Geneva, 12 September 2023 — The BIC hosted a high-level side event at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on September 11th, 2023. The event, held from 15:00 to 16:00 in Geneva, brought together distinguished speakers and experts, including the UN Special Envoy for Human Rights and Climate Change, Dr. Ian Fry, Dr. Elise Buckle, Co-Founder and Co-Director of SHE Changes Climate, and Ms. Lien Vandamme, Senior Campaigner at the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL).
The event served as a critical platform for open discussions, idea exchange, and exploration of innovative approaches to address the adverse impacts of climate change, with a particular focus on the issue of loss and damage. Key highlights from the event underscored the pressing challenge of shaping loss and damage negotiations into a forward-looking and action-oriented process grounded in accountability and transparency.
The event began with an inaugural speech by Ambassador Mark Otte, President of the BIC. He acknowledged the UAE's preparations for hosting the COP 28, which is anticipated to involve the participation of over 40,000 individuals. Ambassador Otte expressed his expectation that the climate conference in the UAE would generate solutions for an expanding array of countries facing the challenges of climate change impacts. Additionally, he mentioned the intentions of the Brussels International Center to organize a similar symposium as part of the COP 28 proceedings. Ambassador Otte encouraged attendees to actively engage in the upcoming climate conference, emphasizing the importance of promoting women's participation, and foster inclusivity, diversity and gender equality.
Dr. Ian Fry, UN Special Envoy for Human Rights and Climate Change, emphasized the urgent need for substantial funding sources that match the devastating effects of climate change on the most vulnerable communities. He stressed the importance of prioritizing those who bear the brunt of climate consequences and underscored that historical greenhouse gas emitters should take significant responsibility.
Lien Vandamme, Senior Campaigner at CIEL, highlighted the critical issue of accessibility to funds for the most vulnerable, pointing out that discussions in loss and damage negotiations have yet to address this concern from a human rights perspective. In the face of worsening climate impacts, the most vulnerable communities, often located in low-income countries with limited resources and resilience, find themselves disproportionately affected. They endure the harshest consequences of climate change, including extreme weather events, sea-level rise, and loss of livelihoods. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that the discussions on loss and damage negotiations prioritize addressing these concerns from a human rights standpoint.
Dr. Elise Buckle, Co-Founder and Co-Director of SHE Changes Climate, concluded the event by illustrating how diversity, inclusion, and gender equality can catalyze solutions to combat climate change effectively. Buckle's insights highlighted the importance of fostering a truly inclusive approach to climate action, one that actively seeks the involvement of women from diverse backgrounds and experiences.
The event at UNHRC provided valuable insights and recommendations for advancing the dialogue on climate-induced loss and damage, fostering greater accountability in addressing the adverse impacts of climate change, and preparing for the upcoming COP28, where critical decisions regarding these issues will be made.
The BIC plans to build upon the insights gained during this event by preparing a report that will emphasize critical themes and propose potential recommendations and avenues for further research and discussion. Given the significance of COP28, this report will play a crucial role in shaping discussions and actions related to climate change and loss and damage.