I had the privilege of participating as a delegate representing Nigeria at the just-concluded Global Peace Summit (GPS), 2024, in New York organised by the Global Peace Chain in collaboration with the Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the United Nations. The event hosted a series of workshops, panel talks, intellectual discussions, and group activities focused on addressing the critical issues that impact our world today, chaired by experts from various fields, including politics, economics, and diplomacy, and advocates for Sustainable Development Goals. One of the striking topics addressed in this summit was the issue of climate change, which is a global phenomenon. I engaged with experts like Dr. Rahat Iqbal, Associate Director, Centre for Strategic Studies, and Dr. Andrise Bass, Director of Public Policy, Institute of Public Policy and Diplomacy Research, on the sensitive nature of climate change and supported their distinct positions on climate change, which state: “Climate change knows no boundaries” and “Climate change is a human right,” respectively. These positions describe the urgency of the phenomenon and the need for governments to take proactive action through policy frameworks. These positions represent my key intakes for the Summit and have become a subject of interest to me.

Climate change knows no boundaries.

GPS, New York 2024 recognised climate change as a universal crisis that cuts across national boundaries, ecosystems, culture, socioeconomic statuses, and livelihoods. A climate issue in one geographic location is a potential threat for other geographic areas near and far. It is evident that the effects of greenhouse gas emissions are not isolated to the regions responsible for producing these gas emissions but transcend across geographic and national borders, disrupting other economies and amplifying global inequalities. Sadly, poor and developing countries bear the brunt of its consequences, not having the financial strength and political will to mitigate its impacts. The proof is glaring and imminent; climate change indeed knows no boundaries.

The climate crisis in one region can have a gushing effect in other parts of the globe. Consider the melting ice in the Arctic region, for instance. This environmental challenge born out of global warming results in rising sea levels posing potential risks to cities along the coast from Miami to Mumbai. Likewise, the deforestation crisis in the Amazon does not only interrupt local ecosystems but also diminishes the capacity of the rainforest in absorbing carbon dioxide and deepening global warming.

“Sadly, poor and developing countries bear the brunt of its consequences, not having the financial strength and political will to mitigate its impacts.”

A critical question to bear at heart is that the effects of climate change are not confined to environmental damage alone but are multidimensional, having a ripple effect on the economy, health, migration, and, most notably, global security. With flooding comes all kinds of impurity that contaminate our drinking water, leading to the outbreak of deadly diseases like cholera. Stagnant water harbours mosquitoes, posing a potential risk of malaria. Global warming is melting the Arctic ice, a region that was once considered a frozen frontier. This development poses a potential security risk as increased access to Arctic resources comes with the fight over resource exploration by powerful state actors. Basic economics teaches us that human wants are numerous, but the resources needed to satisfy these wants are scarce. Scarcity of resources such as arable land, water, and energy threatens global peace and stability as the risk of conflicts over these resources among state actors is drastically increased. The melting Arctic establishes accessibility for new shipping lanes, creating prospective security risks over maritime navigation rights in addition to the brewing military activities among the Arctic states. Furthermore, there exists the possibility of non-state actors, such as terrorist groups, exploiting the Arctic’s expanding accessibility. This calls for urgent and concerted international action. Equally shocking are the economic costs of disaster recovery and infrastructural repair that are a fallout of the climate crisis and disaster related to the failure of governments to invest in climate resilience initiatives. It is advisable for states to adopt preventive measures rather than reactive responses as they are cost-effective.

Climate change is a human rights issue.

Beyond the environmental concerns of climate change and its associated effects is the pressing human rights crisis of climate change. Dr. Andrise considers climate change a human rights issue, and I couldn’t have agreed more with her. To be specific, climate-related disasters in the real world affect the most vulnerable populations as they undermine their fundamental rights to life, health, food, water, and shelter. When we recognise climate change as a human right, we are not just adopting a moral obligation; it upholds a legal and practical necessity that ensures global equity and justice.

Climate change cannot be dissociated from human rights. Every day, millions of families are displaced from their homes due to climate-related disasters and, most times, because of government failure in protecting these rights through climate-mitigation initiatives and legal frameworks. Similarly, indigenous populations, who have long been stewards of their environments, have had their environments degraded and livelihoods threatened due to environmental pollution from oil spillage. This is the sad situation of the Niger Delta region in South-South Nigeria. In such circumstances, their right to health, food, and clean water is greatly limited. The list is endless.

It is indeed commendable that the notion of climate change as human rights is gaining global recognition through resolutions and legal frameworks at both the national and international levels. The United Nations Human Rights Council in 2021 adopted a resolution that recognised as a human right the access to a clean, healthy, and green environment. Likewise, the Supreme Court of the Netherlands in 2019 endorsed a judgement that compelled the government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to protect citizens’ right to life and well-being. Other notable cases have emerged in Colombia, India, and Pakistan, where the courts have upheld rulings against human rights violations by compelling governments to address environmental degradation. These decisions are significant and underscore the need for other states to incorporate human rights considerations into their climate change policy frameworks.

The devastating climate change crisis has encouraged climate-induced migration. In such cases, climate change refugees become vulnerable to exploitation and human rights abuse due to a lack of legal protection under current international frameworks. It is important for nations and the international committee to recognise climate-induced displacement as a legitimate reason for seeking refuge and set structures in place that protect the human rights of climate change refugees.

 

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Oyinmiebi Ebitonmor is a dynamic PhD student in International Development at the University of Southern Mississippi, with expertise in security studies, disarmament, demobilisation, and human development. A distinguished public administrator and development specialist in Nigeria, he has contributed to high-impact projects, including the Presidential Amnesty DDR programme. Oyinmiebi’s work in strategic management, sustainable peacebuilding, and human capital development is complemented by his active volunteerism, where he successfully secures funding and partnerships for non-profit initiatives focused on peacebuilding, leadership training, and education literacy.