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OHCHR and climate change

Issues in focus

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OHCHR and climate change

Issues in focus

The adverse effects of climate change have a broad range of negative human rights impacts. These impacts fall more heavily on those who are already in vulnerable situations, owing to factors such as geography, poverty, gender, age, indigenous or minority status, national or social origin, birth or other status and disability.

Older persons, including particularly older persons with disabilities and older women, are among those most affected by climate-related harms such as the increasing spread of vector-borne diseases, heat stress, and the increasing frequency and intensity of sudden- and slow-onset disasters which can impact their physical and mental health and wellbeing.

At the same time, older persons possess vast reserves of knowledge, experience and resilience, making their participation, inclusion, and leadership key to human rights-based global efforts to adapt to and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change.

Activities, events and reports 

OHCHR is undertaking the following activities as a part of its work on the human rights of older persons in the context of climate change:

Analytical study on the rights of older persons in the context of climate change (April 2021)

In its resolution 44/7  the Human Rights Council requested that OHCHR, with the input of States and other stakeholders, prepare a “study on the promotion and protection of the rights of older persons in the context of climate change, including their particular vulnerabilities, such as physical and mental health risks, and their contributions to efforts to address the adverse impact of climate change.”

To inform the report, OHCHR has transmitted a Note Verbale [English | French] and Questionnaire [English | French] to Member States, NGOs, UN Agencies, IGOs, Academic Institutions and NHRIs, inviting them to respond to the questionnaire and provide input.

Read the Analytical study on the rights of older persons in the context of climate change.

Easy to read version in English

Plain English version

Human Rights Council panel discussion on the human rights of older persons in the context of climate change

Human Rights Council resolution 44/7 (A/HRC/RES/44/7) decided to incorporate into its programme of work for the 47th session a panel discussion on the rights of older persons in the context of climate change. The panel concept note is available below.

Statements by panellists

Inputs received for the Analytical study on the rights of older persons in the context of climate change

States 

National human rights institutions

Civil society 

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