Fighting for the Human Right to a Healthy Environment Was Recognised at This Year’s “Environmental Oscars” (Summary)

The 2025 Elisabeth Haub Award for Environmental Law and Diplomacy was jointly received by Professor John H. Knox and Dr. David R. Boyd for their groundbreaking efforts as successive United Nations Special Rapporteurs on the human right to a healthy environment. Csaba Kőrösi, strategic director of the Blue Planet Climate Protection Foundation, was also a member of the Elisabeth Haub Award Jury, responsible for choosing the winners of the most prestigious recognition in the fields of Environmental Law and Diplomacy. The strategic director himself was awarded in 2015.
Professor Knox and Dr. Boyd have had a lasting impact in this area, laying down the basis for the recognition of the human right to a healthy environment. The recent official opinion of the International Court of Justice reaffirms and elevates this right as a cornerstone of international human rights law. For decades, the right to a healthy environment was not mentioned in related international documents, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Elisabeth Haub Award for Environmental Law and Diplomacy, also known as the “Environmental Oscars,” is the world’s most prestigious award in this field. The Award was presented during a ceremony at Pace University in New York City on October 23, 2025.
The history of this award starts as early as 1979, and the family of Elisabeth Haub and the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University established it in 2016 as it is known today, to honor Elisabeth Haub (1899–1977), a noted philanthropist and advocate for strong laws for the conservation of nature. Chosen annually by an esteemed jury, the Award recognizes the innovation, skill, and accomplishments of lawyers, diplomats, international civil servants, and other advocates who work to create the global environmental order.
Csaba Kőrösi, strategic director of the Blue Planet Climate Protection Foundation, jointly received the Elisabeth Haub Award with Kenyan Ambassador Macharia Kamau, for their efforts as co-chairs of the UN Open Working Group for Sustainable Development Goals. He was asked to join the Elisabeth Haub Award Jury in 2023.
(This article is a summary made from the content of Pace University’s website. You can find the original article here.)