International Human Rights Day

Today, the fourth day of the Conference, was International Human Rights Day, and a critical time in the Conference to consider the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948).

1. We started out our day today in downtown Copenhagen near Tivoli Gardens, where we explored Hopenhagen Central and Klimaforum. It was awesome to see instead of parking lots, hundreds of "biking lots." Unfortunately, the only attraction at Hopenhagen was the huge globe and cute kids, since the booths did not open until noon. But Klimaforum was pretty neat.
Klimaforum is "the global civil society counterpart of the official UN conference in the Bella Center.” I had passionate discussions with people about nuclear energy, spirituality and the environment, the impact of a 7-meter rise of sea level, and climate justice.

2. After exploring Copenhagen for several hours, we returned for the Young and Future Leaders Day at the Conference, where we were greeted by a mob of youth holding an action (see Tara’s entry).

3. Following some blogging and practice Skyping (for Skype to SES and YEA! MN Winter Gathering tonight), I attended a side event about recognizing and protecting human rights within the Copenhagen agreement. The following is what I learned:

a. It is important to discuss climate change in regards to human rights. Human rights are the heart of climate change, as compared to the science, economics, and politics of climate change, which are the head.

b. Climate change is a human rights issue because it threatens:

i. The right to life, physical integrity, and security
ii. The right to means of subsidence
iii. The right to water
iv. The right to property and use of traditional lands
v. The right to health
vi. The right to freedom from discrimination
vii. The right of women
viii. The right of culture
ix. The right to participate

c. Human rights make moral imperatives into legal obligations:

i. Increased emphasis on adaptation
ii. Stronger mitigation goals
iii. Reinforces validity of principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and “polluter pays” principle
iv. Holds individuals responsible through calculations of per-capita emissions

d. An international climate change agreement must include:

i. All parties recognitions of human impact on environment
ii. Obligations to uphold human rights
iii. Citizens’ guaranteed participation in climate decisions
iv. Help to those who are especially vulnerable
v. Help to those who are already suffering from climate change

e. The question is what international legal regime do we place on the crime of climate change? How is a victim compensated for a human rights violation as severe as climate change? As I began to inquire about these complications, I started to wonder whether climate change was just another excuse for humans to blame each other about something.

Nonetheless, human rights must not be ignored or dismissed in the COP-15 negotiations, because they truly are heart of cliamte change. According to the human impact report on the human cost of cliamte change published by the Global Humanitarian Forum:

Estimates of Suffering due to Climate Change Today:

• Deaths - over 300,000 per year
• Severely Affected - over 300 million people
  
• Living at Extreme Risk - 500 million people
  
• Climate Displaced People - over 20 million
  
• Economic Losses - over US 100 billion dollar
  

Estimates of Suffering Tomorrow (in 20 years time)

• Deaths - approximately 500,000 per year
  Severely Affected: approximately 650 million people
  
• Climate Displaced People – more than 75 million
  
• Economic Losses – over US 300 billion dollars