UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC): Caritas Internationalis has been involved in exerting increased pressure on policy and decision makers engaged in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to ensure an equitable and binding post-2012 global agreement at Copenhagen in December 2009. A joint Caritas Internationalis and CIDSE campaign entitled‘Grow Climate Justice’ mobilised a coalition of 170 Catholic organisations to support this cause.³⁵

Human rights based approach and the responsibility to protect: As underlined in a recent study submitted by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights³⁶, climate change will have implications for the enjoyment of a wide range of human rights, such as the rights to safe drinking water, to food, to health, and to adequate housing. The threat to human rights presented by climate change places an obligation upon nation states to protect their citizens against the adverse impacts of climate change by taking effective mitigation and adaptation measures. International human rights law also requires states to ensure that such measures do not themselves violate other human rights. How can national Caritas organisations be involved in such global advocacy? Given the daily work of Caritas with poor and vulnerable people and its long experience

UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC): Caritas Internationalis has been involved in exerting increased pressure on policy and decision makers engaged in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to ensure an equitable and binding post-2012 global agreement at Copenhagen in December 2009. A joint Caritas Internationalis and CIDSE campaign entitled‘Grow Climate Justice’ mobilised a coalition of 170 Catholic organisations to support this cause.

Human rights based approach and the responsibility to protect: As underlined in a recent study submitted by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights36, climate change will have implications for the enjoyment of a wide range of human rights, such as the rights to safe drinking water, to food, to health, and to adequate housing. The threat to human rights presented by climate change places an obligation upon nation states to protect their citizens against the adverse impacts of climate change by taking effective mitigation and adaptation measures. International human rights law also requires states to ensure that such measures do not themselves violate other human rights.

How can national Caritas organisations be involved in such global advocacy? Given the daily work of Caritas with poor and vulnerable people and its long experience legislation on mitigation and adaptation responses. Finally, the UN Universal Periodic Review, which aims to identify human rights violations in UN member states, could be an important tool to promote appropriate mitigation and adaptation policies.

Other UN agencies and institutions such as the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), theWorld Health Organisation (WHO), are also actively involved in tackling the impact of climate change. These agencies contribute, within the respective area of expertise and mandates, to the UNFCCC negotiation process.