Although the environmental impacts of climate change are well known, the human rights impact on unempowered communities is only slowly being understood. This High-Level Dialogue will explore how climate change exposes, accentuates and reinforces existing inequalities. If we are to ensure that ‘no one is left behind’, it is important to ensure that mitigation and adaptation efforts take account of the needs of marginalised communities, including religious or belief communities and indigenous peoples around the world.

We will delve into how and what actions can heal the social and political fissures between religious or belief groups, political authorities and non-state actors that have emerged and been exacerbated through climate change, that may distract us from climate action.

THURSDAY 24 FEBRUARY 2022 | 14.00-15.30 (CENTRAL EUROPEAN TIME) | ZOOM

This Dialogue will provide parliamentarians, faith leaders and influencers and civil society actors space to look together at the relationship between FoRB and climate change. It will explore the role that each can play in ensuring that the needs of all unempowered groups are addressed and how these can be integrated into national (city, town and village-wide) climate adaptation and mitigation strategies. It will also explore the steps that need to be taken to address the existing discrimination against religious or belief communities that make them more susceptible to climate vulnerability.

This Dialogue is informed by an expert briefing paper on FoRB and Climate Change (SDG 13) produced by the Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR) as part of the FoRBLN project, of which IPPFoRB and DIHR are consortium members. The consultation series is also supported by the African Parliamentarians Association for Human Rights (AfriPAHR), Religions for Peace and the #FaithforRights Initiative.

This Dialogue is intended in the first instance for parliamentarians and faith leaders from the 8 FoRBLN project countries (Bangladesh, the Gambia, Ghana, Malawi, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and Uganda), but it will also be of interest to parliamentarians and faith and belief leaders from across Africa, Europe and South and Southeast Asia.

SPEAKERS

John Knox, former United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the environment

Iyad Abu Moghli, Director, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Faith for Earth

Archbishop Mark Macdonald, indigenous Archbishop of the Anglican Church in Canada

Kehkashan Basu, United Nations Human Rights Champion and Founder-President, Green Hope Foundation

Ruth Miller, Climate Justice Director, Native Movement

Joan Carling, Global Director, Indigenous Peoples Rights Movement