#Geneva: On 17 Sept, the UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics & Human Rights attended the Geneva #ToxicFreeTalks on the sidelines of #HRC60 to highlight the challenges posed by the production, use and dissemination of toxics. Learn more: www.genevaenvironmentnetwork.org/resources/up...

In opening, @srtoxics.bsky.social Marcos Orellana underscores the right to be free from toxics is not a new or autonomous right. Rather it engages a number of already existing rights and builds on already existing obligations in force, as reinforced by the landmark #ICJAO.

This wraps up the 2025 #GENeva #ToxicFreeTalks! In the last session of @srtoxics.bsky.social Marcos Orellana at Human Rights Council, we highlighted next steps of advancing a #ToxicFreeFuture ensuring justice & meaningful impact on toxics & #humanrights on the ground. ▶️ tiny.cc/GENToxicFree...

#Samoa: On 10 July, the report of the UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics & Human Rights on his country visit to Samoa became public. The report warns of risks from #ewaste, #asbestos & #pesticides, and offers recommendations to improve the situation. Read here: docs.un.org/en/A/HRC/60/...

#Chile: On 5 Sept, the OHCHR with Sweden will host a consultation on #Mining & #MercuryContamination in Latin America. Small-scale gold mining is the world’s largest emitter of #mercury, contaminating lands and harming human #health. Read more here: docs.un.org/en/A/HRC/51/35

#Nigeria: On 31 Aug, UN special mandate holders' letters to oil companies with assets in Nigeria were published. The companies’ divestment threatens to hinder proper remediation of the damages caused by their operations and limit access to effective remedy for these abuses. Read more: bit.ly/3HX70Nb

#PlasticsPollution: INC5.2 negotiations for a global plastic pollution treaty are underway, aiming to address the full plastic life cycle. Talks are set to conclude by August 14, 2025. Human rights language is being proposed by several delegations. lnkd.in/g5He7ZKG

#AccesstoJustice: UN Special Rapporteur Dr. Orellana’s report on remedies for victims of toxics and barriers to accessing justice will be presented at HRC’s 60th session (Sept 8–Oct 3, 2025), identifying strategies and good practices. lnkd.in/eUKtmzY3

#ClimateJustice: On July 11, 2025, a historic Inter-American Court opinion declared climate change an existential threat and called for global climate action to protect human rights & ecosystems for future generations. lnkd.in/eyJ87yj3

#JusticiaClimática: El 11 de julio de 2025, una opinión histórica de la Corte Interamericana declaró el cambio climático como una amenaza existencial y llamó a la acción global para proteger los derechos humanos & ecosistemas para las generaciones futuras. lnkd.in/eyJ87yj3

On July 29, 2025, UN Special Rapporteur on global toxics and human rights, Dr. Marcos Orellana, will join a virtual panel discussion on Advancing Human Rights through the Global Plastics Treaty” organized within the framework of the Geneva Beat Plastic Pollution Dialogues. lnkd.in/eHb-b2rN

#SilenceIsNotAnOption: UN experts condemn US sanctions on Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, denouncing it as an attack on UN values, justice, and human rights. tinyurl.com/3c3yhzbc

#PlasticPollution: On July 4, 2025, Dr. Orellana will speak about plastics & HRs at “The impact of Plastic Pollution on Human Rights in ASEAN: A Workshop for Parliamentarians and Civil Society” organized by the Break Free from Plastic Asia-Pacific and the ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights.

#Pesticides #Ecuador: On July 2, 2025, the UN Special Rapporteur on toxics and human rights, Marcos Orellana, will discuss FIAN Ecuador’s publication, "Sustaining Life in Toxic Territories: Rural Women Facing the Expansion of Pesticide Use." Register: lnkd.in/eEFCc4ME

#Plaguicidas #Ecuador: El 2 de julio de 2025, Marcos Orellana participará en la presentación virtual del libro de FIAN Ecuador, “Sostener la vida en territorios tóxicos: mujeres rurales frente a la expansión de los plaguicidas.” Registro: lnkd.in/eEFCc4ME

#Ecocide: On June 26, 2025, the UN Special Rapporteur Marcos Orellana joined the Combatting Ecocide Workshop organized by the University of Essex’s Combatting Ecocide Project.

#FAO #IndigenousRights: The FAO has released a global questionnaire specifically for Indigenous Peoples on the reform of the International Code of Conduct on Pesticide Management. Deadline for contributions is 16 July 2025: lnkd.in/eAXaVRMh

#Brazil: On June 23, 2025, UN Special Rapporteur Marcos Orellana spoke on the #MinamataConvention & the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment at the Third Congress on the Socio-Environmental Impacts of Mining in the Amazon. #ASGM lnkd.in/edaB_PFy

#DominicanRepublic: On May 22, 2025, the UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics & Human Rights published a statement acknowledging the DR government’s measures to improve waste management and urged the international community to combat global plastic pollution. lnkd.in/e4grb3dj

#RepúblicaDominicana: El 22 de mayo de 2025, el Relator Especial de las UN sobre Tóxicos y Derechos Humanos reconoció las mejoras del gobierno de RD en gestión de residuos e instó a la comunidad internacional a combatir la contaminación plástica. lnkd.in/e4grb3dj

#DominicanRepublic: UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics & Human Rights is visiting the DR until May 22, 2025, and will be working on the environmentally sound management of hazardous substances & wastes. His report will be presented to the UNHRC in September. lnkd.in/e-mAp93B

#RepúblicaDominicana: El Relator Especial de las UN sobre sustancias tóxicas y derechos humanos visitará la DR hasta el 22 de mayo de 2025 y presentará su informe sobre la gestión ambientalmente racional de sustancias peligrosas al CDHNU en septiembre. lnkd.in/e-mAp93B

UN Special Rapporteur Marcos Orellana exposes how Coca-Cola's switch to single-use packaging has been contributing one-third of the plastic bottle waste in Samoa. Read more:

#RightToAHealthyEnvironment: On May 5, 2025, UN experts urged the Council of Europe to establish a Protocol recognize the Right to a Healthy Environment and providing more comprehensive legal tools to address disputes defending that right. www.ohchr.org/en/press-rel...

#InternationalEnvironmentalLaw: On May 7, 2025, the UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics & Human Rights, Marcos Orellana, will deliver Closing Plenary remarks at the 4th International Environmental Law Congress of IUCN’s World Commission on Environmental Law. iucncongress2025.org

#BRS #EnvironmentalJustice: On May 3, 2025, the UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics and Human Rights, Marcos Orellana, will discuss “Ending Toxic Impunity: Making Environmental Justice Effective” at the Geneva Toxic Free Talks. lnkd.in/eDEyAi-b

#BRS #IllicitTrade: On May 2, 2025, the UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics and Human Rights, Marcos Orellana, will discuss “Bridging Commitments: Ending the Illicit Trade of End-Of-Life Ships: What Role for the Basel and Hong Kong Conventions?” at the Geneva Toxic Free Talks. lnkd.in/ec-Nb_8d

#BRS #Children&Toxics: On May 1, 2025, the UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics & Human Rights will discuss “Spotlighting Approaches for a More Protective Stockholm Convention, With a Focus on Increasing Visibility of the Threats to Children & Health” at the Geneva Toxic Free Talks. lnkd.in/eZqDxA64

#BRS: On April 30, 2025, the UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics and Human Rights, Marcos Orellana, will join a high-level UNEP event discussing “Strengthening action for change: Advancing integrated solutions for the implementation of the BRS Conventions.” lnkd.in/e8pbMNC4

#BRS #Gender&Toxics: On April 29, 2025, the UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics and Human Rights, Marcos Orellana, will discuss “Gender, Toxics Exposures and the Right to a Clean, Safe, Healthy, and Sustainable Environment” at the Geneva Toxic Free Talks. lnkd.in/e6eJWhAda

#BRS #EnvironmentalJustice: On April 28, 2025, UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics & Human Rights, Marcos Orellana, will discuss “How Far Have the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions Gone in Advancing a Rights-based Approach and Environmental Justice?” at Geneva Toxic Free Talks. lnkd.in/e3VBMU5r

On April 11, 2025, the UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics and Human Rights, Dr. Marcos Orellana, presented on “Exercising the Right to Defend a Healthy Environment and Human Rights” at the Center for Marine Justice’s International Meeting on Environmental Law. Click to learn more: lnkd.in/eCdar8Qu

On April 8, 2025, the UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics and Human Rights, Dr. Marcos Orellana, presented “Reflections on the recent climate decisions of the European Court of Human Rights” at the 2025 Annual Meeting of the Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide. Learn more about E-Law here: elaw.org

On April 10, 2025, the UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics and Human Rights participated in an event on "Reflections on achievements and challenges of the Escazú Agreement on environmental rights in Latin America and the Caribbean.” Click here to learn more: lnkd.in/edQz9pZ9

On April 3, 2025, the UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics and Human Rights participated in an event on "Addressing the Impacts of Pesticides on Human Rights in the Framework of the Conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions.” Watch the recording here: lnkd.in/ed9N6fut

#SouthAfrica #AgroToxins: On March 21, 2025, UN Special Rapporteur Dr. Marcos Orellana will deliver opening remarks at the South African People’s Tribunal on AgroToxins. lnkd.in/gyjUARvd and agrotoxinstribunalsa.co.za. Watch live: lnkd.in/gtJ6VtHm

#ForeignInvestment #EnvironmentalLaw: On March 20, 2025, UN Special Rapporteur Dr. Marcos Orellana will join GW Law's Environmental Law Symposium to discuss "The Environment, Human Rights, and Cultural Heritage," focusing on indigenous rights and the right to a healthy environment. lnkd.in/griV_E2w

#CSW69: On March 18, 2025, the UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics & Human Rights joined an event organized by Women Engage for a Common Future & Women's Major Group on how environmental changes impact the health of women & girls at the Commission on the Status of Women's 69th session.

#RotterdamConvention: On March 19, 2025, the UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics & Human Rights will join “The Right to Know - Modernising the Rotterdam Convention” to discuss the need to list more chemicals, and rights-based approaches to chemicals management. lnkd.in/gV7mV2Ne

#DominicanRepublic: UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics and Human Rights is seeking your input in preparation of his official country visit to the Dominican Republic and report to be presented to the UN Human Rights Council. Deadline: April 1, 2025. lnkd.in/e-mAp93B

#RepúblicaDominicana: El Relator Especial de la UN sobre Sustancias Tóxicas y Derechos Humanos solicita su colaboración para preparar su visita oficial a la República Dominicana y el informe que presentará ante el Consejo de Derechos Humanos de la UN. Fecha límite: 1 abril 2025. lnkd.in/e-mAp93B

#IndigenousRights: On March 12, 2025, the UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics & Human Rights will discuss the impact of military activities on Indigenous peoples at a press conference convened by Sivuqaq Tribal leaders and the Alaska Community Action on Toxics at @npcinstitute.bsky.social.

#AccessToJustice: CALL FOR INPUTS EXTENDED (Deadline: March 17, 2025) – UN Special Rapporteur on toxics and human rights is seeking your input in preparation of his thematic report on access to justice and effective remedies in the context of toxics. lnkd.in/eP78ShrF

#Algeria #France #TPNW: On March 4, 2025, the UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics and Human Rights, Dr. Marcos Orellana, joined discussions of the humanitarian and environmental consequences of France's Nuclear Explosions in Algeria at UN Headquarters in NY. lnkd.in/g2FgA_Un & lnkd.in/gA75drdb

#SriLanka: On March 4, 2025, the UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics and Human Rights, Dr. Marcos Orellana, delivered pre-recorded opening remarks to the 1st Regional Gathering on Phasing Out Fossil Fuels and Agrochemicals (RGPFA) to be held from March 4th to 7th 2025 in Chilaw, Sri Lanka.

#Zambia: On February 21, 2025, Dr. Marcos Orellana and other UN Special Procedures filed an amicus curiae with South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal. Originally dismissed, the class action lawsuit seeks damages from Anglo American South Africa for harm caused by lead pollution in Kabwe, Zambia.

#water On February 24, 2025, the UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics and Human Rights, Dr. Marcos Orellana, joined the University of Glasgow’s Water Webinar Series to discuss “Water and Sustainable Development: Impacts of Armed Conflicts on Water” at 2:00pm (UK Time). Learn more here: lnkd.in/evDdreNN

On February 19, 2025, Dr. Marcos Orellana, the UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics & Human Rights, presented to the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee's 33rd session on the implications of plastic pollution for the full enjoyment of human rights. lnkd.in/eSjicjm6

On February 18-19, 2025, the UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics and Human Rights presented to the Task Force on Access to Justice under the Aarhus Convention's 16th session, focusing on access to justice in cases involving chemicals & waste management, water quality & noise pollution. lnkd.in/eqQfr878

The UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics and Human Rights, along with 15 U.S. human rights experts, signed a public statement urging the Trump administration to reverse course and stand by the nation’s historic commitment to international law and institutions. Read it here: lnkd.in/eUmYuPy4