Regional Efforts to Address Climate-induced Loss and Damage and Human Rights
The Co-organisers of the Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights, in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), held a side event entitled “Regional Efforts to Address Climate-induced Loss and Damage and Human Rights” during the 51st Human Rights Council (HRC) Session on 26 September in Geneva, Switzerland and online.
The event featured a panel of experts who discussed the human rights implications of climate change loss and damage; identified existing practices in Asia and Europe for dealing with loss and damage and explored how the Human Rights Council and other international human rights bodies can contribute to addressing climate change’s adverse impacts in a rights-based manner. The esteemed speakers included Dr Ian FRY, the newly appointed United Nations Special Rapporteur on the protection and promotion of human rights in the context of climate change; Dr Annalisa SAVARESI, Associate Professor in International Environmental Law, University of Eastern Finland; Joie CHOWDHURY, Program Coordinator for Environment & ESCR, International Network for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, ESCR-Net; and Amb Marc BIRCHLER, Permanent Representative of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg to the United Nations Office in Geneva. The presentation by panellists was followed by a brief Q&A session moderated by Lien VANDAMME, Senior Campaigner, Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL). The event was opened by the Executive Director of Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), Amb Toru MORIKAWA.
The side event continued the conversation from the 21st edition of the Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights (ASEMHRS21) – a hybrid event that was held in March 2022 in Luxembourg on the theme of Human Rights and Climate Change, which concluded there is an urgent need to address human rights violations associated with the impact of climate change, particularly loss and damage, and climate change-induced migration and internal displacement. The Seminar also stressed the role of human rights treaty bodies, instruments, and processes in ensuring greater accountability for human rights violations associated with the impacts of climate change.
Find more information about the Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights here.