A/HRC/10/61 page 3 Introduction 1. The present report is submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 7/23 in which the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) was requested to conduct a detailed analytical study of the relationship between climate change and human rights, taking into account the views of States and other stakeholders. 2. Written submissions were received from States, intergovernmental organizations, national human rights institutions, non-governmental organizations, and individual experts. OHCHR also organized a one-day open-ended consultation on the relationship between climate change and human rights, held on 22 October 2008 in Geneva. The inputs received during the consultation process have informed the preparation of this report.1 3. This report seeks to outline main aspects of the relationship between climate change and human rights. Climate change debates have traditionally focused on scientific, environmental and economic aspects. As scientific understanding of the causes and consequences of climate change has evolved and impacts on human lives and living conditions have become more evident, the focus of debates has progressively broadened with increasing attention being given to human and social dimensions of climate change. Human Rights Council resolution 7/23 on human rights and climate change exemplifies this broadening of the debate. 4. Special procedures of the Human Rights Council have also addressed the human rights implications of climate change in recent statements and reports,2 while the Organization of American States and the Alliance of Small Island States have recently drawn attention to the relationship between climate change and human rights.3 In addition, a growing volume of reports and studies address the interface between climate change and human rights.4 1 Most of the submissions made and a summary of discussions of the consultation meeting containing various recommendations made by participants are available at http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/climatechange/study.htm. 2 For example, in a joint statement on International Human Rights Day, 10 December 2008, the special procedures mandate holders of the Human Rights Council emphasized that climate change has “potentially massive human rights and development implications”. 3 AG/RES.2429 (XXXVIII-O/08), Human rights and climate change in the Americas; Male’ Declaration on the Human Dimension of Global Climate Change, 2007. 4 Many of these studies and reports have been submitted to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and are available at: http://www2.ohchr.org/ english/issues/climatechange/submissions.htm.