Climate change and the rights of children – Webinar Recording

Following on from the July webinar, this eighth webinar in our series on Child Rights will look at the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child’s statement that “… the effects of climate change have an undeniable impact on children’s rights, for example the rights to life, survival and development, non-discrimination, health, and an adequate standard of living” and the forthcoming General Comment on children’s rights and climate change.

Dr Mikiko Otani, Chair of the CRC Committee, will talk about the forthcoming General Comment on children’s rights and climate change, and address Australia’s contention that General Comments are not legally binding on States parties and that treating the best interest of the child as a ‘determining principle’ is not supported by the text of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and is ”inconsistent with the reference to the best interests of the child in paragraph 13”.

Solomon Islands student Caleb Pollard, president of Pacific Island Students Fighting Climate Change (PISFCC), will highlight the impacts of climate change on Pacific Island countries and young people. He will explain PISFCC advocacy for an Advisory Opinion from the International Court of Justice on climate and human rights for current and future generations.