Human rights in climate action
Report: Human Rights implications of climate change mitigation actions, second edition
Executive Summary Countries’ obligations under international human rights law are well established. These include the obligations to respect, protect, and fulfill human rights, which are applicable in the context of climate change. Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) recognize that they must respect human rights—including procedural rights—in all climate-related actions….
Stakeholder comments regarding ongoing human rights concerns associated with the Barro Blanco Hydroelectric Power Plant Project (CDM Project #3237)
24 April 2016 Dear Mr Buendia, Dear Mr Wolke, We, the April 10 Movement for the Defense of the Tabasará River (M-10), Alianza para la Conservación y el Desarrollo (ACD) and Asociación Ambientalista de Chiriqui (ASAMCHI), are writing to provide stakeholder comments regarding the ongoing human rights concerns associated with the Barro Blanco Hydroelectric Power Plant…
Barro Blanco hydro dam: time is running out for affected communities
In February 2015, the Panamanian government suspended construction of the Barro Blanco hydro dam after recognising shortcomings in the agreement with affected stakeholders. One year later, and with the suspension now lifted, construction of the dam nears completion with some local communities fearing forced eviction from their homes. Supporters are calling on the Panamanian President to ensure that the affected communities are free from repression.
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Watch This! NGO Newsletter #14: Carbon Market Watch’s priorities for 2016
Following the adoption of the landmark Paris agreement, our plate will be full with important campaigns in 2016. Our objective? Ensure that policies are accountable and ambitious enough to achieve countries commitment to limit global warming to 1,5C. Here is a short overview of our priorities at the international level. Ensure accountability of climate action Governments…
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Watch This! NGO Newsletter #14: Barro Blanco – construction nears completion without agreement with affected stakeholders
In February, 2015, the Panamanian government suspended construction of the Barro Blanco hydro dam after recognising the absence of agreement with affected stakeholders. One year later, the suspension has been lifted and the construction is close to completion. However, no dialogue or agreement with the affected local communities is within sight. One year ago, in…
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Watch This! NGO Newsletter #14 Member Spotlight – Tezulutlan Peoples’ Council
In this edition Maximo Ba Tiul, the head of international relations, presents the Tezulutlan Peoples’ Council, a member organisation of the Network that represents indigenous communities in Guatemala. Could you introduce your organisation? The Tezulutlan People’s Council (Consejo de Pueblos de Tezulutlan, CPT) is a network of Q’echi, Poqomchi’, and Alchi indigenous communities in the…
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Climate Action Network demands justice for murdered activist
Dear Minister Ayala Alvarenga, Climate Action Network (CAN), a community of over 1,000 NGOs in more than 110 countries fighting for action to tackle climate change, expresses sadness, regret and condemnation at the brutal murder of Berta Cáceres that took place in her home on Thursday 3 March. As the world’s largest environmental community we…
Open letter to EU Officials on Human Rights
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.
Paris outcomes: Carbon Market Watch Analysis of COP 21
From 30 November to 12 December 2015, Parties to the UNFCCC met in Paris to negotiate a new global climate treaty.
The Paris Agreement was a remarkable outcome, especially after the failures of Copenhagen. Almost all involved, including Carbon Market Watch, seemed surprised at how positive the outcome was. However, expectations had been carefully managed in the preceding years, so that aspirations of environmentalists to have a treaty that reflected the scientific reality by dividing up the remaining global carbon budget, had been downplayed into unreality.
Paris builds recognition for Human Rights obligations in climate action
HR -Protect Human Rights in all climate actionsIn Paris, governments recognized the interconnectivity of climate change and human rights. With a detailed preambular language that specifies that Parties, when taking action to address climate change, have to respect, promote and consider respective human rights obligations, the Paris agreement sets the foundation to make the new sustainable development mechanism accountable to human rights obligations.
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