Climate Emergency and Human Rights

The Global Climate and Health Alliance (GCHA) provides legal and scientific commentary to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, detailing how climate change exacerbates health crises in Latin America and the Caribbean. The document highlights the disproportionate impact of heat, wildfires, air pollution, and vector-borne diseases on vulnerable populations, including indigenous peoples and children. It argues that states have a legal duty under the American Convention on Human Rights and the Paris Agreement to prevent climate-related health harms. The brief recommends a transition away from fossil fuels, the elimination of 'sacrifice zones', and the adoption of sustainable land management to achieve health co-benefits and uphold human rights.

• Extreme heat has caused significant mortality and economic loss in Latin American cities. Between 2002 and 2015, nearly 900,000 deaths may be attributed to extreme temperatures, and in 2021, high temperatures led to a potential income loss of USD 22 billion, primarily affecting agriculture and construction.
• Wildfires in the LAC region, exacerbated by deforestation, create severe respiratory and cardiovascular hazards. Indigenous populations in South America face double the mortality from smoke compared to non-indigenous populations.
• Air pollution is a major health burden in the Americas, causing over 320,000 premature deaths annually. In the LAC region, 95% of inhabitants are exposed to air pollution, and the economic impact of premature deaths due to particulate matter accounts for 3.4% of the region's GDP.
• Climate change is expanding the range of vector-borne diseases. Dengue cases in the Americas rose from 1.5 million in the 1980s to 16.2 million between 2010-2019, with climate suitability for transmission increasing by 35.3% from 2012-2021 compared to 1951-1960.
• Industrial 'sacrifice zones', such as Quintero in Chile, expose populations to extreme pollution linked to cancer, respiratory diseases, and elevated infant mortality.
• Climate-induced migration is increasing in the Caribbean due to hurricanes and droughts. For example, Hurricane Maria in Dominica caused a population displacement of up to 27.3% and economic costs totaling 260% of its annual GDP.
• Current climate commitments in Chile and Colombia are rated as "insufficient" by the Climate Action Tracker to align with the 1.5C limit, despite some progressive legislation like Chile's climate change law.
• There is a significant gap in climate finance for health in the LAC region; while 83% of NDCs in the region prioritize health, less than 0.5% of multilateral climate finance for LAC countries is allocated to health initiatives.
• The brief argues that states have a legal duty of prevention under Article 4 of the American Convention on Human Rights to protect the right to life from climate-related threats, and a responsibility to uphold the principles of equity, justice, and the precautionary principle.
• The document recommends a rapid phase-out of fossil fuels and a 45% reduction in human-caused methane emissions by 2030, which could prevent 255,000 premature deaths and 775,000 asthma-related hospitalizations globally beyond 2040.
• Sustainable land management, particularly recognizing indigenous land rights, is critical for carbon storage and health. Indigenous territories in the Amazon Basin cover 28% of the area but contribute only 2.6% of carbon emissions.

APA

Global Climate and Health Alliance (2023). Climate Emergency and Human Rights. https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Amicus-curiae-GCHA-IHR-Court-Dec-18.docx-1.pdf

Chicago

Global Climate and Health Alliance. Climate Emergency and Human Rights. 2023. https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Amicus-curiae-GCHA-IHR-Court-Dec-18.docx-1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Global Climate and Health Alliance |title=Climate Emergency and Human Rights |date=18 December 2023 |url=https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Amicus-curiae-GCHA-IHR-Court-Dec-18.docx-1.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{globalclimateandhealthalliance2023climate, author = {{Global Climate and Health Alliance}}, title = {{Climate Emergency and Human Rights}}, institution = {Global Climate and Health Alliance}, year = {2023}, month = dec, url = {https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Amicus-curiae-GCHA-IHR-Court-Dec-18.docx-1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }