Day 2: Obligations

Human Rights Obligations and Responsibilities Related to Climate Change
Saturday, December 3, 2022


The second day of the summit focused on the obligations of each level of civil society to address climate change and human rights. Levels of civil society include government, business and industry, education, and individuals.


   Learn about the summit’s Watch Globally, Engage Locally Panel Series—six national and community-focused sessions.

President Mary Robinson

Keynote Speaker

A respected advocate for climate justice and the former president of Ireland, Robinson joined the summit and discussed how to understand climate change as a matter of human rights.

Recap of Mary Robinson’s speech 

Panels

The Obligations of Governments Arising From the Human Rights Impacts of Climate Change

Governments are obligated to respect, protect and fulfill human rights. With this obligation, they are the primary duty bearers for addressing the human rights impacts of climate change. This panel explored the scope and nature of government obligations in this context, including the obligations to mobilize resources, cooperate internationally and ensure equity.

Moderator

Nick Clark

Nick Clark

Qatar
Environment Editor • 

Panelists

David Boyd

Canada
Law & Policy
Human Rights
Climate Change & Environment

Janine Coye-Felson

Belize
Law & Policy
Climate Change & Environment

Augustine Njamnshi

Cameroon
Law & Policy
Environmental Governance

Naderev ‘Yeb’ Saño

Philippines
Climate Change & Environment

Margaretha Wewerinke-Singh

United Kingdom
Law & Policy

Climate Justice Activism: Litigation and other strategies to hold governments accountable in the context of climate change

This panel discussed lessons learned from efforts to hold governments accountable for the human rights impacts, present and future, of climate change through litigation in domestic and international tribunals. It also explored other strategies, such as social and political activism, and commensurate strategies, including the use of art and media campaigns.

Moderator

Angelo C. Louw

Angelo C. Louw

South Africa
Climate Justice Activist, Filmmaker and Journalist

Panelists

Tobita Chow

United States
Policy Reform Activist

Marieke Faber

United States
Law & Policy

Tessa Khan

Australia
Law & Policy
Climate Change & Environment

Vivien Luk

United States
Business & Industry

Legborsi Saro Pyagbara

Nigeria & the Ogoni People
Human Rights

The Responsibility of Business and Industry to Respect Human Rights in the Context of Climate Change: Good practices and what more needs to be done

Business enterprises are expected to avoid infringing on or contributing to the infringement of human rights in all their operations and business relations, including supply chains. This panel examined examples of good business practices toward fulfilling this responsibility to respect human rights in the context of climate change. The panel also focused on what affirmative steps different business sectors can and should take, individually and in cooperation with others, to mitigate climate change and its human rights impacts.

Moderator

David Wallace-Wells

David Wallace-Wells

United States
Columnist and Opinion Writer •

Panelists

Stacy Carter

United States
Policy Reform Activist

Gillian Marcelle

Trinidad & United States
Business & Industry

Caroline Rees

United Kingdom
Business & Industry
Human Rights

Monte Tarbox

United States
Business & Industry

The Role of Education in Building a Global Culture of Knowledge and Inquiry About Climate Change, Its Human Rights Impacts and Solutions

Societies in the United States and elsewhere are still not doing enough about climate change and its human rights impacts, due at least in part to a lack of sufficient knowledge. It’s unlikely that sufficient action will be taken to address climate change unless there is more widespread knowledge and concern about it. This panel discussed the responsibilities and roles of educational systems, from primary to higher education, in building a global culture of knowledge and inquiry—with local manifestations—about climate change, its human rights impacts, and solutions. It will do so in light of the human right to education, the importance of nondiscrimination in this context, and the need for educational systems to advance respect for nature, culture and traditional knowledge.

Moderator

Megan O’Toole

Megan O’Toole

Canada
Senior Editor • 

Panelists

Jono Anzalone

United States
Education

Ili Nadiah Dzulfakar

Malaysia
Climate Change & Environment

Gitanjali Rao

United States
Youth Activist

Pasang Dolma Sherpa

Nepal
Human Rights
Environmental Governance
Policy Reform