia - Guaranteed right

Somalia - Guaranteed right

South Africa - Guaranteed right

South Sudan - Guaranteed right

Spain - Guaranteed right

Switzerland - Guaranteed right

Timor-Leste - Guaranteed right

Togo - Guaranteed right

Tunisia - Guaranteed right

Türkiye - Guaranteed right

Turkmenistan - Guaranteed right

Uganda - Guaranteed right

Ukraine - Guaranteed right

Venezuela - Guaranteed right

Yemen - Guaranteed right

Zimbabwe - Guaranteed right