Climate Change and Human Rights
Hearing Notice
Please join the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission for a hearing on human rights concerns arising from the impacts of climate change.
Climate change, meaning long-term shifts in weather patterns observed and documented over several decades, has emerged as a major international policy concern even as debate over its causes persists. The question of how to manage its adverse effects intersects with human rights concerns, in particular the concern that the impacts of climate change will exacerbate existing inequalities. The U.N. Human Rights Council has adopted a number of resolutions on climate change and human rights, most recently Resolution 47/24 of July 2021, that call on states to adopt comprehensive approaches to climate change consistent with their human rights obligations, and in particular to support the resilience and adaptive capacities of people in vulnerable situations. Last October, the U.N. Human Rights Council authorized a new Special Rapporteur on climate change who plans to issue guidelines for incorporating human rights considerations in adaptation strategies in time for the upcoming 27th session of the U.N. Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP) in November.
Witnesses will discuss several contexts in which climate change may exacerbate the situations of vulnerable populations, including as a driver of armed conflict, as a factor in migration and displacement, as both a risk and an opportunity for indigenous populations, and through increasing threats and attacks against environmental defenders, and share recommendations based on their work.
The hearing will be virtual. Pursuant to H. Res. 965, Member of Congress and witnesses will participate remotely via Cisco WebEx. Members of the public and the media may view the hearing by live webcast on the Commission website. The hearing will also be available for viewing on the House Digital Channel. For any questions, please contact Kimberly Stanton (for Co-Chair McGovern) or Piero Tozzi (for Co-Chair Smith).
Hosted by:
| James P. McGovern Member of Congress Co-Chair, TLHRC |
Christopher H. Smith Member of Congress Co-Chair, TLHRC |
Opening Remarks
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Rep. James P. McGovern, Co-Chair, TLHRC
Written remarks -
Rep. Christopher H. Smith, Co-Chair, TLHRC
Written remarks
Witnesses
Panel I
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Darío José Mejía Montalvo, Chair, United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
Written testimony
Panel II
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Kayly Ober, Senior Advocate and Program Manager of the Climate Displacement Program, Refugees International
Written testimony -
Robert Destro, Former Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, U.S. Department of State
Written testimony
Submitted for the Record
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Robert Destro, Former Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, U.S. Department of State, Visuals Submitted for the Record
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Rachel Cox, Global Witness, Statement Submitted for the Record
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EarthRights International, SpeakWithout Fear - The Case for a Stronger U.S. Policy on Human Rights Defenders, June 2020
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Human Rights & Climate Change Working Group, Briefing Note: COP26 Integrating Human Rights to Climate Action
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Climate Action Network International, Elements for the new Action Plan on Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE), March 2022
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UN General Assembly, Exercise of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association as essential to advancing climate justice, A/76/222, July 23, 2021