NEWS

New publication on Climate Change and Human Rights

Climate change has extensive negative impacts on the fulfilment of human rights, particularly of the right to food and water, as it affects global crop yields and the availability of potable water. Developing countries, which have contributed least to global warming and lack the resources necessary to adapt to its changes, will be particularly hit by its adverse impacts. Rural communities, as for instance small-scale farmers and landless peasants, as well as women and girls, are particularly exposed to the effects of climate change.

FIAN has issued a new publication which is a summary of the report "Menschenrechte im Klimawandel. Anforderungen an die deutsche und internationale Klimapolitik. Schwerpunkt: Menschenrecht auf Nahrung und Wasser", produced by FIAN Germany. It analyses the impacts of climate change on the implementation of human rights, particularly of the rights to food and water, and examines States' obligations arising out of international climate change and human rights treaties, in order to establish States' national and international obligations with regard to climate policies.

In accordance with international climate change and human rights law, it is the duty of industrialized States to assume the leadership of the emissions reduction, as well as to assist developing countries so that they can reduce their own emissions, increase their adaptive capacity and thus protect the rights of their citizens. However, all measures undertaken in this context must respect human rights standards and in particular recognize the traditional rights of indigenous people and local communities.

View and download Climate Change and Human Rights