Synthesis of Statements on Climate Change

This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law and the Global Initiative for Economic, Social & Cultural Rights synthesizes the 2022 activities of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) regarding climate change. It details specific recommendations made to the United States, France, and Cameroon, and discusses the potential for the upcoming General Recommendation No. 37 on the right to health to address environmental racism and climate-related health disparities.

• In 2022, the CERD issued three Concluding Observations (COBs) that mentioned climate change out of a total of twenty-six outputs. These COBs were directed at the United States, France, and Cameroon.
• The CERD expressed concern over the disproportionate impact of pollution, natural disasters, and climate change on indigenous peoples and racial and ethnic minorities in the United States. It specifically cited 'Cancer Alley' in Louisiana as an example of pollution caused by methanol complexes and petrochemical facilities. The Committee recommended that the US investigate polluting activities, provide remedies to victims, protect cultural sites from extractive industries, and consider moratoriums on expanding or authorizing new heavy industry facilities like petrochemical plants.
• The CERD provided specific recommendations to France and Cameroon regarding the protection of indigenous peoples. France was advised to consult with affected Indigenous Peoples in overseas territories to mitigate climate change effects and remedy environmental consequences of extractive activities. Cameroon was recommended to adopt measures to protect the resources, lands, and territories of indigenous peoples from climate change impacts to preserve traditional ways of life and prevent intercommunal conflicts.
• The CERD is developing General Recommendation No. 37 on racial discrimination and the right to health. While the initial concept note did not mention the environment, civil society submissions have urged the Committee to use this GR to outline state obligations regarding the right to health in the climate context and to adopt an intersectionality approach.
• The document notes that other international bodies have linked racial minorities to higher climate vulnerability. The IPCC identified that individuals in conditions often affecting racial minorities—such as insecure housing in polluted environments and poor access to health infrastructure—face higher exposure to climate-related health hazards. The WHO and the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent have similarly highlighted the link between environmental racism, climate disasters, and the right to health.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (2023). Synthesis of Statements on Climate Change. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/CERD-Synthesis-of-Statements-on-Climate-Change-2023.pdf

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. Synthesis of Statements on Climate Change. 2023. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/CERD-Synthesis-of-Statements-on-Climate-Change-2023.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=Synthesis of Statements on Climate Change |date=2023 |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/CERD-Synthesis-of-Statements-on-Climate-Change-2023.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforinternationalenvironmentallaw2023synthesis, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{Synthesis of Statements on Climate Change}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2023}, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/CERD-Synthesis-of-Statements-on-Climate-Change-2023.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }