A group of UN human rights experts issued [statement] an urgent call for action Thursday in order to realize the right to development.

The Declaration on the Right to Development was originally adopted [declaration] on December 4, 1986. The document establishes development as a human right and establishes that all people are entitled to “participate in, contribute to, and enjoy economic, social, cultural and political development in which all human rights and fundamental freedoms can be fully realized.” It further adds that all humans have a responsibility for development.

The UN human rights experts stressed the need to take action on sustainable development in order to both benefit and maintain the planet. In the statement, the experts noted that “[p]rogress in expanding the use of sustainable energy has already fallen short of what is needed to meet the globally agreed 2030 targets for renewable energy and energy efficiency.”

The experts called for more action to be taken, stating that damage to the environment and other factors “are placing unprecedented pressure on the planet’s ecosystems, and threatening the livelihoods and wellbeing of billions of people across the globe.” The call for action insists that the right to development needs to be exercised by everyone, and that developing sustainable consumption habits and spreading the message about their importance are things that can and should be done by everybody. The experts also stated that in order for global sustainable development to be effective, all nations must cooperate with each other in the interest of protecting the planet.

The statement closed by calling for “the rapid implementation of environmentally sound technologies in all countries and the sharing of these technologies among countries on favourable terms.”