Human rights and the impacts of climate change
Revisiting the assumptions
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35295/osls.iisl/0000-0000-0000-1143Keywords:
Human rights, climate litigation, state actors, non-state actors, loss and damageAbstract
The Paris Agreement acknowledges the need to tackle the permanent and irreversible impacts of climate change. It does not, however, provide means to hold state and non-state actors accountable for the harm to persons, property and the environment associated with climate change. In 2009, the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR) noted that qualifying the effects of climate change as human rights violations posed a series of technical obstacles. More than a decade later, applicants around the world increasingly rely on human rights law and institutions to complain about harms associated with the impacts of climate change. National, regional and international human rights bodies stand on the frontline to bridge the accountability gap left by the Paris Agreement. This article therefore revisits the OHCHR’s assumptions, suggesting that we use human rights as an interim “gap-filler”, while we seek better tools to tackle the impacts of climate change.
Downloads
Metrics
Global Statistics ℹ️
|
3480
Views
|
1691
Downloads
|
|
5171
Total
|
|
References
Adshead, J., 2018. The Application and Development of the Polluter-Pays Principle across Jurisdictions in Liability for Marine Oil Pollution: The Tales of the “Erika” and the “Prestige”. Journal of Environmental Law [online], 30(3). Available from: https://doi.org/10.1093/jel/eqy020 [Accessed 24 July 2020]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jel/eqy020
Anderson, M.R., 1998. Human Rights Approaches to Environmental Protection: An Overview. In: A.E. Boyle and M.R. Anderson, eds., Human Rights Approaches to Environmental Protection. Oxford University Press, 1–24. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198267898.003.0001
Bodansky, D., 2009. Introduction: Climate Change and Human Rights: Unpacking the Issues. Georgia Journal of International and Comparative Law [online], 38(3), 511–524. Available from: https://digitalcommons.law.uga.edu/gjicl/vol38/iss3/3/ [Accessed 24 July 2020].
Boyle, A., 2007. Human Rights or Environmental Rights? A Reassessment. Fordham Environmental Law Review [online], 18(3), 471. Available from: https://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1634&context=elr [Accessed 24 July 2020].
Boyle, A., 2012. Human Rights and the Environment: Where Next? European Journal of International Law [online], 23(3), 613–642. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1093/ejil/chs054 [Accessed 24 July 2020]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ejil/chs054
Boyle, A., 2020. Progressive Development of International Environmental Law: Legislate or Litigate? German Yearbook of International Law, 63.
Boyle, A.E., and Anderson, M.R., 1998. Human Rights Approaches to Environmental Protection. Oxford University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198267898.001.0001
Cadiz, R., 2018. New approaches to climate justice: Framing climate change as a human rights issue in a global dialogue. Quezon City: Institute of Environmental Science for Social Change.
Cancun Agreements, 2010. Outcome of the work of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention. Decision 1/CP.16 (FCCC/CP/2010/7/Add.1) [online]. Cancun: Conference of the Parties, United Nations, 29 November–10 December. Available from: https://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2010/cop16/eng/07a01.pdf [Accessed 24 July 2020].
Caney, S., 2005. Cosmopolitan Justice, Responsibility, and Global Climate Change. Leiden Journal of International Law [online], 18(4), 747–775. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0922156505002992 [Accessed 24 July 2020]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0922156505002992
Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 2017. General comment No. 24 (2017) on State obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in the context of business activities (E/C.12/GC/24). United Nations Economic and Social Council, 10 August.
Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, 2018. Climate change and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights [online]. Geneva: United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Available from: https://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=23691&LangID=E [Accessed 13 December 2019].
Duyck, S., et al., 2018. Human Rights and the Paris Agreement’s Implementation Guidelines: Opportunities to Develop a Rights-based Approach. Carbon & Climate Law Review [online], 12(3), 191–202. Available from: https://doi.org/10.21552/cclr/2018/3/5 [Accessed 24 July 2020]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21552/cclr/2018/3/5
Duyck, S., Jodoin, S., and Johl, A., eds., 2018. Handbook on Human Rights and Climate Governance. Abingdon: Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315312576
Ekwurzel, B., et al., 2017. The rise in global atmospheric CO2, surface temperature, and sea level from emissions traced to major carbon producers. Climatic Change [online], 144(4), 579–590. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-017-1978-0 [Accessed 24 July 2020]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-017-1978-0
Expert Group on Climate Obligations of Enterprises, 2018. Principles on climate obligations of enterprises. The Hague/Portland: Eleven.
Faure, M.G., and Nollkaemper, A., 2007. International Liability as an Instrument to Prevent and Compensate for Climate Change. Stanford Journal of International Law [online], 26, 123. Available from: https://cris.maastrichtuniversity.nl/en/publications/international-liability-as-an-instrument-to-prevent-and-compensat [Accessed 24 July 2020].
Frumhoff, P.C., Heede, R., and Oreskes, N., 2015. The climate responsibilities of industrial carbon producers. Climatic Change [online], 132(2), 157–171. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-015-1472-5 [Accessed 24 July 2020]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-015-1472-5
Gilbert, J., 2018. Natural Resources and Human Rights: An Appraisal. Oxford University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198795667.001.0001
Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights: Implementing the United Nations “Protect, Respect and Remedy” Framework (A/HRC/17/31) [online]. New York/Geneva: United Nations. 16 June 2011. HR/PUB/11/04. Available from: https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Publications/GuidingPrinciplesBusinessHR_EN.pdf [Accessed 13 December 2019].
Harrington, J., 2007. Climate Change, Human Rights and the Right to be Cold. Fordham Environmental Law Review [online], 18(3), 513. Available from: https://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/elr/vol18/iss3/2/ [Accessed 24 July 2020].
Harrington, L.J., and Otto, F.E.L., 2019. Attributable damage liability in a non-linear climate. Climatic Change [online], 153(1), 15–20. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-019-02379-9 [Accessed 24 July 2020]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-019-02379-9
Heede, R., 2014. Tracing anthropogenic carbon dioxide and methane emissions to fossil fuel and cement producers, 1854–2010. Climatic Change [online], 122(1–2), 229–241. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-013-0986-y [Accessed 24 July 2020]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-013-0986-y
Humphreys, S., 2010a. Competing Claims: Human Rights and Climate Harms. In: S. Humphreys, ed., Human Rights and Climate Change. Cambridge University Press, 37–68. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511770722.003
Humphreys, S., ed., 2010b. Human Rights and Climate Change. Cambridge University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511770722.002
Improving accountability and access to remedy for victims of business-related human rights abuse Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (A/HRC/32/19) [online]. Human Rights Council, 10 May 2016. Available from: https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Business/DomesticLawRemedies/A_HRC_32_19_AEV.pdf [Accessed 24 July 2020].
Influencemap, 2019. Big Oil’s Real Agenda on Climate Change [online]. London: Influencemap. Available from: https://influencemap.org/report/How-Big-Oil-Continues-to-Oppose-the-Paris-Agreement-38212275958aa21196dae3b76220bddc [Accessed 24 July 2020].
Joseph, S., 2012. Protracted Lawfare: The Tale of Chevron Texaco in the Amazon. Journal of Human Rights and the Environment [online], 3(1), 70–91. Available from: https://doi.org/10.4337/jhre.2012.01.03 [Accessed 24 July 2020]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4337/jhre.2012.01.03
Knox, J.H., 2009. Climate Change and Human Rights Law. Virginia Journal of International Law [online], 50 (1), 163. Available from: https://wakespace.lib.wfu.edu/bitstream/handle/10339/26081/Knox%20Climate%20Change%20and%20Human%20Rights%20Law%20Essay.pdf;jsessionid=FBD90320B48F2AF1AFFD0C72AAF828D3?sequence=1 [Accessed 24 July 2020].
Lee, M., 2015. Climate Change Tort [online]. Rochester: Social Science Research Network, SSRN Scholarly Paper No. ID 2695107. Available from: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2695107 [Accessed 24 July 2020]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2695107
Legally Binding Instrument to Regulate, in International Human Rights Law, the Activities of Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises [online]. OEIGWG Fifth Session. Geneva, 14–18 October 2019. Available from: https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/WGTransCorp/OEIGWG_RevisedDraft_LBI.pdf [Accessed 17 July 2020].
Li, X., and Jin, J., 2014. Liability for Ultrahazardous Activity. In: X. Li and J. Jin, eds. Concise Chinese Tort Laws. Berlin/Heidelberg: Springer, 215–223. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-41024-6_21
McInerney-Lankford, S., Darrow, M., and Rajamani, L., 2011. Human Rights and Climate Change. A Review of the International Legal Dimensions [online]. Washington, DC: World Bank. Available from: http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/903741468339577637/Human-rights-and-climate-change-a-review-of-the-international-legal-dimensions [Accessed 24 July 2020]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1596/978-0-8213-8720-7
O’Brien, C.M., and Dhanarajan, S., 2016. The Corporate Responsibility to Respect Human Rights: A Status Review. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal [online], 29(4). Available from: https://doi.org/10.1108/AAAJ-09-2015-2230 [Accessed 9 September 2020]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/AAAJ-09-2015-2230
Olszynski, M., Mascher, S., and Doelle, M., 2017. From Smokes to Smokestacks: Lessons from Tobacco for the Future of Climate Change Liability. Georgetown Environmental Law Review [online], 30(1). Available from: https://www.law.georgetown.edu/environmental-law-review/in-print/volume-30-issue-1-fall-2017/from-smokes-to-smokestacks-lessons-from-tobacco-for-the-future-of-climate-change-liability/ [Accessed 9 September 2020].
Osofsky, H.M., 2010. Climate Change and Environmental Justice: Reflections on Litigation Over Oil Extraction and Rights Violations in Nigeria. Journal of Human Rights and the Environment [online], 1(2), 189–210. Available from: https://doi.org/10.4337/jhre.2010.02.03 [Accessed 24 July 2020]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4337/jhre.2010.02.03
Paris Agreement, 2015. Decision 1/CP.21 (FCCC/CP/2015/10/Add.1) [online]. Paris: Conference of the Parties, United Nations, 29 January 2016. Available from: https://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2015/cop21/eng/10a01.pdf#page=2 [Accessed 24 July 2020].
Patel, S.J., 2012. Delayed Justice: A Case Study of Texaco and the Republic of Ecuador’s Operations, Harms, and Possible Redress in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Tulane Environmental Law Journal [online], 26(1). Available from: https://journals.tulane.edu/elj/article/view/2302 [Accessed 24 July 2020].
Pedersen, O.W., 2011. The Janus-Head of Human Rights and Climate Change: Adaptation and Mitigation. Nordic Journal of International Law [online], 80(4), 403–423. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1163/157181011X598427 [Accessed 24 July 2020]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/157181011X598427
Peel, J., and Osofsky, H.M., 2018. A Rights Turn in Climate Change Litigation? Transnational Environmental Law [online], 7(1), 37–67. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1017/S2047102517000292 [Accessed 24 July 2020]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S2047102517000292
Peeters, M., and Nóbrega, S., 2014. Climate Change-related Aarhus Conflicts: How Successful are Procedural Rights in EU Climate Law? RECIEL [online], 23(3), 354–366. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/reel.12076 [Accessed 24 July 2020]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/reel.12076
Peeters, M., and Schomerus, T., 2014. Modifying Our Society with Law. Climate Law [online], 4(1–2), 131–139. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1163/18786561-00402011 [Accessed 24 July 2020]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/18786561-00402011
Pildes, R.H., 1998. Why Rights Are Not Trumps: Social Meanings, Expressive Harms, and Constitutionalism. The Journal of Legal Studies [online], 27(S2), 725–763. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1086/468041 [Accessed 24 July 2020]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1086/468041
Popoola, E.O., 2017. Moving the Battlefields: Foreign Jurisdictions and Environmental Justice in Nigeria. Items [online], 7 November. Available from: https://items.ssrc.org/just-environments/moving-the-battlefields-foreign-jurisdictions-and-environmental-justice-in-nigeria/ [Accessed 24 July 2020].
Rajamani, L., 2010. The Increasing Currency and Relevance of Rights-Based Perspectives in the International Negotiations on Climate Change. Journal of Environmental Law [online], 22(3), 391–429. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1093/jel/eqq020 [Accessed 24 July 2020]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jel/eqq020
Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the relationship between climate change and human rights (A/HRC/10/61) [online]. Geneva: United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. 15 January 2009. Available from: https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/647215/files/A_HRC_10_61-EN.pdf [Accessed 24 July 2020].
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the issue of human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment (A/HRC/31/52) [online]. United Nations General Assembly, Human Rights Council, 11 February 2016. Available from: https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/RegularSessions/Session31/Documents/A%20HRC%2031%2052_E.docx [Accessed 24 July 2020].
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the issue of human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment (A/HRC/37/59) [online]. United Nations General Assembly, Human Rights Council, 24 January 2018. Available from: https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/1474985/files/A_HRC_37_59-EN.pdf [Accessed 24 July 2020].
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the issue of human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment (A/74/161) [online]. Geneva: Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, 2019. Available from: https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Environment/SREnvironment/Report.pdf [Accessed 24 July 2020].
Rich, N., 2019. Losing Earth: A Recent History. New York: Macmillan.
Savaresi, A., 2018. Climate Change and Human Rights: Fragmentation, Interplay and Institutional Linkages. In: S. Duyck, S. Jodoin, and A. Johl, eds., Routledge Handbook of Human Rights and Climate Governance. Abingdon: Routledge, 31–43. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315312576-3
Savaresi, A., 2019. The Paris Agreement: Reflections on an International Law Odyssey. In: G. Ulrich and I. Ziemele, eds., How International Law Works in Times of Crisis. Oxford/New York: Oxford University Press.
Savaresi, A., 2020. Community Energy and a Just Energy Transition: What We Know, and What We Still Need to Find Out. In: I. del Guayo et al., eds. Energy Justice and Energy Law. Distributive, Procedural, Restorative and Social Justice in Energy Law. Oxford University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198860754.003.0005
Savaresi, A., and Auz, J., 2019. Climate Change Litigation and Human Rights: Pushing the Boundaries. Climate Law [online], 9(3), 244–262. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1163/18786561-00903006 [Accessed 24 July 2020]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/18786561-00903006
Savaresi, A., and Hartmann, J., 2020. Using Human Rights Law to Address the Impacts of Climate Change: Early Reflections on the Carbon Majors Inquiry. In: J. Lin and D. Kysar, eds., Climate Change Litigation in the Asia Pacific. Cambridge University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108777810.005
Savaresi, A., and McVey, M., eds., 2020. Human Rights Abuses by Fossil Fuel Companies. 350.org.
Savaresi, A., Cismas, I., and Hartmann, J., 2017. Amicus Curiae Brief: Human Rights and Climate Change. Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions/Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions.
Setzer, J., and Vanhala, L.C., 2019. Climate change litigation: A review of research on courts and litigants in climate governance. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change [online], 10(3), e580. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.580 [Accessed 24 July 2020]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.580
Shavell, S., 2019. The Mistaken Restriction of Strict Liability to Uncommon Activities. Journal of Legal Analysis [online], 10, 1–45. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1093/jla/lay004 [Accessed 24 July 2020]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jla/lay004
Shelton, D., 1991. Human Rights, Environmental Rights, and the Right to Environment. Stanford Journal of International Law, 28.
Shelton, D., ed., 2011. Human Rights and the Environment. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4337/9781784714000
Supran, G., and Oreskes, N., 2017. Assessing ExxonMobil’s climate change communications (1977–2014). Environmental Research Letters [online], 12(8), 084019. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aa815f [Accessed 24 July 2020]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aa815f
Thistlethwaite, J., 2012. The ClimateWise Principles Self-Regulating Climate Change Risks in the Insurance Sector. Business & Society [online], 51(1), 121–147. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1177/0007650311427595 [Accessed 24 July 2020]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0007650311427595
Tol, R., and Verheyen, R., 2004. State responsibility and compensation for climate change damages – a legal and economic assessment. Energy Policy [online], 32(9), 1109–1130. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0301-4215(03)00075-2 [Accessed 24 July 2020]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0301-4215(03)00075-2
Toussaint, P., and Martínez Blanco, A., 2020. A human rights-based approach to loss and damage under the climate change regime. Climate Policy [online], 20(6), 743–757. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/14693062.2019.1630354 [Accessed 24 July 2020]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14693062.2019.1630354
Union of Concerned Scientists, 2018. The Climate Accountability Scorecard (2018) [online]. UCSUSA, 23 October. Available from: https://ucsusa.org/resources/climate-accountability-scorecard-0 [Accessed 24 July 2020].
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), 2011. Environmental assessment of Ogoniland [online]. Report. Nairobi: UNEP. Available from: https://postconflict.unep.ch/publications/OEA/UNEP_OEA.pdf [Accessed 24 July 2020].
Wewerinke-Singh, M., 2019. State Responsibility, Climate Change and Human Rights under International Law. Oxford: Hart. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5040/9781509918478
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2021 Annalisa Savaresi
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
OSLS strictly respects intellectual property rights and it is our policy that the author retains copyright, and articles are made available under a Creative Commons licence. The Creative Commons Non-Commercial Attribution No-Derivatives licence is our default licence and it regulates how others can use your work. Further details available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0 If this is not acceptable to you, please contact us.
The non-exclusive permission you grant to us includes the rights to disseminate the bibliographic details of the article, including the abstract supplied by you, and to authorise others, including bibliographic databases, indexing and contents alerting services, to copy and communicate these details.
For information on how to share and store your own article at each stage of production from submission to final publication, please read our Self-Archiving and Sharing policy.
The Copyright Notice showing the author and co-authors, and the Creative Commons license will be displayed on the article, and you must agree to this as part of the submission process. Please ensure that all co-authors are properly attributed and that they understand and accept these terms.
