#3 Climate change, environmental degradation and human rights
22 June 2021, 6 pm CEST
César Rodríguez-Garavito (New York University), Arpitha Kodiveri (European University Institute), Luisa Neubauer (Fridays for Future) and Miriam Saage-Maaß (ECCHR Business and Human Rights program director) will talk about human rights’ potential to fight climate change and environmental degradation.
The ongoing climate crisis has dramatic consequences for our planet. One of the main causes of climate change and environmental degradation is the capitalist economic system, which also reinforces social, racial and gender inequalities. Technological developments cannot be the only solution to address this crisis. We need to fundamentally rethink our societies and economic models.
At this event, our guests will discuss the role human rights can play in an equitable transformation. Human rights can help affected communities and others achieve their demands for sustainable climate policies. They can also force governments and businesses to connect environmental concerns and social justice. Do we also need new human rights approaches to do this? What is the relationship between human rights and environmental rights? And who bears the ultimate legal responsibility for the climate crisis?
Guests
Miriam Saage-Maaß
Miriam Saage-Maaß is a lawyer and vice legal director at ECCHR, where she heads the Business and Human Rights program. She has worked on various cases against corporations and high-ranking managers for their involvement in international crimes, such as arms exports from Europe to Saudi Arabia.
Arpitha Kodiveri
Arpitha Kodiveri is a doctoral researcher in law at the European University Institute, Italy. Her research examines land conflicts and legal mobilization by forest-dwelling communities in Indian mining areas. She previously worked as an environmental lawyer.
Luisa Neubauer
Luisa Neubauer is a Fridays for Future coorganizor and one of the most prominent members of the German branch. Currently, she is enrolled in a master’s degree on resource analysis and management at Georg-August-Universität Göttingen.
César Rodríguez-Garavito
César Rodríguez-Garavito is a human rights and environmental law scholar and practitioner, co-director at the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice (New York University) and the editor-in-chief of Open Global Rights. His work focusses on global governance, climate change, socioeconomic rights, and business and human rights.
“A comprehensive human rights program involves the actual overthrow of the conditions in which man (and woman) is enslaved by men.” – Wolfgang Kaleck
The event series is hosted by the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights
and funded by the Federal Agency for Civic Education.
ECCHR is a non-profit organization that depends on donations.
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