General Debate Under Item 3: Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development  

Mr. President,

International-Lawyers.Org notes the text of the proposed resolution on human rights and climate change once again fails to provide for the creation of a mandate to deal with this issue. Instead of creating a mandate for regular reporting on an issue which constitutes one of the most serious threats to human rights in the world, the Council continues to treat the subject in a way that reflects its denial of the dire consequences that are already being felt around the world. We implore the Council to stop hiding its head in the sand about the consequences of climate change. While the panels and discussions on the topic may ease the conscience of Member States they provide no effective strategy for addressing the adverse consequences of climate change on human rights.

Nicaraguan Statesman Miguel D’Escoto Brockmann, the 63rd President of the General Assembly and a member of our Advisory Board, campaigned tirelessly for urgent action to address climate change until his death last week in Managua. Today, there could be no better way to honour the memory of this great humanitarian than for the Council to act on this issue in a manner that reflects its seriousness and urgency.

International-Lawyers.Org therefore, urges the Member States to take meaningful action at this 35th Session by creating a mandate devoted to addressing the impacts of climate change on human rights.