4 March 2010: During the 13th session of the Human Rights Council, taking place in Geneva, Switzerland, from 1-26 March 2010, Navanethem Pillay, High Commissioner for Human Rights, presented her report, which covers activities undertaken by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in 2009, including those aimed at raising awareness of the human rights implications of climate change-related effects.

The report includes a section on developments in the strategic thematic area of climate change, which highlights that the impact of climate change is not only related to environmental factors, but also to policies and measures to protect vulnerable populations. The report underscores the need for States to give due regard to international human rights norms and standards in their response to the multiple challenges of climate change adaptation and mitigation.
The report notes that the Human Rights Council, at its tenth session in March 2009, considered the OHCHR study on the relationship between climate change and human rights (A/HRC/10/61), and adopted resolution 10/4 on human rights and climate change. The report outlines other climate activities of the OHCHR, including: the organization of a panel discussion of the Council on this issue in June 2009; the preparation of a summary of the discussion that was presented to the 15th session of the Conference of Parties to the UNFCCC (COP15); the participation in high-level planning meetings organized on climate change within the UN system; and the delivery of public statements on the importance of considering the human rights implications of climate change-related effects. [The Report] [Human Rights Council 13th Session Website]