Human Rights and Natural Resources: An Appraisal

The management of natural resources is directly related to livelihoods for local communities, but is also intimately linked to broader national and regional economic development, as well as to political stability, peace and security. Natural resources and their effective management are necessary for securing the realisation of human rights. While there is some analysis regarding the emergence of specific relevant areas of human rights, such as the right to water, the right to food, or public participation, there is no systematic and comprehensive study on the potential role that human rights law can play in the management of natural resources.

This book provides an in-depth analysis of these developments and how these could contribute to a more comprehensive human rights-based approach to the management of natural resources. In doing so, the author proposes a systematic analysis of the different norms, procedures, and approaches developed under human rights law which are relevant to the management of natural resources. As such, the text offers a human rights-based approach to the development of a legal framework for natural resource management, an area which is currently dominated by investment law and treaties concerning the use and exploitation of natural resources by States and private actors.