Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC): Synthesis of Statements on Climate Change

The 2022 activities of the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) show a sustained focus on climate change, with references appearing in 25 out of 33 State review processes. The Committee emphasized adaptation, mitigation, and the empowerment of children in policymaking, while specifically calling out the need for more ambitious emission reductions in developed nations like Germany. A significant portion of the CRC's work focused on the accountability of private actors in fossil fuel production and the extraterritorial obligations of States to protect children's rights abroad. Furthermore, the CRC developed a draft General Comment No. 26, which links a safe climate to the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment and advocates for the phasing out of fossil fuels.

• In 2022, the CRC integrated climate change concerns into the majority of its State review processes, specifically appearing in 25 out of 33 outputs, including Concluding Observations, Lists of Issues, and Lists of Issues Prior to Reporting.
• The CRC frequently addressed climate change in reviews of developed States compared to Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Islands Developing States (SIDS), with a strong emphasis on adaptation, mitigation, and the participation of children in policymaking.
• The Committee highlighted the need for corporate accountability and State regulation of private actors involved in fossil fuel production, specifically recommending that Canada and the Netherlands establish frameworks to prevent and account for activities endangering children's rights.
• The draft General Comment No. 26 identifies a safe climate as a substantive element of the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment and recommends that States phase out coal, oil, and natural gas in favor of renewable energy and energy efficiency.

APA

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

Chicago

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

Wikipedia

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

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforinternationalenvironmentallaw2023committee, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC): Synthesis of Statements on Climate Change}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2023}, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/CRC-Synthesis-of-Statements-on-Climate-Change-2023.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }