Summary

We are faced with a global crisis in the name of climate change. Throughout the world, the rights of people are being negatively affected or violated as a consequence of climate change. The Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change highlights the reference to human rights included in the preamble to the Paris Agreement and considers the human rights implications of mitigation actions. Considerable attention is given to the extensive and disastrous lack of action to address loss and damage as a result of the impacts of climate change and its related human rights impacts. The Special Rapporteur also highlights the serious disconnect between those that continue to support the fossil fuel economy and those that are most affected by the impacts of climate change. Also highlighted is the fact that those most affected by climate change have the least participation and representation in political and decision-making processes. The Special Rapporteur provides various recommendations on eliminating the use of fossil fuels, addressing the funding gap on loss and damage, improving participation and protecting the rights of indigenous and environmental human rights defenders. We are already confronted with a climate change emergency that comes with inherent serious human rights abuses. We can no longer delay. The time to actively address this emergency is now.