10 December 2014, Lima, Peru

On 10 December 2014, as part of the COP20 in Lima, Carbon Market Watch organised a side event jointly with Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), the Interamerican Association for Environmental Defense (AIDA), and the Peoples Council of Tezulutlán, Guatemala.

 The event was inspired by the International Human Rights Day and the concern for climate projects which violate rights of directly affected communities and indigenous people. The moderator Abby Rubinson pointed out that it is the perfect date to indulge in debate on how to tackle these issues and what policy frameworks are needed to overcome them.  John Knox, United Nations Independent Expert on human rights and the environment talked about obligations of the states under the international human rights law in relation to climate change and argued for a strong social safeguards system to be included into the CDM. Maximo Ba Tiul, Community representative of Peoples’ Council of Tezulutlan in Guatemala shared the troubling story of his community which has been severely affected by development of a hydroelectric project under the CDM. Maria Jose Veramendi Villa from Interamerican Association for Environmental Defense (AIDA) presented another case which showcases the need for human rights approach in the CDM. Alyssa Johl from Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) shared her concern with the weak sustainable development criteria, social safeguard system in the CDM, and the hibernating process of reaching an appeals procedure.

Read full report here