'Climate change single greatest challenge of our era': UNHRC Chief

UN Human Rights Commissioner Michelle Bachelet said at opening session of 48th Human Rights Council that climate crisis is single greatest challenge to human rights in present era. She urged global ecomies to concentrate on rebuilding of a "greener post-pandemic world." Bachelet highlighted amplifiers of climate change and interlinked it with global conflicts, structural inequalities and people pushed into vulnerable situations.

In Council meeting, delegates discussed humanitarian situation due to climate crises all over world, shedding special light on Venezuela, Madagascar, Vietnam, Nigeria, Bangladesh, China, Maldives, Myanmar, Thailand, and Mauritania. During her opening address, Bachelet stressed climate change-induced natural disasters in aforementioned counties. In Madagascar, hundreds of thousands of people were facing extreme hunger after four years without rainfall, leading World Food Programme (WFP) to warn about "world's first climate change-induced famine," Bachelet informed. In Bangladesh, 17% of country would be submerged by rising sea levels, depriving 20 million people of ir homes, she added.

"Addressing world's triple environmental crisis is a humanitarian imperative, a human rights imperative, a peace-building imperative, and a development imperative," Bachelet said.

'Humanitarian emergency fuelled by climate change'

"() Maldives is already experiencing severe harm, which would only get worse as sea levels rise," Bachelet informed. "Moreover forecasts across much of South East Asia, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam indicated that by 2050 re would be daily high tides. subsequent tides would leave about 48 million people under flooded conditions," she said. 

UN official also highlighted humanitarian emergency in Sahel countries that were "fuelled by climate change." While talking about South Africa, Bachelet referred to Intergovernmental Panel Report on Climate Crisis. "Immediate action should be taken for more sustainable environment and resource manment policies to address access to water in Middle East and rth Africa," she said. Bachelet also pointed out to American "Dry Corridor" as a "striking" example of impact of climate change on poverty, displacement, and fundamental human rights.

Citing examples of China's new National Action Plan on Human Rights 2021-2025 and India's counter-terrorism methods, Bachelet said that while efforts are teworthy, y also have several drawbacks. Bachelet regretted t being able to "report progress on meaningful access" to Xinjiang Uyghur Automous Region. Talking about India Bachelet said restrictive counter-terrorism measures could result in human rights violation and "foster furr tensions and discontent," OHCHR mentioned in its statement.

Bachelet speaks on Afghanistan crisis

Last but t least, UN High Commissioner highlighted catastrophic deterioration of human rights conditions in Afghanistan. She pointed out Taliban's attack on freedom and fundamental rights of people, especially women and children. "Afghan women and girls are equal to men and boys," Bachelet said sternly. 

Lastly, she mentioned that countries should eng in undertaking more environment-friendly projects amidst COVID-19 pandemic. "This is a ship that unfortunately is t being consistently and robustly undertaken," she said and pointed out member state's failure to meet commitments under Paris Accord. "We must set bar higher...our common future depends on it," Bachelet concluded.

(Im: AP/Unsplash)