Climate change and human rights: Roles, responsibilities, and actions

The world’s climate is changing, with insidious effects that steadily erode the quality of life of those who depend on the environment. The dramatic effects of this change are evident in the form of an exceptional accumulation of natural disasters. In the two decades since the U.N. recognized climate change as a potential threat, climate change has emerged as a real and worsening danger to health, human rights, and human well-being. Accordingly, climate change has become an integral part of the discussion surrounding human rights advocacy and action, in particular it is suggested that a rightsbased approach to climate change offers potential for engagement and mitigation of the effects of climate change on vulnerable populations.