RIGHTS IN A CHANGING CLIMATE

The report examines the evolving relationship between human rights and the international climate regime, specifically the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement. It identifies a trend of increasing explicit and implicit references to human rights in COP decisions, though it notes these are often disproportionately linked to adaptation rather than mitigation. The document details how procedural rights, the rights of indigenous peoples, gender equality, and the right to food are being integrated into climate policy. It also reviews national-level implementation through Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and national communications, finding that while many countries reference human rights, there is a lack of harmonized guidance. The report argues that a rights-based approach is essential to increase climate ambition and protect vulnerable populations from both climate impacts and poorly designed climate responses.

• The Paris Agreement (2015) is the first global environmental agreement to explicitly mention human rights in its preamble, stating that Parties should "respect, promote and consider their respective obligations on human rights" when addressing climate change.
• The 2010 Cancun Agreements represented a watershed moment by being the first UNFCCC decisions to both highlight the impacts of climate change on human rights and emphasize that Parties should "fully respect human rights" in all climate-related actions.
• Human rights references within the UNFCCC and national actions are disproportionately associated with adaptation efforts rather than mitigation actions.
• Procedural rights, including public participation and access to information, are established as core commitments under Article 6 of the UNFCCC and are critical for the effectiveness of climate action.
• The report identifies a significant gap in the international legal framework regarding climate-induced human mobility, noting that the Warsaw International Mechanism (WIM) Task Force on Displacement has recommended that Parties develop domestic policies that recognize human rights obligations.
• Indigenous peoples' traditional knowledge is increasingly recognized in the UNFCCC, particularly in adaptation, with the Paris Agreement explicitly stating that adaptation action should be guided by "traditional knowledge, knowledge of indigenous peoples and local knowledge systems".
• A 'just transition' for the workforce, focusing on decent work and quality jobs, was first introduced into the UNFCCC in the 2010 Cancun Agreements and later included in the preamble of the Paris Agreement.
• National-level integration of human rights varies; 24 countries explicitly referenced human rights in their intended NDCs (predominantly from Latin America and the Caribbean), and 76 Parties referenced them in national reports as of December 2017.
• The report argues that a rights-based approach to climate action increases both ambition and sustainability by incorporating the voices of women, youth, indigenous peoples, and local communities.
• Climate change is identified as a humanitarian crisis that threatens fundamental rights, including the right to life, food, health, and housing, with the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment stating that a "safe climate is a vital element of the right to a healthy environment".

APA

Lennon, E. (2019). RIGHTS IN A CHANGING CLIMATE. Center for International Environmental Law. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Rights-in-a-Changing-Climate_SinglePage.pdf

Chicago

Lennon, Erika. RIGHTS IN A CHANGING CLIMATE. Center for International Environmental Law, 2019. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Rights-in-a-Changing-Climate_SinglePage.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Lennon |first1=Erika |title=RIGHTS IN A CHANGING CLIMATE |publisher=Center for International Environmental Law |date=2019 |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Rights-in-a-Changing-Climate_SinglePage.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{lennon2019rights, author = {Lennon, Erika}, title = {{RIGHTS IN A CHANGING CLIMATE}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2019}, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Rights-in-a-Changing-Climate_SinglePage.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }