Baku, Azerbaijan, November 2024 — The Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) has issued a bold open letter urging global leaders to integrate human rights into the international climate negotiations at COP 29. GANHRI, which represents 120 National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) worldwide, is calling on States Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement to ensure that climate policies respect, protect, and promote human rights for all.
As climate change continues to threaten lives, livelihoods, and environments across the globe, GANHRI emphasizes the urgent need for states to fulfill their human rights obligations and ensure that climate action is not only effective but also equitable. The organization underscores that climate change disproportionately affects vulnerable groups, including women, indigenous peoples, minorities, and people with disabilities.
Key Demands from GANHRI for COP 29:
- Prioritize Human Rights in Climate Finance
GANHRI calls for developed countries to meet their obligations by establishing a New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) that addresses the needs of those most affected by climate change. This includes ensuring that climate finance reaches vulnerable communities through transparent and accountable mechanisms, while also phasing out fossil fuel subsidies. - Enhance Mitigation Efforts with a Human Rights Focus
To limit global warming to 1.5°C, GANHRI urges countries to enhance their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) with specific human rights-based commitments. NDCs should include safeguards to protect vulnerable communities, and NHRIs must play an active role in monitoring and advocating for these commitments. - Build a Fair Loss and Damage Fund
GANHRI calls for the operationalization of a Loss and Damage Fund that is human rights-centered and inclusive. The fund should prioritize the most affected communities and uphold principles of accountability and transparency in the allocation of resources. - Advance Adaptation Efforts that Protect All Communities
GANHRI stresses the importance of adapting to climate impacts while ensuring that adaptation policies respect human rights. The rights of those most affected by climate change, including indigenous peoples, women, and marginalized groups, must be at the center of adaptation strategies. - Ensure Safe Participation for Human Rights Defenders
The role of human rights defenders, especially those advocating for climate justice, must be protected. GANHRI calls for safe, inclusive, and open participation in climate negotiations, urging states to ensure that defenders can carry out their work without fear of retaliation or harm.
Supporting Human Rights in the Climate Crisis
GANHRI’s letter highlights that the human rights impacts of climate change include violations of the right to life, food, water, health, and a clean environment. Vulnerable groups, such as low-income communities, older persons, and environmental human rights defenders, are disproportionately affected. To address these challenges, GANHRI urges that human rights principles guide climate policies at every level.
As COP 29 convenes, GANHRI reaffirms its commitment to supporting the translation of human rights obligations into climate action. The organization stands ready to collaborate with governments, civil society, and impacted communities to ensure that climate action respects the rights and dignity of all.
Conclusion
GANHRI calls on all COP 29 participants to make bold, human rights-guided decisions in their climate negotiations. The organization emphasizes the critical need for states to work with NHRIs and civil society to monitor, report, and ensure that climate actions are inclusive and rights-based. GANHRI remains committed to supporting efforts to address the climate crisis through a human rights lens.
Read the open letter here:
https://www.pdhj.tl/document-category/statement-of-support/
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