13 November 2024 | 09:00-17:00 GST/UTC +4 | Hybrid 

The symposium is open to NHRIs and partners, for more information on registration, please contact: events@ganhri.org

For security reasons, all those attending in person should register by 11 November at the latest and must bring their passports on the day of the event.

From 11 to 22 November 2024, Azerbaijan will host the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Baku.  Climate change presents a profound challenge to human rights, disproportionately impacting vulnerable communities worldwide.

National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) are uniquely positioned to address these challenges. They play a vital role in guiding governments to adopt human rights-centered climate policies, monitoring the effects of climate change on at-risk populations, and advocating for the protection of Environmental Human Rights Defenders.

The NHRI Symposium on Climate Change and Human Rights, on 13 November, will bolster NHRI involvement and collaboration with peers and partners, in climate-related human rights work across a broad, cross-sectoral range of areas. Designed as a hybrid event, the symposium will offer a platform for NHRIs, civil society organizations (CSOs), and experts to exchange insights, showcase best practices, and address challenges and opportunities in integrating human rights into climate action.

This event is organized by GANHRI in collaboration with the Tripartite Partnership (TPP) between GANHRI, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), with the support from Norway, the European Union funded NHRI.EU.3, and the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Environmental Human Rights Defenders, the Association francophone des commissions nationales des droits de l’Homme (AFCNDH) and Agence française de développement (AFD).

Interpretation will be available in Arabic, English, French and Spanish. 

Topics

• Support for Environmental Human Rights Defenders: How NHRIs are supporting Environmental Human Rights Defenders, particularly amidst increased environmental pressures.

• National Inquiries and Litigation on Climate and Human Rights: How NHRIs conduct national inquiries and engage in litigation to document and address the impact of climate change on human rights and promote accountability.

• Empowering Communities and Those Most Affected: The impacts of climate change on vulnerable communities and strategies to uphold their rights and support resilience.

• Integration of Human Rights in Climate Action: How NHRIs are incorporating human rights considerations into their nationally determined contributions and climate action strategies.

• Developing a Monitoring Tool for NHRIs on the Right to a Healthy Environment: Initial consultation to gather information about NHRIs currently working on the rights to a Health Environment for the development of a tool.

Objectives

• Facilitate Knowledge Exchange: Gather NHRIs, CSOs, and experts to share knowledge and experiences addressing human rights impacts of climate change, fostering strengthened collaborative efforts.

• Identify Challenges and Solutions: Explore challenges faced by NHRIs, CSOs, and stakeholders in advocating for human rights in climate action, and identify actionable solutions to overcome these barriers.

• Support NHRI Roles in Climate Action: Highlight diverse NHRI contributions to climate action, from climate litigation to support for at-risk communities, and discuss strategies to empower their contributions to climate justice.

• Strengthen Collaboration and Partnership: Promote deeper collaboration between NHRIs, CSOs, and climate experts to enhance collective impact in advocating for human rights-centered climate action, particularly for the most affected communities.

• Promote Human Rights in International Climate Negotiations: Provide a platform for NHRIs to reflect on COP29 discussions and explore ways to integrate human rights considerations into international frameworks, including Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

• Develop a Tool for Monitoring the Right to a Healthy Environment: Collect input from NHRIs and experts to guide the development of a monitoring tool for the right to a healthy environment, with a focus on addressing climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.