NHRIs, the Environment and Human Rights Scotland and Climate Justice Diego Quiroz Geneva, 21 March 2012

First Minister Alex Salmond has urged world leaders to make 2012 a 'year of climate justice ' "I believe we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to enshrine this important principle - that economic development should be linked to human rights - in global energy policy, ensuring that countries and communities least able to cope with the extreme weather events climate change brings are not further disadvantaged.” (02/01/2012)

MSPs in 'world first' climate event Press Association – 1 March 2012 Text MSPs have held what was said to be the world's first parliamentary debate on climate justice. The concept of climate justice highlights the unequal impact of climate change and strongly endorses the opportunity for Scotland to champion climate justice, which places human rights at the heart of global development, ensuring a fair distribution of responsibilities…

Mary Robinson in the Herald Scotland, 5 March 2012 “ The Scottish Human Rights Commission is a champion of climate justice.” “Scotland has a forward-looking climate change strategy with the necessary legislation in place and an inclusive reach which ensures that all of the country's main players are on board” “Scotland's commitment to climate justice, and the practical actions it is taking to reach that goal, show the way for all countries ”

Human Rights & The Environment The Commission focuses its work in two specific areas: (1) raising awareness of the relationship between the environment and human rights. (2) promoting the benefits of adopting a HRBA into environmental law, policy and decision making.

The Scottish Parliament’s Motion That the Parliament understands that it is poor and vulnerable people in developing countries who are most affected by climate change and are least equipped to respond to it; supports Scotland acting as an international model of best practice on climate change and promoting the moral, environmental and economic reasons for action by other countries; strongly endorses the opportunity for Scotland to champion climate justice, which places human rights at the heart of global development, ensuring a fair distribution of responsibilities, and welcomes the Scottish Government’s commitment to ensuring respect for human rights and action to eradicate poverty and inequality, which are at the heart of Scotland’s action to combat climate change both at home and internationally and strengthening Scotland’s support for developing countries on climate change as part of Scotland’s international profile; calls on the Scottish Government to redouble its efforts to reduce emissions and target climate change in Scotland by working with local authorities, public services, business and individual communities to ensure that all are equipped to respond to this growing threat in a manner that puts environmental justice and equality at its heart, developing new and transferable skills and encouraging the sharing of knowledge internationally to benefit the world, and further calls on the Scottish Government to announce a timescale for the creation of a Scotland-wide climate adaptation fund as outlined in the SNP manifesto and for the development of a system of consumption-based reporting targets as specified in section 37 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act (01/03/2012)

For more information about our work please visit: anrights.com/ourwork/ environment/environ mentbackground