Qatar is hosting a very significant and timely conference to address one of the biggest threats to earth, climate change, which needs immediate attention of the world so as to mitigate the negative effects it is causing all over the world, especially in poor countries, who are paying the price for the emissions and other unsustainable actions of the developed nations.
Importantly, the conference is addressing human rights-based action on climate change, which is very much the need of the hour as increasingly, rights are getting threatened in many parts of the world. The conference aims to reach conclusions and actionable solutions, which are implementable and will also help fight the scrouge of climate change thus creating a safer, more sustainable, and more equitable world for everyone and future generations.
The International Conference on Climate Change and Human Rights is held under the patronage of Prime Minister and Minister of Interior H E Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani and is organised by the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC), in cooperation with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, UN Development Programme (UNDP), League of Arab States, and Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI), and is attended by hundreds of experts and stakeholders from around the world.
During the conference, experts pointed out that 175 million children living in the Middle East and North Africa region will be impacted by climate change and are vulnerable to natural disasters. The average temperature in the region will also rise and is expected to be 4 degrees above average during the year 2050.
The last few years saw massive floods, droughts, heavy rains, and devastating cyclones hitting various parts of the world. We also witnessed extreme weather like freezing cold, not witnessed in decades, and scorching temperatures causing hardships and affecting the livelihoods of many, more so the marginalised. This bought to focus the urgent need to address these situations and find workable solutions that will ensure the rights of the affected people and will also slow the pace of destruction caused by climate change.
Speaking at the opening session, Chairperson of NHRC H E Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiyah pointed out 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.
It is very important that the proposals are implementable, and this conference is an important step in that direction.
