THE PRACTICE OF THE EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

Abstract

The paper will focus on the practice of the European Court of Human Rights on environmental
issues. The starting premise is that numerous human rights are in fact endangered by
environmental degradation. A healthy environment is essential for the full enjoyment of human
rights, and conversely, the use of rights (including the right to information, participation and
remedies) is critical to protecting the environment. In this regard the analysis is essentially
anthropocentric, as it focuses on the harmful impact on humans rather than the environment
itself. The aim of the paper if the show that the rich case law of the European Court of Human
Rights is potentially applicable in a number of situations where environmental pollution violates
the rights of the citizens of North Macedonia - the right to respect for life and health, as well as
private life and the home of those living in the immediate vicinity of sources of pollution (plants,
landfills and quarries, waste material from already closed facilities or contaminated land and
waters); protection of persons whose rights are directly threatened by construction activities or
urban massacre in the city of Skopje, and the noise in urbanized areas. On the other hand, this
approach in which environmental threats are considered a problem that can be controlled and
administered is an approach not sufficient for the reality of the pollution of the country.