Unfortunately, most people still close their eyes to the heart-wrenching fact of today’s climate crisis. Could it be that the main obstacle to a solution is that people are unaware that their basic rights are being violated? If so, instead of wasting time explaining what climate change is, we need to delve directly into the core problem and reveal the possible repercussions to our survival. Obviously, most people are not interested in a lecture on the state of the world, as they find it boring and don’t see it as important. So, let’s change the rules of the game and show them what they will lose if they do not pay enough attention.
“The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything.”– Albert Einstein
Climate change threatens the enjoyment of human rights, which is guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the Human Rights Council, in particular in its resolution 41/21, highlight that climate change has an impact on, among others, the rights to life, self-determination, development, health, food, water and sanitation, adequate housing and a range of cultural rights.1
As the climate and equalities campaigner Paul Polman said: “Climate change is sometimes misunderstood as being about changes in the weather. In reality, it is about changes in our very way of life.”
Due to a variety of circumstances, people who are already at a disadvantage suffer disproportionately from the harmful effects of climate change. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, “People who are socially, economically, politically, institutionally, or otherwise marginalized are especially vulnerable to climate change and also to some adaptation and mitigation responses.”2 The greatest concerns from climate change, for instance, are to people, communities, and states that live in and depend on low-lying coastal areas, tundra and Arctic ice, dry planes, and other delicate ecosystems for their shelter and subsistence.3
As stated above, the problems negatively affect humans in many ways. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), climate change is causing extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters, depriving millions of people around the world of a livelihood. Nearly 78 per cent of the world’s poor – approximately 800 million people – who live in rural areas, many of whom rely on agriculture, forestry and fisheries for their survival, are particularly affected.4
For that reason, we need to approach the solution from a human rights aspect. Beside the proper application of rule of law, polluters must be held accountable, victims of climate change must be protected and remedial measures should be carried out by the governments in order to prevent, respond to and mitigate the crisis. The role of international cooperation, internal policies, governmental support, and worldwide solidarity in the adoption and application of legal policies are very crucial steps in addressing and tackling the problem.
The Paris Agreement, the first universal legally binding climate change deal, urged countries to respect human rights, including the right to development, when addressing climate change. Similarly, Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13 calls for urgent climate action within the broader 2030 Agenda, which is grounded in human rights. On July 2, 2018, the Human Rights Council passed a resolution (A/HRC/RES/38/4) encouraging states to incorporate human rights into climate policies under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and to take a comprehensive, integrated, and gender-sensitive approach to climate adaptation and mitigation strategies.5
In essence, the climate crisis transcends environmental degradation, it is a profound human rights challenge that jeopardizes the very fabric of our global society. The adverse effects of climate change—rising temperatures, extreme weather events, loss of biodiversity, and ecosystem collapse—threaten fundamental human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, including the rights to life, health, food, water, housing, and cultural preservation. Marginalized and disadvantaged communities bear the brunt of these impacts, amplifying existing inequalities and injustices.
Addressing climate change from a human rights perspective compels us to hold polluters accountable, protect the most vulnerable, and implement remedial measures that prioritize people over profits. International cooperation and adherence to agreements like the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals are critical steps toward integrating human rights into climate action. Governments, institutions, and individuals must collaborate to enforce policies that mitigate the crisis and promote sustainable development.
As Paul Polman aptly stated, climate change demands a transformation in our way of life. It is not merely about weather patterns but about safeguarding the rights and dignity of all living beings. The time for passive observation is over, proactive engagement is essential. By recognizing the intrinsic link between human rights and the environment, we can foster a resilient future that honors both our planet and its inhabitants. The urgency is undeniable, and the responsibility lies with each of us to act before irreversible damage ensues.
- “Frequently Asked Questions on Human Rights and Climate Change”
(https://www.ohchr.org/en/about-us/high-commissioner, 2021)<https://www.ohchr.org/en/about-us/high-commissioner> accessed September 27, 2024
↩︎ - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability. Part A: Global and Sectoral Aspects, p. 50 ↩︎
- “Frequently Asked Questions on Human Rights and Climate Change”
(https://www.ohchr.org/en/about-us/high-commissioner, 2021)
<https://www.ohchr.org/en/about-us/high-commissioner> accessed September 27, 2024 ↩︎ - See FAO, Agriculture and Climate Change: Challenges and Opportunities at the Global and Local Level – Collaboration on Climate-Smart Agriculture (Rome, 2019). Available at www.fao. org/3/CA3204EN/ca3204en.pdf. ↩︎
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