On 14 March 2022, the Geneva Cities Hub moderated a virtual panel co-organized by the European Union, the Marshall Islands and the Office of the UN High Commissionner on Human Rights on “The human rights impact of climate change : an international and local challenge”. The event provided a voice to local authorities and communities who are on the frontlines to address the challenges posed by climate change. For them, climate change is not an abstract future scenario, but a harsh reality that affects their livelihoods, their houses, the air they breathe, the land they farm and even their own existence in some instances.
High level speakers (UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, European Union Special Representative on Human Rights, Marshall Islands Climate Envoy) opened the event, followed by an interesting panel with speakers who have seen their communities impacted by increasing extreme weather events (wildfires, floodings, cyclones) and sea-rising levels. Chris Constantin (Former Assistant City Manager of Chico, USA), talked about the role of Chico, welcoming residents from the neighbouring town of Paradise which was entirely burnt due to wildfires. Anware Leweniqila (Former Director of Fiji’s National Disaster Management Office) shared all human rights considerations that had to be taken into account when relocating a coastal village to higher lands. And finally, Johnson Cerda (an Indigenous Kichwa from Ecuador) underlined the adaptation capacity of indigenous communities facing more and more severe river floods, which had come to its limit.
Overall, all speakers emphasized that while climate change was a global phenomenon, it was experienced locally, with tangible impacts on the rights to life, health, food, water, housing, etc. Local authorities are taking the lead to adapt, mitigate and respond to the adverse impacts of climate change. They are innovative, turning international and national policies into concrete changes on the ground and often setting more ambitious targets than their national governments.
