HRC59 - Iceland GC - A/HRC/59/L.17: Human Rights and Climate Change

Human Rights Council – 59th Session
Adoptions: General comment delivered by Iceland on A/HRC/59/L.17 as orally revised

Human Rights and Climate Change

Mr. President,

Climate change has widespread impacts on the realization of human rights. It erodes food security, exacerbates health issues, displaces populations, and disrupts access to essential resources, impacting persons in marginalized and vulnerable situations disproportionately.

Iceland remains steadfast in its support for collective and concrete actions in response to the negative effects of climate change and environmental degradation on the enjoyment of human rights worldwide.

Iceland regrets the oral revision for OP6bis. The addition in this final form makes the draft resolution less acceptable. The Human Rights Council should not undermine Member States’ obligations under the Paris Agreement.

As for the draft resolution as a whole, Iceland furthermore regrets the overlap with ongoing conversations in other fora on issues such as climate finance and vague references to linkages between human rights and climate change.