Climate Change Poses a Human Rights Crisis for Children, Warns UN Report
Climate change is not only an environmental crisis but also a human rights crisis, with children bearing the brunt of its consequences. Recent extreme weather events have shown the devastating impact on young lives, such as the wildfires in Greece that forced the evacuation of 1,200 children from their holiday camps, or the floods in Kentucky that swept away children caught in torrential rain. The situation is expected to worsen, and a new report from the United Nations (UN) highlights the responsibilities of governments to mitigate the harm inflicted on children by climate change.
ALERT💐 🌞 🤩on Monday 28/8/23 circa Noon Swiss time, the new General Comment 26 on children’s rights and the environment with a special focus on climate change should be published on the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child’s #UNCRC webpage https://t.co/TGObhQMJ0B (@lexpsy)
— UNChildRights (@UNChildRights1) August 27, 2023
Released by a group of 18 experts that monitors the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the report is a practical guide that outlines why and how children’s rights are compromised by climate change. It urges governments to take action to protect children’s rights and offers authoritative guidance on legislative, administrative, and other measures to address environmental issues, with a special focus on climate change.
The report emphasizes that governments have an obligation to respect, protect, and fulfill children’s rights. It states that the adverse effects of climate change give rise to the obligation of states to take action to protect children from those effects. Importantly, the report recognizes children as active participants in their own lives and asserts their right to participate in the development of environmental policies and laws that will affect them.
ALERT The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child’s #UNCRC new General Comment 26 on children’s rights and the environment with a special focus on climate change is just a few days away from publication… The long wait is well worth it, so stay tuned! #childrensrights (@lexpsy) pic.twitter.com/55QZXfZOef
— UNChildRights (@UNChildRights1) August 24, 2023
In Australia, several points highlighted in the report are particularly relevant. First, the report stresses that the best interests of the child should be a primary consideration when making decisions that affect them. This principle, enshrined in international treaties, should guide laws, regulations, budgets, and international agreements related to the environment. Despite a recent decision by the full bench of the Federal Court in Australia that the government has no duty of care for children and need not consider their best interests, the report maintains that the best interests of the child must be taken into account in environmental decisions.
The report also addresses the vulnerability of Indigenous children and communities to climate change. It calls on states to ensure the right to life, survival, and development of Indigenous children and to engage with them and their families in responding to climate change by integrating Indigenous cultures and knowledge into mitigation and adaptation efforts.
One basic right of children is the right to a livable environment – @UN Convention on the Rights of the Child @UN_CRC pic.twitter.com/RnLoBN4wFe
— UN Climate Change (@UNFCCC) January 31, 2017
Furthermore, the report highlights the responsibility of the business sector in protecting children’s rights and the climate. It recommends that governments require businesses to conduct due diligence to assess the impact of their actions on the climate and the rights of children. Governments should also ensure that businesses operate at environmental standards aimed at protecting children from climate-related harm.
The release of this report underscores the urgent need for governments worldwide to address the impacts of climate change on children. By providing comprehensive guidance on protecting children’s rights in the face of environmental challenges, the UN report serves as a valuable resource for governments, organizations, and advocates working towards a sustainable future that safeguards the well-being of children.
In conclusion, the UN committee has strongly asserted the legal duties of states in rectifying the impacts of the climate crisis on children. The true measure of success will be in the implementation of the recommendations made in the report, guiding governments to fulfill their obligations and ensure the protection of children’s rights amidst the growing threat of climate change.
