Project Overview: The climate crisis has spurred the University of Colorado Boulder’s partnership with the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN Human Rights) and the Right Here Right Now Global Climate Alliance to convene a human-rights centered Global Climate Summit, December 1-4, 2022. The summit will bring together thought leaders from the public, private, civic, and academic communities to advance education about climate change as a human rights crisis, discuss the responsibilities of various entities to address the crisis, and identify actionable solutions. The summit will be held at the University of Colorado Boulder, with a combination of in-person and virtual participants from around the world to access the summit and engage in local action agendas.
The inaugural December 2022 summit is organized around three intertwined themes:
DAY 1: Dec 2nd – The Impacts of Climate Change on Human Rights
DAY 2: Dec 3rd – Human Rights Obligations and Responsibilities Related to Climate Change
DAY 3: Dec 4th – Developing Policies and Calls to Action That Are Grounded in Respect for Human Rights
List of panelists here
Impact: Human contribution to the acceleration of climate change is no longer a subject of debate. Accelerated climate change is contributing to preventable injuries, illnesses, and deaths, as evidenced by extreme weather events. These impacts, in turn, are disproportionately borne by the most vulnerable among us, including the very young, the very old, the disabled and injured, the poor, indigenous and island peoples, and women. This is expected to be the first in a series of summits that will continue to provide a platform for innovation and action, and also to measure progress underway.
The reach will be strong on a local level with the summit on the Boulder campus, in addition to sessions that will be streamed worldwide.
Action Needed: Mission Zero needs funding to help promote student engagement.