Legislation on the right to a healthy environment was  introduced into the ACT Legislative Assembly in October 2023. Once the legislation passes, the ACT will be the first Australian jurisdiction to recognise the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.

Internationally, the right to a healthy environment generally includes a right to clean air, a safe climate, access to safe water, to healthy and sustainably produced food, non-toxic environments and healthy biodiversity and ecosystems.

In the ACT, the right will also mean that government bodies must consider the climate and the environment in their decisions.

People will be able to complain to the Commission about breaches of the right to a healthy environment, under the new human rights complaints pathway due to come into effect in June 2024.