Dear President Juncker, dear President Tusk, dear Ministers,
We are writing on behalf of the undersigned organisations and members of the Human Rights and Climate Change Working Group[1], in advance of the UNFCCC Conference of the State Parties in Paris from November 30-December 11, 2015.
We believe that the Paris climate change summit presents an important opportunity to recognize the human rights implications of climate change. Climate change affects access to water, food, health and housing, and disproportionately impacts those who are already marginalized and most vulnerable to its effects, including women, indigenous peoples and impoverished communities living in fragile ecosystems. In the absence of sufficient safeguards, certain actions designed to address climate change can result in adverse impacts on human rights.
To ensure that Paris delivers for the most vulnerable and marginalized populations, robust human rights language should be included in the operative part of the Paris Agreement in order to improve the effective implementation of existing human rights obligations in all climate related actions. This is particularly critical as the Paris Agreement will set the framework for a wide range of policies, activities and investments to be implemented in developing countries.
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