Day 2: Obligations
Human Rights Obligations and Responsibilities Related to Climate Change
Human Rights Obligations and Responsibilities Related to Climate Change
Saturday, December 3, 2022
The second day of the summit focused on the obligations of each level of civil society to address climate change and human rights. Levels of civil society include government, business and industry, education, and individuals.
Learn about the summit’s Watch Globally, Engage Locally Panel Series—six national and community-focused sessions.
President Mary Robinson
Keynote Speaker
A respected advocate for climate justice and the former president of Ireland, Robinson joined the summit and discussed how to understand climate change as a matter of human rights.
Panels
Governments are obligated to respect, protect and fulfill human rights. With this obligation, they are the primary duty bearers for addressing the human rights impacts of climate change. This panel explored the scope and nature of government obligations in this context, including the obligations to mobilize resources, cooperate internationally and ensure equity.
Moderator
Panelists
David Boyd
Canada
Law & Policy
Human Rights
Climate Change & Environment
Janine Coye-Felson
Belize
Law & Policy
Climate Change & Environment
Augustine Njamnshi
Cameroon
Law & Policy
Environmental Governance
Naderev ‘Yeb’ Saño
Philippines
Climate Change & Environment
Margaretha Wewerinke-Singh
United Kingdom
Law & Policy
This panel discussed lessons learned from efforts to hold governments accountable for the human rights impacts, present and future, of climate change through litigation in domestic and international tribunals. It also explored other strategies, such as social and political activism, and commensurate strategies, including the use of art and media campaigns.
Moderator
Panelists
Tobita Chow
United States
Policy Reform Activist
Marieke Faber
United States
Law & Policy
Tessa Khan
Australia
Law & Policy
Climate Change & Environment
Vivien Luk
United States
Business & Industry
Legborsi Saro Pyagbara
Nigeria & the Ogoni People
Human Rights
Business enterprises are expected to avoid infringing on or contributing to the infringement of human rights in all their operations and business relations, including supply chains. This panel examined examples of good business practices toward fulfilling this responsibility to respect human rights in the context of climate change. The panel also focused on what affirmative steps different business sectors can and should take, individually and in cooperation with others, to mitigate climate change and its human rights impacts.
Moderator
Panelists
Stacy Carter
United States
Policy Reform Activist
Gillian Marcelle
Trinidad & United States
Business & Industry
Caroline Rees
United Kingdom
Business & Industry
Human Rights
Monte Tarbox
United States
Business & Industry
Societies in the United States and elsewhere are still not doing enough about climate change and its human rights impacts, due at least in part to a lack of sufficient knowledge. It’s unlikely that sufficient action will be taken to address climate change unless there is more widespread knowledge and concern about it. This panel discussed the responsibilities and roles of educational systems, from primary to higher education, in building a global culture of knowledge and inquiry—with local manifestations—about climate change, its human rights impacts, and solutions. It will do so in light of the human right to education, the importance of nondiscrimination in this context, and the need for educational systems to advance respect for nature, culture and traditional knowledge.
Moderator
Panelists
Jono Anzalone
United States
Education
Ili Nadiah Dzulfakar
Malaysia
Climate Change & Environment
Gitanjali Rao
United States
Youth Activist
Pasang Dolma Sherpa
Nepal
Human Rights
Environmental Governance
Policy Reform