International law firm Clifford Chance announces its collaboration with the Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice ("Vance Center") in New York to conduct and co-ordinate a major international pro-bono project on behalf of the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment, Dr David Boyd.

The project, which is Clifford Chance's most extensive pro-bono project to date, involved conducting a global survey to determine which of the 193 UN Member States recognise the human right to a healthy environment at either the national or sub-national level under domestic law...

The survey findings were used by Dr Boyd to prepare a report, titled "Right to a healthy environment: good practices", that was presented to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva today. The report describes the good practices followed by UN member states in recognising the right to live in a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment and in implementing the procedural and substantive elements of the right. Dr Boyd concluded that this right is now recognised in law by more than 80 per cent (156 out of 193) of member states...

The survey reinforces Clifford Chance's commitment to carrying out pro-bono work across its network. In 2019, the firm collaborated with 112 clients and significant civil actors, and its people spent over 56,500 hours doing pro-bono and voluntary work...

More information on Clifford Chance's pro-bono and sustainability efforts can be found in the latest edition of its Responsible Business Report....