A/HRC/16/62
a certain point, while the legal gap concerning cross-border movements linked to
environmental factors and climate was recognized, as stressed by the Office of the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organization
for Migration.
52.
Human rights mechanisms, including the treaty bodies, special procedures and
the universal periodic review, were highlighted as an essential tool for early warning
and facilitating the channelling of cooperation, therefore complementing the scientific
calls to address the challenge of climate change.
53.
The challenges of climate change to development and the threat to reverse the
gains made towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals were
highlighted, in particular with regard to Goal 1 on the eradication of extreme poverty
and hunger and Goal 7 on environmental sustainability.
54.
The right to education and the need for access to information, meaningful
public participation, transparency and accountability were emphasized as a basis for
the enjoyment of human rights, including the right to a sound environment or
sustainable development.
55.
The human rights-based approach calls for a focus on sound governance and
accountability mechanisms, stressing both procedural and substantive rights.
Accessible, transparent and effective accountability mechanisms should be in place,
leading to effective remedies. The justiciability of economic, social and cultural rights
was recalled, as was the fact that responsibility for achieving economic, social and
cultural rights was not exclusively on the States concerned but also borne by non-State
actors including the private sector, and other countries and the international
community.
56.
Transfer of technology, increased use of information and communication
technologies, sharing and managing of knowledge, lessons learned and good practices,
capacity-building and financial support can and must play a crucial role in addressing
climate change, while promoting sustainable development and the achievement of
human rights.
57.
The current market approach to finding solutions to climate change was viewed
as not wholly appropriate or fair, especially towards the countries or communities that
are dealing already with the negative impacts of climate change. Nevertheless, with the
appropriate safeguards, “green economy” instruments could be a potential tool to
make economic actors aware of the environmental impact of their activities and of the
services provided by the ecosystems with a view to ensuring better social returns and
ecological benefits.
58.
Some concerns were expressed with regard to market-based mechanisms for
climate change, such as the REDD+ mechanism, which could be seen as a
commoditization of forests, ineffective in preserving global forest stocks (as it would
likely apply to only half of current forests) and lacking the effective involvement of
indigenous peoples and local communities in REDD+ development.
59.
There was a call for a national and global system allocating benefits and costs,
ensuring that polluters pay and ensuring equity and non-discrimination.
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