BEIJING, Dec. 12, 2012 -- The Fifth Beijing Forum on Human Rights opened Wednesday with experts and officials calling for efforts through science and technology and better environmental protection.

Themed Science and Technology, Environment and Human Rights, this year's forum will have three sub-themes, namely "scientific and technological development and human rights", "era of information and human rights", and "environment and human rights".

Addressing the forum, Orest Nowosad, a United Nations official with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said, "The establishment of a sound and healthy environment is a precondition in enjoying a variety of human rights."

Luo Haocai, chairman of the China Society for Human Rights Studies (CSHRS) said, "We need to pursue economic development and eradication of poverty to ensure that people enjoy the achievements of modern civilization. Meanwhile, we need to set our sights afar to protect the environment so as to preserve a beautiful homeland for our offspring."

The two-day forum, which was first organized by the CSHRS in Beijing in 2008, has attracted more than 100 human rights experts and officials from around the world.