Climate Change and Human Rights
/
2:29
/
MP4
/
182.7 MB

Edited News , Press Conferences | OHCHR , WFP

OHCHR Press conference: Human rights in the context of climate change - 24 June 2022

More than 59 million people were internally displaced in 2021 as a consequence mainly related due to climate events. To investigate the plight of people displaced by the impacts of climate change, and to fight for legal protection for them is one of the key tasks of Ian Fry, the first UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and climate change.

“There is a huge number of people, a sort of an intolerable tide of people, moving as a consequence of climate change”, Mr. Fry said when speaking today at a briefing at the United Nations in Geneva. “This is an enormous number of people, and this is higher than the number of people displaced as a consequence of conflict”, he added.

The Special Rapporteur presented yesterday the first-ever report on human rights and climate change at the 50th Session of the UN Human Rights Council. In his report Mr. Fry outlined a six-point plan to address the human rights harms resulting from climate-induced loss and damage.

Mr. Fry mainly expressed worries about people displaced across international borders due to climate change as millions of them have no grounds for seeking asylum under international law. “I am certainly particularly concerned about this issue of people displaced across international borders that are not defined as refugees under the Refugee Convention and therefore fall through the cracks as far as legal protection is concerned”, he said.

The international environmental lawyer whose mandate started last month, also highlighted the many non-economic losses stemming from climate change and its consequences. “Where I come from in the Pacific, people are losing graves as a result of the seas washing away their loved ones”, he said.

Mr. Fry, who fought for least developed countries at the 2015 Paris climate conference, will also look into legislation, litigation and corporate responsibilities during his new mandate over the next three years.

“There are a number of cases being held questioning the role of governments setting targets for climate change, there are court cases against companies so there’ s a variety of litigation that’s before the court at the moment”, he said.

Ian Fry will also look at the fossil fuel industry, itself a major producer of greenhouse gases. He aims to look at their connection on what they are doing on human rights. “This is where businesses, financial institutions are investing in the fossil fuel industry. So, I want to pursue the issue of disclosure around disclosing investments in fossil fuel industry”, he said.

Another important point of his action plan is to address and involve the youth in the discussion around human rights and climate change.

“For our young people who now have an uncertain future, we want to guarantee their future”.

-ends-

  1. Exterior wide shot, flag alley, UN Geneva.
  2. Wide shot, UN Geneva Press room, photographer in forefront
  3. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): Ian Fry, UN Special Rapporteur on Human rights and Climate change: “There is a huge number of people, a sort of an intolerable tide of people moving as a consequence of climate change”.
  4. Medium shot, journalists listening
  5. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): Ian Fry, UN Special Rapporteur on Human rights and Climate change: “So this is an enormous number of people, and this is higher than the number of people displaced as a consequence of conflict”.
  6. Zoom up from hands typing to face of journalist
  7. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): Ian Fry, UN Special Rapporteur on Human rights and Climate change: “I am certainly particularly concerned about this issue of people displaced across international borders that are not defined as refugees under the Refugee Convention and therefore fall through the cracks as far as legal protection is concerned”.
  8. Close up, hands writing
  9. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): Ian Fry, UN Special Rapporteur on Human rights and Climate change: “Where I come from in the Pacific, people are losing graves as a result of the seas washing away their loved ones”.
  10. Zoom form laptop to face of journalist
  11. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): Ian Fry, UN Special Rapporteur on Human rights and Climate change: “There are a number of cases being held questioning the role of governments setting targets for climate change, there are court cases against companies so there’ s a variety of litigation that’s before the court at the moment”.
  12. Medium shot, journalist listening
  13. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): Ian Fry, UN Special Rapporteur on Human rights and Climate change: “This is where businesses, financial institutions are investing in the fossil fuel industry. So, I want to pursue the issue of disclosure around disclosing investments in fossil fuel industry”.
  14. Medium shot, journalists listening with screen with speaker
  15. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): Ian Fry, UN Special Rapporteur on Human rights and Climate change: “For our young people who now have an uncertain future, we want to guarantee their future”.
  16. Two shot, journalists listening and typing
  17. Wide shot, speakers on podium filmed from above
  18. Close up, journalist
  19. Wide shot, speaker at podium with journalists listening

Similar Stories

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on attacks around aid sites in Gaza

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on attacks around aid sites in Gaza ENG FRA

“Deadly attacks on distraught civilians trying to access the paltry amounts of food aid in Gaza, are unconscionable. For a third day running, people were killed around an aid distribution site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. This morning, we have received information that dozens more people were killed and injured,” Jeremy Laurence UN Human Rights spokesperson said at the biweekly press briefing in Geneva.

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 03 June 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | FAO , ILO , OHCHR , UNDP , UNHCR , WHO

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 03 June 2025 ENG FRA

Rolando Gómez, for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, attended by spokespersons and representatives of the International Labour Organization, the UN Refugee Agency, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization.

Gaza aid update - OCHA 30 May 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA

Gaza aid update - OCHA 30 May 2025 ENG FRA

Gaza ‘hungriest place on earth’ with aid stymied – UN humanitarians

Starving Gazans continue to be deprived of aid as international relief efforts are being severely constrained by the Israeli authorities, the UN humanitarian affairs coordination office OCHA said on Friday.

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 30 May 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | IFRC , OCHA , UNCTAD , WMO

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 30 May 2025 ENG FRA

Alessandra Vellucci of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, attended by spokespersons and representatives of the International Federation of the Red Cross, the World Meteorological Organization, the United Nations Trade and Development, and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Humanitarian Aid in Gaza

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 27 May 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | WHO , OCHA , UNRWA

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 27 May 2025 ENG FRA

Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by the spokespersons of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, the World Health Organization, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, and the International Telecommunication Union.  

Gaza humanitarian update - OCHA, UNRWA

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA , UNRWA

Gaza humanitarian update - OCHA, UNRWA ENG FRA

As a controversial United States and Israel-backed aid distribution plan gets underway in Gaza, the UN called on Tuesday for an “immediate surge” of its own pre-positioned supplies to help prevent starvation.

Uganda UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani  urges president to reject bill allowing trials of civilians in military courts

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

Uganda UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani urges president to reject bill allowing trials of civilians in military courts ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani today urged Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to reject a bill that was recently endorsed by parliament allowing trials of civilians in military courts. The Uganda People’s Defence Forces Amendment Bill 2025, which was passed on 20 May and now awaits presidential signature to become law, among others broadens the jurisdiction of military courts, authorising them to try a wide range of offences against civilians.

UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Seif Magango: South Sudan: UN human rights chief decries escalating hostilities, arbitrary arrests and hate speech

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Seif Magango: South Sudan: UN human rights chief decries escalating hostilities, arbitrary arrests and hate speech ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Seif Magango today warned of a further deterioration in the human rights situation in South Sudan at the bi-weekly briefing in Geneva.

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 23 May 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | WHO , WMO , OCHA , UNHCR , OHCHR , UNDRR

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 23 May 2025 ENG FRA

Michele Zaccheo, Chief, UNTV, Radio and Webcast Section, United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, which was attended by spokespersons and representatives from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the World Health Organization, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Syria humanitarian update OCHA - WHO 23 May 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA , WHO

Syria humanitarian update OCHA - WHO 23 May 2025 ENG FRA

Syria: ‘Staggering’ needs amid insecurity, health care crisis  - UN humanitarians

Millions of people in Syria continue to face mortal danger from unexploded munitions, disease and malnutrition and urgent support is required, UN humanitarians said on Friday.

Gaza health update - UNRWA - OCHA - WHO

1

1

1

Edited News | UNRWA , OCHA , WHO

Gaza health update - UNRWA - OCHA - WHO ENG FRA

UN life-saving aid allowed to trickle into Gaza as civilian needs mount

Amid calls for more humanitarian trucks to enter the food and medicine-deprived Palestinian enclave of Gaza, UN humanitarians have received permission from Israel for “around 100” more aid trucks to cross into the Strip after only five were let in yesterday,  But the scale of relief efforts allowed remains entirely insufficient to meet the urgent needs of people there, humanitarian workers say.

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 20 May 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | WHO , UNRWA , UNHCR

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 20 May 2025 ENG FRA

Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, which was attended by spokespersons and representatives from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the World Health Organization.