UN Experts Discuss International Efforts To Enhance Climate Change-Related Human Rights

Doha, February 21 (QNA) - A number of UN experts discussed the most prominent efforts made by the United Nations and human rights mechanisms in advancing rights-based climate action, to counter the effects of the problem of climate change, whose repercussions pose a great threat to the whole world, stressing the need to formulate recommendations to enhance cooperation to support climate action based on rights, in all countries of the world in general, and the Middle East and North Africa region in particular. Participants in the third session of the International Conference on Climate Change and Human Rights highlighted the most prominent damages resulting from climate change, which causes temperature changes and enormous damage to nature among many other risks, expressing their sincere thanks to the State of Qatar for adopting and organizing this conference, which came at the right time. During the session, they stressed the importance of confronting this problem and developing solutions, plans and strategies to refute its risks, especially since climate change has led to a rise in temperatures and sea levels, which constitutes a danger to all mankind. Participants stressed the need to promote rights-based climate action in coordination with the United Nations in order to promote human rights in light of climate change, pointing out that there is an absolute necessity for a sustainable climate in order to achieve the goals and obtain a clean and unpolluted environment through respect for nature and environmental rights in order to serve humanity. Coordinator of the environment teams at Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Benjamin Schachter highlighted the role of the agency in the field of climate change and human rights. He added that there was an urgent need for a serious and ambitious plan of action to reduce the damage caused by climate change in a number of countries, with reference to finding sustainable livelihoods in order to change the environment, pointing out that there are real efforts to integrate human rights into climate processes, in coordination with the United Nations to promote Human rights in light of climate change. Professor and UNESCO Chairholder on Environmental Law and Sustainable Development Damilola Olawuyi said that there was an ongoing mechanism to raise awareness on the importance of limiting the impact of climate change. Pointing out that UNESCO has many workshops and awareness campaigns in combating the effects of climate change through projects and activities, as long as climate change affects all rights, which requires standing up to this problem. Director of the UNICEF office Anthony MacDonald discussed the role of UNICEF in enhancing the rights of children in terms of climate change, noting that the climate change crisis can affect children, who are the future of this world. MacDonald revealed alarming numbers about children affected by this crisis, saying that 99% of children are exposed to psychological stress, and 8% of them suffer due to climate change, noting that millions of children are exposed to air pollution, as 43% of the effects related to climate change remain with children. Regarding the impact of climate change on children in the Middle East and North Africa region, MacDonald said that 175 million children living in this region are vulnerable to natural disasters, warning that the Middle East region will witness a rise in average temperatures and be 4 degrees above average during the year 2050, if the climate change crisis continues without solutions. (QNA)