Environment and climate change

The right to health is an inclusive right, extending not only to health care, but also to the underlying determinants of health, such as:

• access to quality food, safe and potable water and adequate sanitation
• healthy occupational and environmental conditions
• access to health-related education and information.

Climate change: an alarming effect on the right to health

The effects of climate change on the full enjoyment of the right to health already are alarming. They are threatening human health and well-being by increasing causes of morbidity and mortality. Climate-related changes such as heat, drought, flood, hurricanes, are associated with increased rates of cardiovascular disorders, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and renal problems. Environment determinants such as pollen, smoke, dust, stagnant water can lead to chronic ailments.

Climate change also has a negative impact on human dignity and security. Its human and environmental impacts include loss of land and housing, diminished quantity and quality of food production, food insecurity and malnutrition, and forced displacement.

As climate change is intrinsically discriminatory, it perpetuates existing inequalities. Those most affected are the ones in vulnerable situations, the poor and marginalized. They are most affected not only by associated conflict, ill-health and disease but also by fragile and inadequate public health and health care systems, which are unable to cope with the threat-multiplying effects of climate change.

Impact on mental health

Climate change is not only affecting human physical health, it also has an impact on a person’s mental health and well-being. Poor physical health and ailments are associated with poor quality of life and psychological distress. (See statement by the Special Rapporteur for a Panel Discussion on the Impacts of Climate Change on the Right to Health in the context of the Analytical Study on the Impacts of Climate Change on the Right to Health, 2016.)

Paris agreement: recognizing human rights in the fight against climate rights

With the 2015 Paris Agreement, the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change responded to the calls of many to have a robust reference to human rights in the agreement. While the language is not as robust as many of us would have wanted, it is the first multilateral environmental agreement to explicitly recognize the importance of human rights in taking on climate change.

See also:

• “UN expert calls for halt to mining at controversial Colombia site,” issued on 28 September 2020
• “Chemical industry must step up on human rights to prevent more Bhopal-like disasters: UN expert,” issued on 14 May 2020
• Statement on the occasion of the United Nations Climate Action Summit - New York, 23 September 2019: Our addiction to fossil fuels causes climate emergency, say human rights experts, issued on 17 September 2019
• “Paraguay responsible for human rights violations in context of massive agrochemical fumigations,” issued on 14 August 2019
• “UN experts urge ILO to back safe and healthy work conditions as a 'fundamental' right,” issued on 13 June 2019
• “UN experts urge prompt ratification of landmark Latin America and Caribbean environment treaty,” issued on 13 September 2018
• “Japan: Fukushima clean-up workers, including homeless, at grave risk of exploitation, say UN experts,” issued on 16 August 2018
• “Human rights must be centre-stage as Paris climate change deal takes effect, UN experts say,” issued on 3 November 2017
• “Toxic air pollution: UN rights experts urge tighter rules to combat ‘invisible threat’,” issued on 24 February 2017
• UN experts launch urgent call for action on anniversary of devastating Brazil dam collapse - Brazilian mine disaster, one year on – Saturday 5 November 2016
• Ten years on, the survivors of illegal toxic waste dumping in Côte d’Ivoire remain in the dark - 10th anniversary of the ‘Probo Koala incident’ - Friday 19 August 2016
• UN experts urge Latin America and the Caribbean to adopt trend-setting agreement on environmental democracy, issued on 22 October 2015
• Statement by United Nations experts on the ECLAC’s negotiation of a regional instrument on environmental democracy, issued on 22 October 2015
• Joint statement by UN Special Procedures on the occasion of World Environment Day, 5 June 2015
• Peru / Indigenous peoples: “New oil project threatens further harm for human rights victims”, 15 December 2014