small island states

Urgently Addressing Climate Change as a Human Rights Issue – Small States, Indigenous People, Youth and Faith Perspectives

Dear friends,

Greetings from Switzerland. On behalf of our Economic and Ecological Justice Programme, please accept this invitation to attend  the upcoming webinar offered by the Geneva Interfaith Forum on Climate Change, Environment and Human Rights (GIF) on the occasion of the 46th Session of the UN Human Rights Council on the theme: Urgently Addressing Climate Change as a Human Rights Issue – Small Island States, Indigenous Peoples, Youth and Faith Perspectives on Friday, 26 March 2021 at 10:00-11:30 AM Central European Time (CET)

Please register through this link: https://lutheranworld-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_HAa2Yn5TThmpHYdKRMfGAw

or watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dejg58UiRPk

Background:

Climate change is a human rights issue. It is one of the most urgent human rights issues of our time, directly as well as indirectly threatening the enjoyment and realisation of human rights of all. The small island and least developed countries are particularly vulnerable. The Indigenous Peoples, youth and people living in poverty are affected in unequal ways.

Though the most recent scientific data conclude that climate change is accelerating and demands an urgent and coordinated response, there is as yet no dedicated mechanism at the Human Rights Council (HRC) – the United Nations body responsible for promoting and protecting human rights – that tackles climate change in a holistic, systematic, and consistent manner. Moreover, there is a clear need to strengthen the connection between the HRC and the key international frameworks governing global climate change negotiations.

During the 46th session of the HRC, the Permanent Mission of Bangladesh delivered a statement, on behalf of 53 other states, calling for effective global climate actions in order to promote and protect the human rights of all and calling upon the Council to consider creating a new Special Rapporteur on human rights and climate change. A similar call was also made by the Republic of the Marshall Islands on behalf of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) during the 44th Session of the HRC in 2020.

This event is organised in conjunction with the 46th Session of the HRC to bring together voices and visions from small island states, Indigenous Peoples, youth, and faith communities with a view to establishing the connections between climate change and human rights as well as sharing information about concrete proposals and initiatives for addressing the human rights impacts of climate change in this context.

Speakers

  • Mr. Didier Georges, Haiti, Permanent Mission of Haiti to the UN in Geneva
  • Mr. Yves Lador, Switzerland, Earthjustice
  • Sis Jayanti Kirpalani, United Kingdom, Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University
  • Ms. Aldonna Purba, Indonesia, Lutheran World Federation Youth voice
  • Ms. Beverly Longid, Philippines, Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation
  • Rev. James Bhagwan, Fiji, Pacific Conference of Churches Moderator
  • Ms. Alexandra M Goossens-Ishii, Soka Gakkai International & Geneva Interfaith Forum on Climate Change, Environment and Human Rights (GIF)

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Financing for Development, please visit ngosonffd.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Human Rights, please email the co-chairs at bknotts@uua.org or bobbinassar@gmail.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, please visit facebook.com/NGOCoRIP.

[UNCTAD Seminar] Building Economic Resilience in Small Island Developing States

UNCTAD and the Commonwealth Secretariat will host an online seminar on “Building economic resilience in small island developing States” on 4 March 2021, from 3 to 5 p.m. CET.

Register here!

Background

The coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has exacerbated the significant vulnerability of small island developing States to external shocks and has unleashed an unprecedented socioeconomic and financial crisis. The pandemic has also compounded the lingering effects of the financial crisis of 2008/09, following which many small island developing States borrowed to underwrite deficit spending and spur economic growth. Already burdened with high debt service costs at the start of the pandemic, many small island developing States lack the fiscal space to respond to the extraordinary needs created by the pandemic.

To break this cycle of recurring crises and incomplete recoveries, small island developing States strive to build their resilience to environmental and economic shocks. In support of this important quest, in 2014, member States, in the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway, reaffirmed their “commitment to take urgent and concrete action to address the vulnerability of small island developing States”, taking into account their “individual country circumstances”. Economic development strategies provide a blueprint for Governments and incentives for the private sector to invest in new industries and infrastructure, ideally spurring a cycle of economic growth and structural transformation, towards a resilient economy and sustainable long-term development. In this context, UNCTAD and the Commonwealth Secretariat will hold this seminar for member States on building economic resilience in small island developing States, to present their ongoing work and exchange views with member States on alternative development strategies for small island developing States and other small States.

The specific objectives of the seminar are to:

Inform SIDS and small States of assistance provided by UNCTAD and the Commonwealth; Foster debate on “alternative development strategies for diverse SIDS” based on joint UNCTAD-Commonwealth research; and Identify next steps, including further research, policy analysis and technical assistance.

Speakers:

  • Mr. Paul Akiwumi Director, Division for Africa, LDCs and Special Programmes (ALDC), UNCTAD
  • Dr. Arjoon Suddhoo Deputy Secretary-General, Commonwealth Secretariat
  • HE Mr. Chad Blackman PR of Barbados to the UN in Geneva Coordinator of the SIDS Group in Geneva
  • Mr. Pierre Encontre Chief, SIDS and Status Issues Section, UNCTAD
  • Dr. Ruth Kattumuri Senior Director, Economic, Youth & Sustainable Development Directorate, Commonwealth Secretariat
  • Mr. Kris Terauds Economist, SIDS and Status Issues Section, UNCTAD
  • Mr. Paul Akiwumi UNCTAD

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Financing for Development, please visit ngosonffd.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY, please visit ngocsd-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-Vienna, please visit ngocsdvienna.org.

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