Call for Inputs for UN Report: Cultural Rights and Climate Change

The United Nations Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights is preparing a report that will address both the threats posed by climate change to culture, heritage and the cultural rights guaranteed by international law, including the right to take part in cultural life without discrimination, the rights to artistic and scientific freedom, the right to enjoy and access cultural heritage, as well as the positive potential of culture, heritage, and traditional knowledge, and the enjoyment of cultural rights, to help avoid catastrophic climate change and to adapt to the changes already in motion.

As climate change is, and will continue, changing our habits, ways of life, modes of production and of interaction, addressing climate change requires marshalling cultural resources and necessitates cultural change, including improving the culture of our relationship with nature. A vital aspect of the human rights approach is the emphasis on participation and consultation of affected people especially those most affected with regard to policies and responses.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and The Special Rapporteur is inviting all stakeholders to submit information for the report. Fourteen questions are posed, across three categories: ‘Negative impacts of climate change on culture and cultural rights’, ‘Positive potential of culture and cultural rights to enhance responses to climate change’, and ‘Measures taken and recommendations’.

Deadline: 1 May 2020
For more information visit: https://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/CulturalRights/Pages/CallForInputClimateChange.aspx