Human Rights and the New Sustainable Mechanism of the Paris Agreement: A New Opportunity to Promote Climate Justice
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17159/1727-3781/2018/v21i0a3189Keywords:
Climate change, Paris Agreement, Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), Sustainable Development Mechanism (SDM), human rights, climate justiceAbstract
In the light of the new era of climate action under the Paris Agreement (PA) and the rights and justice issues raised by climate change-related policies and measures, this paper discusses the integration of a human rights component within the Sustainable Development Mechanism (SDM) of the PA. Established in article 6.4, the SDM is essentially a new mitigation mechanism available to all Parties aimed at helping them to achieve and increase their mitigation actions, while fostering sustainable development. Looking back at the experience of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol, which bears great resemblance to the SDM, as well as to the human rights concerns raised during its implementation, the integration of human rights considerations into the SDM and its governing rules seems to be necessary to prevent negative outcomes and human rights harms when implemented. The adoption of such rules, consistent with international human rights, could provide an opportunity for State Parties to operationalise the language included in the PA and tackle the climate change challenge, while ensuring respect for human rights.
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List of Abbreviations
AJIL American Journal of International Law
CA Cancun Agreements
Camb Rev Int Aff Cambridge Review of International Affairs
CDM Clean Development Mechanism
CDM EB Clean Development Mechanism –Executive Board
CERs Certified Emission Reductions
CMA Conference of the Parties serving as the
meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement
CMR Carbon Mechanisms Review
COP20 20th Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC
COP21 21st Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC
Cornell Int'l L J Cornell International Law Journal
DOEs Designated Operational Entities
EB Executive Board
Ecology L Q Ecology Law Quarterly
EIA Environmental Impact Assesment
Environ Sci Policy Environmental Science & Policy
FIDH International Federation for Human Rights
GHG Greenhouse gases
GIELR Georgetown International Environmental Law Review
HRC Human Rights Council
HRIAs Human rights impact assessments
IACHR Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
Int Environ Agreem International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics
JED Journal of Environment & Development
JEEPL Journal for European Environmental and Planning Law
JENRL Journal of Energy and Natural Resources Law
JHRE Journal of Human Rights and the Environment
JSDLP Journal of Sustainable Development Law and Policy
KP Kyoto Protocol
LEAD Law, Environment and Development Journal
NDCs Nationally Determined Contributions
Nord Envtl L J Nordic Environmental Law Journal
OHCHR Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
PA Paris Agreement
PDD Project Design Document
REDD+ Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation
SD tool Sustainable development tool
SDM Sustainable Development Mechanism
UN United Nations
UNFCCC United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
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