AN INUIT PETITION TO THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

The authors propose using the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) to hold the United States accountable for climate change impacts on the Inuit. They argue that U.S. emissions, representing approximately 25% of global totals, have caused sea ice retreat and permafrost thaw, threatening Inuit culture and violating rights such as the right to life, health, and property. While the IACHR cannot mandate emission cuts or compensation, a formal finding of human rights violations would provide moral and political leverage and support future litigation.

• The United States is identified as the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases, accounting for approximately 25% of global emissions, and has failed to take meaningful action to reduce them despite commitments under the 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the rejection of the Kyoto Protocol.
• Climate change is causing severe physical and cultural damage to Inuit communities in the Arctic, specifically citing the village of Shishmaref, Alaska, where seven houses have been relocated, three have fallen into the sea, and engineers predict the entire village of 600 houses could disappear within a few decades.
• The retreat of sea ice and shifting ecosystems impair the Inuit's ability to hunt and fish for sustenance, which serves as the foundation of their identity, and forces hunters to put their safety at risk due to unpredictable weather and unstable ice.
• The authors argue that the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) is a preferable forum for a complaint because it is receptive to private citizens and has a progressive history of interpreting human rights law, even for states like the U.S. that are not party to the American Convention on Human Rights but are Member States of the OAS.
• The petition would rely on the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man, specifically citing potential violations of the right to life and personal security (Art. I), residence and movement (Art. VIII), inviolability of the home (Art. IX), preservation of health and well-being (Art. XI), and the right to property.
• Although the IACHR lacks the authority to order the U.S. to reduce emissions or pay compensation, a report finding human rights violations would create moral and political pressure, encourage negotiated solutions, and provide an independent basis for domestic judicial proceedings.

APA

Wagner, M., & Goldberg, D. M. (2004). AN INUIT PETITION TO THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS. Center for International Environmental Law. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/COP10_Handout_EJCIEL.pdf

Chicago

Wagner, Martin, and Donald M. Goldberg. AN INUIT PETITION TO THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS. Center for International Environmental Law, 2004. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/COP10_Handout_EJCIEL.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Wagner |first1=Martin |last2=Goldberg |first2=Donald M. |title=AN INUIT PETITION TO THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS |publisher=Center for International Environmental Law |date=15 December 2004 |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/COP10_Handout_EJCIEL.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wagner2004inuit, author = {Wagner, Martin and Goldberg, Donald M.}, title = {{AN INUIT PETITION TO THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2004}, month = dec, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/COP10_Handout_EJCIEL.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }