On 3 and 4 June 2026, the first ever European Forum on environmental human-rights defenders was organised by the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, bringing together some 400 environmental human-rights defenders, whistle-blowers, institutional representatives and policymakers from across Europe.

In his video message to participants, shown during the official opening, the President of the Court, Mattias Guyomar, noted that climate change poses a serious threat to the effective enjoyment of human rights and even to the survival of humanity, as recognised by the European Court of Human Rights in its 2024 Grand Chamber judgment in KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz and Others v. Switzerland. Highlighting the important role played by collective entities and non governmental organisations in environmental protection, President Guyomar referred to the positive obligations incumbent on States under the right to life and the right to respect for private life.

The judge elected in respect of Albania, Darian Pavli, took part in a session dedicated to understanding the challenges and risks faced by human rights defenders and their role in environmental governance. Judge Pavli elaborated on the contribution of non governmental organisations to the promotion of environmental protection, referring to the Court’s case law, in particular KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz and Others v. Switzerland and Greenpeace Nordic and Others v. Norway.