Doha, 21 Feb. 2023

Two day International Conference on Climate Change and Human Rights kicked off this morning at the Hotel Royal Meridien, Lusail City, Qatar.

Over 300 experts, academics, members of the civil society, stakeholders and human rights institutions participated from all around the world in conference organized by National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) Qatar in cooperation with Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR); UN Development Program (UNDP); League of Arab States; and Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI).

The conference aims to emphasize the importance of rights-based climate action, highlight good practices relevant to the State of Qatar and other active partners, including governments, the United Nations (UN), civil society organizations and companies, and develop recommendations for strengthening cooperation to support rights-based climate action around the globe, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa region.

The opening session was attended by Sheikh Dr Faleh bin Nasser bin Ahmed bin Ali Al Thani, Minister of Environment and Climate Change; Dr Ali bin Samikh Al Marri, Minister of Labour; Buthaina bint Ali Al Jabr Al Nuaimi, Minister of Education and Higher Education; Dr Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Subaie, Minister of Municipality; Mariam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad, Minister of Social Development; Mrs. Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiyah, Chairperson, National Human Rights Committee Qatar (NHRC), and President of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI); Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (video); Dr. Biplove Choudhary, UNDP Technical Representative and Head of office in Doha; Ambassador Haifa Abu Ghazaleh, Assistant Secretary General, Head of the Social Affairs Sector of League of Arab States (Video); Mohamed Ali Alnsour, Chief of the Middle East and North Africa at OHCHR; Michel Forst, Special Rapporteur on Environment Defenders; ambassadors; and dignitaries.

Second session was chaired by Michel Forst, Special Rapporteur on Environment Defenders with the theme : Climate  change and human rights: impacts and obligations

Ms. Ishraq bin Al-Zein, Human Rights Officer at the United Nations Training and Documentation Center. has been the Rapporteur of the session. Paperwork presenters: were Şeref Malkoç, Chief Ombudsman of Turkey and Paperwork presenter PROF. DR. MUHARREM KILIÇ,Chairman of the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Turkey.

Chairperson NHRC, Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiyah said that the conference provides a valuable opportunity for discussion and exchange of knowledge and experiences, in order to advance and accelerate the pace of dealing with climate change and environmental risks from a human rights perspective.

She stressed that the conference seeks to propose actions that help to make peace with nature, and to reach tangible recommendations regarding the promotion of human rights-based action on climate change, which could crystalize into the adoption of specific legal obligations that are implementable and may be adopted as a norm and a tool by the international human rights system.

She noted that in a few decisions that have been issued by the International Human Rights Commission (IHRC), the commission explained the importance of adopting a human rights perspective when discussing climate mitigation and adaptation measures.

She hoped that conference would result in recommendations that constitute the Doha program on human's right to dignified living in relation to climate change, especially that it includes all parties, partners, and stakeholders, whose goal is to examine the opportunity provided by human rights standards to save the planet, and to help the international community fulfill its obligations to achieve zero emissions, considering it a step towards creating a safer, more sustainable and more equitable world for us and future generations.

She pointed out the exorbitant cost resulting from natural disasters, the most recent of which is the consequences of the devastating earthquake in Turkiye and Syria, questioning extent of humanity's ability to bear human cost, and extent of its readiness for rapid global action in order to avoid it.

She underlined that human activity is what has made nature lose its balance, adding that humans are responsible for building the earth - not destroying it.

She called for organized and comprehensive action on the will of reconstruction in order to preserve the planet and restore its balance, expressing that this point is the hope in dealing with the environmental risks and challenges we live in, which represent one of the most serious obstacles to human dignity and the actual enjoyment of their rights and freedoms.

International efforts have not yet lived up to the level of environmental risks and challenges that we are experiencing, despite all the appreciated efforts made in this regard since the adoption of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1992, she said, adding that the reason for this may be the omission of these policies to the human rights framework that constitutes the will for reconstruction and solution to the recovery of the planet and saving nature.

In this context, she stressed that - as a proposing force, the national human rights institutions have been able to play an influential and effective role in international efforts to combat climate change and access to climate justice.

She pointed out that the United Nations Human Rights Council resolution on the role of national human rights institutions in relation to climate change was initiated by the GANHRI, adding that the alliance has applied to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) for observer status, to enhance participation in climate talks and decision-making related to climate justice.

She stressed on the importance of taking comprehensive measures to combat climate change, warning of the expected possibility that these measures will negatively affect the enjoyment of human rights, such as the loss of job opportunities.

Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiyah also noted that there are countries that have followed policies that are inconsistent with their international commitments regarding greenhouse gas reduction, motivated by their aspiration for development and exploitation of natural resources.

Chairperson of NHRC affirmed that the State of Qatar has made good strides in its efforts to achieve the climate goals of the Paris Agreement for climate and the goals of sustainable development.

She highlighted the great success achieved by the State of Qatar in organizing the first global football championship (FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022), which was environmentally friendly and carbon neutral.

The opening session witnessed interventions from the various organizers of the conference, which in turn emphasized the importance of this international event in facing challenges related to preserving human rights in the light of national and global measures related to climate change. Among the speakers included  Mrs. Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiyah; Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. (video); Dr. Biplove Choudhary, UNDP Technical Representative and Head of office in Doha; Ambassador Haifa Abu Ghazaleh, Assistant Secretary General, Head of the Social Affairs Sector of League of Arab States through Video (LAS); and Mohamed Ali Alnsour, Chief of the Middle East and North Africa at OHCHR.