Abdul Muti Abu Zaid

Editor in Chief

Throughout its long history, humanity has never known a single phenomenon, or a concurrent group of phenomena and events, that deeply affected all forms of basic human rights, as have done the phenomenon of climate change and its associated effects and repercussions.

The wars that humanity has known, which represent the most prominent manifestations of the violation of human rights to life and stability, remain limited in their impact in a geographical or human scope related to the regions and populations directly or indirectly affected by them.

Similarly, the practices of tyranny and enslavement that some regions of the world have undergone, and which some groups and peoples have been subject to, were also relative matters in terms of time and place.

In all cases human values, common sense, and heavenly religions were able to overcome these violations that were practiced by some human beings against others.

As for the phenomenon of climatic changes, and the devastating effects, such as global warming, floods, desertification, water scarcity, drought, sea level rise, extreme weather events, biodiversity loss, and ecosystem disruption, do not only threaten environment and climate change the environment and climate change for human life, but also human life and further the survival of the human race itself on the entire globe without discrimination. It also threatens all basic human rights, including the right to life, the right to food, the right to health, the right to work, the right to housing, the right to development, and the right to security as environmental phenomena lead to the outbreak of conflicts as well as migration and displacement as a result of the collapse of the basics of life from one region to another.

The phenomenon of climate change and its negative effects are characterized by several characteristics, foremost of which is that it includes all human beings in all the continents of the world, the land, the air, the seas and rivers.. And what is more dangerous is that there is no relationship between the cause of the damage and the one affected by its consequences.

For example, the major industrial countries are responsible for most of the sources of damage to the climate and the environment through the emissions and side effects of their industrial production, as well as the unfair dealing with natural resources in a way that causes natural ecological imbalance, however the negative effects of these practices do not affect only these countries but rather include the whole world and its peoples, including those developing countries that do not contribute to making these damages except in small percentages.

Climate change is a catastrophe that does not only affect those who made it, but also pervades humanity in a way that contradicts all principles of justice and equity, which require at least that the developed countries shoulder their responsibility in supporting the developing countries in facing the effects of climate change and adapting to some of these effects that have largely wasted opportunities of sustainable development for developing peoples.

In recognition of these major risks posed by the phenomenon of climate change to human rights, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights at the United Nations has issued a complete file dealing with the impact of the phenomenon of climate change on basic human rights all over the world, and has presented proposals and ideas in order to confront and limit these negative effects.

The report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights states: "The Universal Declaration of Human Rights guarantees all human beings the right to a social and international order in which their rights and freedoms can be fully realized... There is no doubt that climate change threatens this order and the rights and freedoms of all human beings, and will cause appalling harm unless Radical action is being taken now...international cooperation and solidarity are indispensable to mitigate and adapt to climate change."

The UN report adds: "Human rights obligations, standards and principles can guide and strengthen policy-making at the international, regional and national levels in the field of climate change, thus enhancing the coherence and legitimacy of those policies, and their sustainable results."

The reports of specialized international organizations are filled with many facts and figures that highlight the seriousness of the effects of climate change on basic human rights everywhere.

For example, the World Health Organization indicates in its reports that climate change is expected to cause between 2030 and 2050 an additional 250,000 deaths each year due to malnutrition and the spread of climate-sensitive diseases such as malaria, diarrhea and heat stress. This is in addition to many times that number of victims of other impacts of climate change.

For its part, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations states: “Climate change is causing extreme weather events, droughts, floods and other disasters that deprive millions of people around the world of their livelihoods, affecting in particular about 87% of the world’s poor, i.e. nearly 800 million people live in rural areas and depend for their survival on agriculture, forestry and fishing.

While the World Bank warns that if urgent measures are not taken, could push 100 million people into extreme poverty annually, as more than two million people are currently living in countries that suffer from severe water scarcity, noting that this number will double by 2050.

For its part, the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) estimates that one in four children in the world (that is, about 600 million children) will live in areas that suffer from severe water scarcity by 2040.

In addition to these negative effects all over the world, climate change affects in particular basic human rights, according to the report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, as follows:

Climate change and the right to life:

The right to life is at the forefront of basic human rights in accordance with all international texts and charters. It is a right that has been stipulated and surrounded by a strong fence of guarantees as well as all religions and divine laws. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights issued in 1948 states: “Everyone has the right to life and freedom.”

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights also states that “Every human being has the inherent right to life as an inalienable fundamental right that cannot be restricted or suspended under any circumstances.”

These texts in addition to others affirm that states should make efforts not only to take measures that preserve human life and avoid

avoidable loss of life, but also to enable people to enjoy a dignified life.

Therefore, the United Nations Conference on the “Human Environment” affirmed that the human environment has two aspects, one natural and the other man-made, and both are essential to human well-being and enjoyment of basic rights.

In the same vein, the United Nations Human Rights Committee stated in its General Comment on the “right to life” that Climate change is among the most influential and dangerous factors that threaten the ability of present and future generations to enjoy the right to life, which requires that the obligations of states parties under international laws relevant to the environment should reflect the spirit and provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in this regard, and that clear obligations are to be undertaken by States parties regarding the right to life.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has predicted that the number of people who lose their lives or suffer severe diseases will increase, due to heat waves, floods, storms, fires and droughts, noting that the impact of climate change on the right to life also includes an increase in hunger and malnutrition and its impact on the lives of Children and their development, especially in the field of heart and respiratory diseases.

In its most recent report, this intergovernmental body noted the increased risk of mortality due to climate change, particularly in subSaharan Africa and in South Asia.

This fact was also confirmed by the World Bank, which indicated that the effects of climate change could include injuries and deaths caused by extreme weather conditions.

The impact of climate change on the right to development

The right to development is an inherent right of individuals and peoples. Article 55 of the United Nations Charter emphasizes the importance of promoting “conditions of economic progress and development.”

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights also includes the right of all human beings to an international social order that allows for the full realization of the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration.

The same applies to the two International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights and on Economic, Social and Political Rights, where they affirm that "all peoples are free to determine their political status and free to pursue their economic, social and cultural development."

The United Nations General Assembly also issued the Declaration on the Right to Development “which states that the right to development is an inalienable human right, according to which every human being and all peoples have the right to participate and contribute to the achievement of economic, social, cultural and political development, and to enjoy such development in which Full realization of all human rights and fundamental freedoms.

In this declaration, the General Assembly affirmed that "the responsibilities of development lie with all states and persons, and that states,

individually and collectively, must strive to create an environment conducive to development, both locally and globally, in which the benefits of this development are equitably shared by all."

There is no doubt that this equity in the field of sustainable development is of particular importance in light of the negative effects resulting from climate change. Hence, addressing climate change is an important element in achieving sustainable development, eradicating poverty, providing human rights in development and improving the standard of living for individuals, especially the poorest in Developing countries.

Climate change...violates the right to health

The right to health is one of the basic human rights. The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights requires all signatory states to take steps to realize the right to health, including all that is necessary to improve all aspects of health and the basic elements that ensure the enjoyment of good health, such as providing Clean and safe drinking water, provision of appropriate food, provision of treatments and medicines, as well as healthy housing in places of living and work sites.

At the same time, a study by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights confirmed the depth of the relationship between climate change and individuals’ enjoyment of the right to the highest level of physical and mental health, noting that climate change has long-term dire consequences on the right to health as a result of weather variables such as high temperatures and storms, disruption of natural ecosystems of organisms such as disease vectors, food shortages, air pollution and the resulting diseases, insufficient clean drinking water, in addition to heat waves, fire outbreaks, and the weak ability of individuals to work sometimes, besides conflicts caused by scarcity of resources and weak Medical potentials resulting from economic problems and lack of funding due to the economic effects of climate change.

Also, some international reports indicate an increase in the number of deaths and physical injuries resulting from high temperatures and climatic fluctuations, which affect the respiratory system and cause diarrhea, vascular diseases and circulatory disorders.

In addition, environmental deterioration in itself leads to disruption of biodiversity, which paves the way for the transmission of diseases to humans from other organisms, and facilitates the spread of epidemics and infectious diseases.

Right to food

The right of every individual to food is a universal obligation of every state within the framework of international cooperation in order to secure the abundance and fair distribution of foodstuffs in the light of human needs.

The right to food has (4) basic elements: provision- availability -food safety - and sustainability Hence, it is the right of each and every person and group to have physical and economic means to obtain a minimum level of safe, adequate and healthy food in a sustainable manner.

There is no doubt that the lack of food is the most prominent and most dangerous effects of climate change as a result of its negative impact on agriculture and agricultural crops, desertification, the spread of pests, the damage of crops as a result of high temperatures, storms, floods, and scarcity of water in addition to the negative impact on the seas and oceans, which reduces the healthy, unpolluted fish wealth.

All of this weakens humanity’s ability to fulfill the right to adequate and sustainable healthy food for billions of people, and for the increasing numbers of the population, especially in poor and developing countries, which exacerbates the problem of the right to food as a result of unfairness and equity in the availability of food for all peoples.

The right to self-determination and climate change The right to self-determination is one of the inalienable rights in international conventions, foremost of which is the Charter of the United Nations, which stipulates in its first article on the “respect for self-determination of peoples.”

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as well as the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights stipulate that “all Peoples have the right to self-determination.”

This right is also affirmed by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

The right to self-determination includes the freedom of peoples to determine their political status and to pursue their economic, social and cultural development.

At the same time, the concept of self-determination must include that no people be deprived of their right to provide for their means of survival and other peoples must respect this right in all its dimensions.

At the same time, the concept of self-determination must include that no people be deprived of their right to provide for their means of survival, and other peoples must respect this right in all its dimensions.

The right to self-determination is a right of peoples, and of individuals as well. The realization of this right is a necessary condition for the effective enjoyment of basic human rights.

Therefore, the negative effects of climate change threaten the collective rights of peoples, as well as the individual rights of people.

For example, climate change threatens the lives of people in lowlying island states and makes their populations and existence in that place vulnerable to long-term dangers and disappearances, depriving some indigenous peoples of the territory in which they live, and of the resources on which they live, which means depriving them of the right to self-determination.

Small islands around the globe are threatened by rising sea levels, tropical cyclones, storms, rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, loss of adaptive capacity, and disruption of ecosystems, all of which also threaten the right to self-determination, which makes it the responsibility of the international community as a whole to support populations.

For example, climate change threatens the lives of people in lowlying island states and makes their populations and existence in that place vulnerable to long-term dangers and disappearances, depriving some indigenous peoples of the territory in which they live, and of the resources on which they live, which means depriving them of the right to self-determination.

Small islands around the globe are threatened by rising sea levels, tropical cyclones, storms, rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, loss of adaptive capacity, and disruption of ecosystems, all of which also threaten the right to self-determination, which makes it the responsibility of the international community as a whole to support populations Small islands around the globe are threatened by rising sea levels, tropical cyclones, storms, rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, loss of adaptive capacity, and disruption of ecosystems, all of which also threaten the right to self-determination, which makes it the responsibility of the international community as a whole to support populations.

This is also a threat to the right to self-determination, which entails the responsibility of the international community as a whole to support the inhabitants of these small island areas, protect them from drowning, and adopt reports that protect their destiny.

The right to adequate housing

Every individual has the right to obtain an adequate standard of living for himself and his family, including adequate housing, security and health.

This is what is approved by many international conventions, whereby all states must provide for the mobilization of the available resources to help individuals provide adequate housing for human life. in a way they can afford, as well as the idea of legal safety from homelessness and loss of housing.

Despite the great importance of the right to housing in order to respect the human dignity of the individual and his family, this right is often threatened as a result of the negative effects of climate change due to violent weather phenomena that can destroy homes and displace millions of people, and those effects that destroy sources and livelihoods in some Places and make them uninhabitable by drought or beach erosion, or desertification and floods, which leads to displacement and migration.

Unfortunately, the poorest and most vulnerable are the ones who live in areas prone to floods, cyclones, flood tracks, landslides, tsunamis and more.

Therefore, there are many international recommendations to integrate the right to adequate housing in strategies to adapt to climate change and mitigate its effects, while giving priority to adaptation measures aimed at protecting local communities exposed to the direct effects of climate change, such as those whose homes are built in torrents and flood paths or on beaches subject to erosion or Areas of desert incursion and others.

The early transfer of these residents to safer areas and the development of methods of housing construction and maintenance in order to be able to withstand the new phenomena that could cause great damage to the traditional housing that was suitable for the environment before the disruptions caused by climate changes.