Exploring the legal basis of a human rights approach to climate change

Abstract

In this contribution, we consider the relevance of international human rights law to climate change. We review the widely agreed understanding that climate change interferes with human rights. We then examine how a particular State or States may be held responsible for internationally wrongful acts that are caused by contributions to climate change emanating from activities that are under that State's or those States’ jurisdiction. We focus on human beings' actions that the best available science indicates with a high degree of certainty are responsible for climate change and the consequential interference with the human rights of individuals that are caused by the adverse impacts of climate change. We also explore the consequences of international human rights law for States’ responsibility to cooperate to achieve adequate international action on climate change.