“Climate change is related not only to environmental factors but also to poverty, discrimination and inequalities – this is why climate change is a human rights issue.” Kyung-wha Kang, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights

A large proportion of the planet’s population already lives in conditions where they are denied many basic human rights. There is no doubt that, without action, deteriorating environmental conditions associated with climate change will see this increase as food and water security decline, homes are damaged or destroyed by extreme weather events and more lives are threatened.

Over the past four years, the United Nations Human Rights Council has passed three resolutions recognising that climate change poses an immediate and far-reaching threat to people and communities around the world and has adverse implications for the full enjoyment of human rights. These include the rights to life, food, health, water, housing and self- determination.

International negotiations on climate change have so far failed to adequately address the humanitarian and human rights impacts of climate change. It is now time for the Human Rights Council to take positive action to safeguard these rights under threat and support the governments of the first and worst affected countries.

Get involved

Today, EJF launched its new campaign action calling for the United Nations Human Rights Council to establish a new mandate for a Special Rapporteur on climate change and human rights. The mandate should take stock of impacts of climate change, mitigation, adaptation on human rights and provide inputs to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process. It could include identification and awareness raising awareness of best practices and make recommendations to governments and the international community about how we can best safeguard human rights in our changing world.

If you want to join with EJF and help protect the human rights of those people affected by climate change, whether as an organisation or as an individual, we urge you to sign the petition calling on the member states of the UN Human Rights Council to establish a new mandate for a Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Climate Change.