Male’ Declaration on the Human Dimension of Global Climate Change

The Male’ Declaration, adopted by Small Island Developing States in 2007, argues that climate change threatens fundamental human rights and calls for urgent global action to limit temperature rises to below 2°C and greenhouse gas concentrations to under 450ppm. It specifically requests that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights study the effects of climate change on human rights and that the UN Human Rights Council convene a debate on the subject in March 2009.

• The representatives of Small Island Developing States assert that climate change poses an immediate and far-reaching threat to individuals and communities, specifically noting that small island, low-lying coastal, and atoll states are particularly vulnerable to rising sea-levels, changes in precipitation, and natural disasters.
• The declaration identifies climate change as a direct threat to several specific human rights, including the rights to life, food, an adequate standard of living, the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, the use and enjoyment of property, and participation in cultural life.
• The document requests that the international community commit to a post-2012 consensus to stabilize the global climate, specifically aiming to keep temperature increases below 2°C above pre-industrial averages and greenhouse gas concentrations below 450ppm.
• The declaration calls for formal institutional action from the United Nations, specifically requesting the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to conduct a detailed study on climate change's effects on human rights and for the UN Human Rights Council to hold a debate on the topic in March 2009.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (2007). Male’ Declaration on the Human Dimension of Global Climate Change. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Male_Declaration_Nov07.pdf

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. Male’ Declaration on the Human Dimension of Global Climate Change. 2007. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Male_Declaration_Nov07.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=Male’ Declaration on the Human Dimension of Global Climate Change |date=14 November 2007 |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Male_Declaration_Nov07.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centerforinternationalenvironmentallaw2007male, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{Male’ Declaration on the Human Dimension of Global Climate Change}}, publisher = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2007}, month = nov, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Male_Declaration_Nov07.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }