States’ Human Rights Obligations in the Context of Climate Change

The document argues that existing human rights obligations under legally binding treaties must inform climate action to protect those most affected and ensure non-discrimination and public participation. It highlights the role of UN human rights treaty bodies (HRTBs) in elaborating these obligations and reviews their 2018 guidance on emissions reduction, adaptation, procedural rights, and international cooperation, including specific contributions from CEDAW, CESCR, and the CRC.

• Human rights obligations under legally binding treaties necessitate that climate policies effectively protect the most affected populations and are designed based on meaningful public participation and non-discrimination.
• UN human rights treaty bodies (HRTBs) are essential for defining how States should respect, protect, and fulfill human rights regarding climate change, having provided recommendations over the last decade that link international human rights obligations to climate policies.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (2019). States’ Human Rights Obligations in the Context of Climate Change. https://www.ciel.org/reports/states-human-rights-obligations-context-climate-change-2019-update/

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. States’ Human Rights Obligations in the Context of Climate Change. 2019. https://www.ciel.org/reports/states-human-rights-obligations-context-climate-change-2019-update/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=States’ Human Rights Obligations in the Context of Climate Change |date=26 March 2019 |url=https://www.ciel.org/reports/states-human-rights-obligations-context-climate-change-2019-update/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforinternationalenvironmentallaw2019states, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{States’ Human Rights Obligations in the Context of Climate Change}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2019}, month = mar, url = {https://www.ciel.org/reports/states-human-rights-obligations-context-climate-change-2019-update/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }