Paper/Proposal Title
Unequal Impact: Climate Change and the Rights of Women and Minority Groups in Africa
Location
M2320
Start Date
November 2023
End Date
November 2023
Keywords
Africa, climate change, climate justice, Indigenous Peoples, human rights-based approach, right to sustainable development
Abstract
The 2021 report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change observed that “vulnerability of ecosystems and people to climate change differs substantially among and within regions […], driven by patterns of intersecting socio-economic development, unsustainable ocean and land use, inequity, marginalization, historical and ongoing patterns of inequity such as colonialism, and governance.” The uneven distribution of climate change impacts is influenced by historical and spatial injustice stemming from systemic discrimination, inequality and marginalization, imperialism, slavery, and colonialism. Sudden and slow onset climate impacts such as rising temperatures and sea levels, increased flooding and drought, ocean acidification, as well as the increasing frequency of extreme climatic events and “natural disasters” exacerbate the vulnerabilities of marginalized communities and groups such as Indigenous Peoples, ethnic and sexual minorities, migrants and refugees. Not only do indigenous peoples face increased risks of poverty, food insecurity, displacement and forced migration, but they also face the possible loss of cultural heritage and erosion of their right to self-determination. In 2021, the Human Rights Council recognized the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment as a fundamental human right. The Council further recognized that the impacts of climate change, environmental degradation and the continued exploitation of natural resources constitute a significant threat to the effective enjoyment of this right and other human rights. Using doctrinal methods and the human rights-based approach, this paper therefore explores opportunities within the human rights and international development system to effectively address the specific demands for climate justice from vulnerable communities and marginalized groups, focusing on poor and rural women, Indigenous Peoples, informal urban communities (slum dwellers), forest-dependent communities, and sexual minorities. The findings seeks to highlight alternative development approaches that can potentially transform the existing system in the service of more just futures.
Author/Speaker Biographical Statement(s)
Dr. Michael Addaney is a lecturer at the Department of Geography and Sustainability Science of University of Energy and Natural Resources, Ghana. Michael is also a Research Fellow of the Earth System Governance Project at Utrecht University, The Netherlands. Michael’s current research explores the connection between climate change and human development by examining how the level of development affects the extent to which people are likely to be affected by climate change. Thus, I examine what causes people to be vulnerable to climate change in developing societies, and the barriers and enablers for people to adapt to the changes in climate. Ms Yvonne Claire Dumenu is an administrator at the Earth Observation Research and Innovation Center (EORIC) of the University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani - Ghana. Her current research focuses on labour rights and the right to healthy working environment. Mr. Victor Kwadwo Boseah is an accountant at the Finance Directorate of the University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani, Ghana. His current research interests include climate finance, environmental taxation, and illicit financial flows and the right to development in Africa.
Unequal Impact: Climate Change and the Rights of Women and Minority Groups in Africa
M2320
The 2021 report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change observed that “vulnerability of ecosystems and people to climate change differs substantially among and within regions […], driven by patterns of intersecting socio-economic development, unsustainable ocean and land use, inequity, marginalization, historical and ongoing patterns of inequity such as colonialism, and governance.” The uneven distribution of climate change impacts is influenced by historical and spatial injustice stemming from systemic discrimination, inequality and marginalization, imperialism, slavery, and colonialism. Sudden and slow onset climate impacts such as rising temperatures and sea levels, increased flooding and drought, ocean acidification, as well as the increasing frequency of extreme climatic events and “natural disasters” exacerbate the vulnerabilities of marginalized communities and groups such as Indigenous Peoples, ethnic and sexual minorities, migrants and refugees. Not only do indigenous peoples face increased risks of poverty, food insecurity, displacement and forced migration, but they also face the possible loss of cultural heritage and erosion of their right to self-determination. In 2021, the Human Rights Council recognized the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment as a fundamental human right. The Council further recognized that the impacts of climate change, environmental degradation and the continued exploitation of natural resources constitute a significant threat to the effective enjoyment of this right and other human rights. Using doctrinal methods and the human rights-based approach, this paper therefore explores opportunities within the human rights and international development system to effectively address the specific demands for climate justice from vulnerable communities and marginalized groups, focusing on poor and rural women, Indigenous Peoples, informal urban communities (slum dwellers), forest-dependent communities, and sexual minorities. The findings seeks to highlight alternative development approaches that can potentially transform the existing system in the service of more just futures.
