FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 23rd, 2022
Geneva, Switzerland — Today, the Special Rapporteur for the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change, Dr. Ian Fry, presented his first report, on “initial planning and vision for the mandate,” at the 50th Session of the UN Human Rights Council. Francesca Mingrone, Staff Attorney at the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), offered the following reflection on the report:
“This new report has the potential to galvanize much-needed attention toward the intersection of human rights and climate change at a pivotal moment. We are pleased to see that the Special Rapporteur will look into the human rights harms resulting from climate-induced loss and damage, and we look forward to his recommendations on enhancing financial support to provide redress for those whose rights are adversely impacted, building on States’ duty to cooperate internationally. We encourage paying specific attention to non-economic losses like threats to cultural rights and the right to land.”
“In the midst of mounting climate chaos and stark reminders of the urgent need to end global reliance on fossil fuels, we are thrilled to see the Special Rapporteur’s attention to the human rights implications of false solutions, including geoengineering technologies, which prolong our dependence on fossil fuels. We hope this report will be yet another reminder to governments worldwide of their duty to prevent foreseeable human rights harms in the context of such technologies and a wake-up call to quickly phase out fossil fuels — the main drivers of the climate crisis.”
“Civil society, Indigenous Peoples, and frontline communities called for the creation of the Special Rapporteur’s mandate for more than a decade. It’s critical that the Special Rapporteur continues to meaningfully engage with those most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and help amplify their voices.”
Read the statement that CIEL delivered at the 50th Session of the Human Rights Council.
Media contact:
Media contact
Rossella Recupero, Communications Associate, press(at)ciel.org