UNITED NATIONS A General Assembly Distr. GENERAL A/HRC/10/61 15 January 2009 Original: ENGLISH HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Tenth session Agenda item 2 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND REPORTS OF THE OFFICE OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER AND THE SECRETARY-GENERAL Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the relationship between climate change and human rights* ** Summary This report discusses how observed and projected impacts of climate change have implications for the enjoyment of human rights and for the obligations of States under international human rights law. Chapter I discusses the main features of climate change as defined in the reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and central aspects of current climate change debates under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Chapter II outlines various implications of climate change for human rights, commenting on: (a) the relationship between the environment and human rights; (b) implications of the effects of climate change for the enjoyment of specific rights; (c) vulnerabilities of specific groups; (d) human rights implications of climate change-induced displacement and conflict; and (e) human rights implications of measures to address climate change. Chapter III relates the discussion of the impacts of climate change on human rights with relevant obligations under international human rights law, which are also summarized in annex I to the present report. Chapter IV draws conclusions on the relationship between climate change and human rights. * Late submission. ** The annex and footnotes are circulated in the language of submission only. GE.09-10344 (E) 220109