According to a Spanish Court, Intensive Farming Violates Human Rights

The Higher Court of Justice of Galicia has ruled that intensive livestock farming in the municipality of A Limia has violated the human rights of residents. This is a historic ruling, the first of its kind in the world, which accuses Spanish national and regional authorities of failing to contain pollution levels caused by pig and poultry farms. The ruling also provides for compensation to all residents in the area and the remediation of problems caused by toxic substances.

A Problem That Can No Longer Be Ignored

A battle begun (and won) by seven residents, supported by several environmental organizations such as ClientEarth and Friends of the Earth, against the numerous local authorities. Years and years of appalling conditions, according to the residents, who even claimed they could no longer open their windows due to the stench and no longer trusted drinking the public water for fear of contamination. And, indeed, they were right: climate experts, called in to assess the pollution levels, found extremely high levels of nitrates in the water basin —seriously harmful chemical compounds that can increase the risk of cancers such as thyroid, breast, and ovarian cancer—up to a thousand times higher than normal. Furthermore, antibiotic- resistant bacteria were also found in the environment.

The Sentence

The unsustainable situation of the residents of A Limia opens the door to new scenarios, where consideration is given not only to the (unworthy) state of the animals, but also to the impact these practices have on people. Two aspects that go hand in hand, as stated, according to Euronews, in the ruling: "Human rights and environmental protection are interdependent. A sustainable environment is necessary for the full enjoyment of human rights, including the right to life, to an adequate standard of living, to drinking water and sanitation, to housing, to participation in cultural life, and to development."

The Galician Regional Government and the Miño-Sil River Basin Authority were ordered to take immediate action to address pollution problems , such as strong odors and environmental degradation in the Las Conchas basin, restoring all residents‘ right to live peacefully again. The court also awarded compensation of approximately €30,000 to each resident and condemned the Miño-Sil and Limia Hydrographic Confederation for its negligence in monitoring pollution levels.