The 13th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights took place on 21-23 October 2013 in Copenhagen, Denmark, on the topic “Human Rights and the Environment”.  With over 135 International representatives participating, the Seminar linked human rights issues to the environment and climate change debate for the first time within the ASEM framework, with the intention of promoting inter-regional dialogue and cooperation on strengthening human rights in relation to environment protection.

Discussions took place in four closed-door Working Groups, each focusing on one of four topic areas:

WG1 – The Interaction between Sustainable Development, Environment and Human Rights

WG2 – Access to Information, Participatory Rights and Access to Justice

WG3 – Actors, Institutions and Governance

WG4 – Climate Change and Human Rights Implications

For a more detailed overview please see the seminar Concept Note.

This seminar series was co-organised by the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF); the Raoul Wallenberg Institute (delegated by the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs); the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and; the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs. ASEF has been the seminar secretariat since 2000.

The 13th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights was hosted by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Danish Institute for Human Rights.

Given the nature of the Seminar, participants were invited individually by the co-organisers; there was no open call for participation.

For more information about the seminar series, please see the Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights.

Publication: 13th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights – “Human Rights & the Environment”