Human Rights Are Up for Negotiation Within the Paris Rulebook
By Jamie Haverkamp
Today, the 70th anniversary of the UN Declaration on Human Rights, Indigenous Peoples called on Climate Ministers
to not write off human rights from the Paris Rulebook. Apparently, as some Parties to the Convention
have come to object to rights-based language within the Rulebook text, negotiations
are now in process as to whether the Paris Agreement will commence with or
without attention to human rights.
In the Press Release put forward on Monday December 10, 2018
by the Indigenous Peoples Caucus, “The inclusion of rights-based language is
essential for preserving the collective rights of Indigenous Peoples, as well
as other marginalized groups such as women, youth, and people with disabilities”.
The stakes are high as forthcoming climate action for both mitigation
and adaptation will be governed by the Paris Rulebook that parties are now
negotiating. Representatives of the International Indigenous Peoples' Forum on
Climate Change (IIPFCC) argued that the omission
of rights-based language from the text gives a dangerous opportunity for
Parties to violate these rights under the guise of climate action (violations increasing
observed in social science studies of adaptation and mitigation implementation).
During the press conference, Indigenous representatives made
their requests to include at least the minimum of Human Rights protections, to safeguard
livelihoods, territories and our next generations. Moreover, it is the view of
the Indigenous People’s Caucus, that it is imperative that the rights-based
language be streamlined throughout all aspects of the Paris Agreement – they request
Ministers to retain language on human rights, Indigenous peoples, and Indigenous
Knowledge.
In short, the indigenous perspective at COP24 is that, “We
need human rights safeguards in the rulebook”. Indigenous people are actively
engaging the negotiations, and lending their voices and power to maintain human
rights for all in a future of unprecedented environmental change.
 |
| Article 1- Universal Declaration of Human Rights |
Comments
Post a Comment