From right: Minister of Education and Higher Education H E Buthaina bint Ali Al Jabr Al Nuaimi, Minister of Municipality H E Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Subaie, Minister of Labour H E Dr. Ali bin Smaikh Al Marri and Minister of Social Development and Family H E Mariam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad during the opening ceremony of the International Conference on Climate Change and Human Rights in Doha yesterday. Pic: Abdul Basit
Doha: Chairperson of the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) and President of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GAHNRI) H E Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiyah has stressed the importance of harmonising with nature and advocated for immediate climate action to protect the right to life. Al Attiyah made this call yesterday during the opening of the International Conference on Climate Change and Human Rights.
The conference, organised by the NHRC in cooperation with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, UN Development Program (UNDP), League of Arab States, and GANHRI, was attended by ministers, top government officials and United Nations representatives.
The NHRC chairperson said the conference is organised to advocate for human rights as climate change consequences are witnessed daily through natural catastrophes. She noted that human activity is responsible for climate change, adding that collaborative partnerships are needed to protect the planet.
“I believe that you will agree with me that the international community has not risen until now to the level of environmental risks and challenges that we are experiencing,” Al Attiyah said during her remarks.
“Let us remind ourselves in this conference that human activity has made nature lose its balance and that man is responsible for building the earth instead of destroying it. This requires all of us, organised and comprehensive work on the will of reconstruction to preserve our planet’s health and restore its balance,” she added.
Al Attiyah said human rights organisations play a significant role in promoting the cause of climate change and human rights. She added that GANHRI initiated the United Nations Human Rights Council resolution on the role of national human rights institutions concerning climate change.
“National human rights institutions, as a proposing force, have played an influential and effective role in the international efforts to combat climate change and access to climate justice. GAHNRI has requested a UN observer role to reinforce its position in climate change and human rights,” she added.
Al Attiyah also disclosed that the NHRC has partnered with relevant organisations in Qatar to promote the most sustainable and effective climate measures and policies and monitors the effects of climate change on human rights. She also noted Qatar’s hosting of an environment-friendly FIFA World Cup.
Minister of Environment and Climate Change H E Sheikh Dr. Faleh bin Nasser bin Ahmed bin Ali Al Thani speaking during International Conference on Climate Change and Human Rights.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change H E Sheikh Dr. Faleh bin Nasser bin Ahmed bin Ali Al Thani said climate change is one of the major challenges today which affects other aspects of life, especially sustainable development.
“Qatar’s priorities have been setting up different plans to tackle the effects of climate change and also protect human rights such as the rights to life, water, decent living and housing,” Dr. Faleh said.
The minister noted Qatar’s National Climate Change Action Plan, which plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25% from all sectors by 2030. He said the plan identified 35 initiatives to reduce emissions and several measures to mitigate and adapt to climate change as per the national strategy.
3.3 billion people vulnerable to climate change Also speaking at the event, representative of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Mohamed Ali Alnsour, Chief of MENA at OHCHR, disclosed that around 3.3 billion people are vulnerable to being displaced by climate change worldwide.
Alnsour said that the industrial activities of 55 vulnerable economies that cannot combat climate change had been affected, resulting in them losing 50% of their revenue, according to UN Rapporteur.
According to Alnsour, the UN estimates that the number of people affected by floods will increase from 1.2 billion to 1.6 billion by 2050, while carbon dioxide emissions will affect the density of nutrients, exacerbating malnutrition, especially among children.
He called on regional countries to adopt a human rights-based approach in dealing with crises arising from climate change that will protect vulnerable communities.
On the other hand, while lauding the conference, UNDP Technical Representative and Head of the Doha Office, Dr. Biplove Choudhary, said 31 million people were internally displaced by natural disasters in 2020.
Minister of Social Development and Family H E Mariam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad with NHRC Chairperson H E Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiyah during the signing of an MoU between Ministry of Social Development and Family the NHRC.
The international conference will emphasise the importance of rights-based climate action, and highlight significant practices by Qatar and other active partners, including governments, the UN and other stakeholders. It will develop recommendations to support rights-based climate action around the globe, particularly in the MENA region.
The Ministry of Social Development and Family signed an MoU with the NHRC. The Minister of Social Development and Family H E Mariam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad signed the MoU on behalf of the Ministry, while NHRC Chairperson Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiyah signed on behalf of the NHRC.
