Constitutional Environmental Clauses (CEC)

Overview

The Constitutional Environmental Clauses (CEC) database compiles data from 194 national constitutions currently in force. It aims to map how environmental matters are addressed across different constitutional systems, with particular focus on the recognition of the right to a healthy environment, environmental protection, and access to information.

Database descriptors

Each constitution is categorized based on the following properties:

Region – Geographic area or continent;
EU Member – Indicates whether the country is a member of the European Union;
Environmental Information Clause – Explicit reference to environmental information;
Environmental Protection Clause – Explicit reference to environmental protection;
Right to Environment Clause – Recognition of the right to a healthy or ecologically balanced environment;
Access to Information Clause – General provisions on the right to access information;
Environmental Protection Score – Score (0 to 4) based on the presence of the above four clauses;
Constitution Link – Direct link to the current constitutional text;

Available views

Gallery View – Flag icons of all 194 countries, grouped by region.
Table View – A spreadsheet-style display of all descriptors for easy comparison and filtering.
Graphics View – Visual representation of the number of countries that do or do not include a Right to Environment Clause.

Last update

The information contained in this database was last reviewed and updated on: May 28, 2025.

Citation

To reference this database, please use the following citation:

Lisbon Public Law Research Centre. Constitutional Environmental Clauses (CEC). Lisbon Environmental Law Cluster Databases. Available at: https://lisbonpubliclaw.pt/lisbon-environmental-law/data-bases/.

©️ CC BY-NC 4.0: Developed by the Lisbon Environmental Law Cluster at the Lisbon Public Law Research Centre (LPL), University of Lisbon**.**

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Constitutional Environmental Clauses (CEC)

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Constitutional Environmental Clauses (CEC) © 2025 by Lisbon Environmental Law - Lisbon Public Law Research Centre is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.

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