The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) submitted two reports on the relationship between climate change and the rights of the child for consideration by the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) during its 35th session.
The first report is the 'Summary of the panel discussion on the adverse impact of climate change on States’ efforts to realize the rights of the child and related policies, lessons learned and good practices'.
The second is the ‘Analytical study on the relationship between climate change and the full and effective enjoyment of the rights of the child’.
12 June 2017: During its 35th session, the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) held a day-long debate on climate change and the rights of the child. The discussions were informed by two reports submitted by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
The UNHRC’s 35th session is taking place in New York, US, from 6-23 June 2017.
The two reports submitted by the OHCHR are: a ‘Summary of the panel discussion on the adverse impact of climate change on States’ efforts to realize the rights of the child and related policies, lessons learned and good practices’ (A/HRC/35/14); and an ‘Analytical study on the relationship between climate change and the full and effective enjoyment of the rights of the child’ (A/HRC/35/13).
The summary of the panel discussion, held on 2 March 2017 during the 34th session of the UNHRC, outlines, inter alia: contributions by the panelists, including representatives from Viet Nam, Bangladesh, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the OHCHR Committee on the Rights of the Child; and an interactive discussion on the negative impacts of climate change on “a broad array of children’s rights.” The discussion focused on ways to facilitate effective, rights-based climate action through the exchange of knowledge and good practices among States, international organizations and stakeholders.
The analytical study of the OHCHR examines climate change impacts on children and the related human rights obligations and responsibilities of States and other actors.
The analytical study on the relationship between climate change and the full and effective enjoyment of the rights of the child examines climate change impacts on children and the related human rights obligations and responsibilities of States and other actors, including elements of a child rights-based approach to climate change policies. The study provides examples of good practices and offers recommendations, including to: ensure children’s rights policy coherence; empower children to participate in climate policy making; guarantee children’s access to remedies; better understand the impacts of climate change on children; and mobilize adequate resources for child rights-based climate action.
The OHCHR prepared the two documents pursuant to UNHRC 2016 resolution 32/33 titled ‘Human rights and climate change.’ The reports contribute to the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals 13 (climate action) and 10 (reduced inequalities), as children in developing countries are disproportionately affected by climate change. [Summary of Panel Discussion on Adverse Impact of Climate Change on States’ Efforts to Realize the Rights of the Child and Related Policies, Lessons Learned and Good Practices] [Analytical Study on Relationship between Climate Change and Full and Effective Enjoyment of the Rights of the Child] [UNHRC 35th Session Webpage] [Annotated Agenda of UNHRC 35th Session] [UNHRC Resolution 32/33]