Children's environmental rights
- wjfrequencies
- Feb 19, 2022
- 8 min read
As expected, I answered to the Global Consultation of the United Nations Committee on "how children’s rights are impacted by environmental harm and what governments must do to uphold these rights.” And I will add again, today more than ever, to ensure their protection against climate change and as described as a "triple planetary crisis", including the pollution, the disappearance of biodiversity and the rapid decline of nature.
Following an overview of my responses. I did not answer to all the questions and you will understand why by reading me. Some questions are beyond my understanding especially when I think at our disposal in this life time. Some questions are very technical, when others bring me directly to a central question : our responsibility as parents, citizens, actors of the civil society and as politicians.
The next meeting will take place next Thursday (24.02) and I will participate. This meeting will bring together young activists, UN officials and governments to assess the best way to contribute and to improve international standards on children's environmental rights. The meeting is open to all, you will find the link at the end of this article.
Another reflection on the subject of this meeting : " progress Children’s environmental rights ". There too, I’m already a bit lost in the agenda and I would like to know what exactly is meant by "children's environmental rights" without having to go to a Law school. If I understand the term better today, shouldn't we just respect children's rights and the environment?
I think it’s important to have a good understanding of the terms, the semantics used and to make these meetings more accessible. It will certainly facilitate the global mobilization and the achievement of common objectives. However, I remain positive and I hope that this will lead to a better articulation of the actions but also a better allocation of the funding.
Anyway, I am grateful for the opportunity to express myself and to be able to share these few lines, thoughts and ideas. I invite you to express yourself as well as the strength is in the exchanges. So please bring your comments and share your reflections. You are more than welcome.
And by now, I wish you a pleasant reading and a wonderful week end as well.
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• What are the main impacts of climate change, pollution and the loss of nature and biodiversity on children's lives?
It’s hard to believe that we can still ask ourselves this question. The main impact of climate change, pollution and the loss of nature and biodiversity on our children is that we put them at risk and simply deprive them of a future.
As citizens, adults, parents, leaders, politicians we just must take action. The duty to inform ourselves is a first step and to raise the awareness of all also a necessity and in order to take action. The duty to protect all the children is undoubtedly an obligation of all the States, citizens and parents and everyone must fully contribute. We know the situation and don’t take the measure of the emergency, by doing nothing is equivalent to a "non-assistance to children in danger" case.
The last research of UNICEF realized with the movement Fridays for Future established that almost half of the 2.2 billion children in the world lives in 33 countries classified as “very high risk. According The Children’s Climate Risk Index (CCRI) :
- 240 million children are highly exposed to coastal flooding;
- 330 million children are highly exposed to riverine flooding;
- 400 million children are highly exposed to cyclones;
- 600 million children are highly exposed to vector borne diseases;
- 815 million children are highly exposed to lead pollution;
- 820 million children are highly exposed to heatwaves;
- 920 million children are highly exposed to water scarcity;
- 1 billion children are highly exposed to exceedingly high levels of air pollution
We also know that “99% of deaths attributed to climate change occur in developing countries and that 80% are children. »
Should we continue to align all the collateral damages before acting and especially when we know the root causes of this global warming? Should we continue to ignore the solutions ?
This is equivalent to handing a glass of water to a dying person and asking him to come get it from the other side of the park, right?!
• In what ways are responses to these environmental crises also likely to negatively affect children (eg forced displacement, increased food or energy prices)?
Again, the IRCE statistics which are based on two central pillars: 1) exposure to climatic and environmental changes, shocks and stresses; 2) vulnerability of children - are very explicit. What the study demonstrates:
- Insufficient access to essential services such as health, nutrition, education and social protection makes children particularly vulnerable
- Children are more likely than adults to die from diseases and amplified by climate change, such as malaria and dengue fever.
- This context leads to a water crisis, a health crisis, an education crisis, a protection crisis and a participation crisis. It threatens the survival of children. These are the consequences by which the climate crisis undermines the rights of children, as defined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
This is explicit. And there are many studies available.
· How to enforce more effectively the States's obligation to remedy environmental damage beyond their national borders that violates children's rights?
For some questions, I lose logic. Sorry. Is it possible for all the States to improve Children’s right effectively in their country and by taking direct actions to ensure their protection? Developed countries are also concerned. For the rest, I have another proposition below.
Well, sit back and relax, authorize yourself to believe in the following proposition:)
Because the only solution to the climate crisis is the reduction of emissions to safe levels to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and thus maintain a pace that limits global warming to a maximum of 1.5°C. Dixit the latest UNICEF study. Quite long 2050, right?
Wouldn't it be amazing to create an International Taskforce for the Efficient Protection of the Children and the Environment (called BIEEE in French) that would act in parallel or support all States members. It would involve :
- The Organizations intervening under the mandate of the UN, NGOs, and civil society actors working on Child protection programs.
But wait for the innovative aspect, as well all the Financial Organizations as :
- The Bretton Woods Institutions (BIS, IMF and IBRD, ECB or other financial institutions: ECB, BIS; EIB; Islamic Development Bank; Nordic Investment Bank, etc.
- Regional development banks such as: IDB - AFDB - ADB - EBRD - CEB -West African Development Bank, Central African Development bank-
- Financial market controllers such as the Financial Markets Authority (AMF) in France and Quebec, or the SEC in the United States, or even more the Securities Ethics Council (CDVM) in Morocco.
- Bilateral Agencies or Development institutions such as: the Netherlands Development Bank (Nederlandse Financierings-Maatschappij voor Ontwikkelingslanden) based in The Hague, the German development bank DEG Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft, the French Development Agency, etc.
And so much more!
The International Taskforce for the Effective Protection of Children and the Environment would be a beautiful international consensus to ensure the future of our children and this planet. The ITEPCE or BIEEE would intervene under the mandate of the UN with the following objectives:
Assess the effective application of the measures already existing and not applied at the level of Children’s rights and environmental protection.
Sanction the States that do not respect their obligations and, if necessary, directly the biggest polluters. Beyond heavy fines deducted from their profits, a direct freeze on the imports-exports or of their activities
To reallocate funding to actions to protect children’s right, starting with the most vulnerable in the most affected countries and to actions to protect the environment effectively. Nota bene: perhaps after reviewing the development aid policy and ensuring a rebalancing of the aid allocated upstream.
Wonderful, right ?
• What are the main strategic gaps and priorities for strengthening international cooperation and assistance, in the context of children's rights and the environment with the aim of contributing to the creation of safer and healthier environments for children from other countries?
Main gap : The will. We need to develop the resources of our policy. The solutions exist already.
*What are the practical implications of the human rights to a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment for the rights protected by the UN CRC?
Could you provide (positive) examples of how the right of the child to a healthy environment has been recognized and implemented at international, regional or national level?
Save the Children
o Defends the rights and the best interests of children around the world works with the most vulnerable.
o 7 fields of intervention: Survival - Learning - Protection - Emergencies - Advocay and Campaign - Climate crisis
With a staff of 25,000 people in nearly 122 countries, they respond to emergency situations, offer innovative development programs and ensure that children are heard through all the actions developed and to build a better future for and with them.
Surf Rider Foundation
o Surfrider Europe carries out actions for the preservation of the biodiversity and the coast and works with all actors in society (citizens, private sector, public sector).
o 3 main themes: Education and awareness - Political Advocacy and Scientific and Legal Expertise
It is a huge network with many volunteer branches. Through its actions Surfrider targets all audiences : citizens, officials, employees, students, children at school and to contribute to the evolution of behaviours and practices.
FRENE
o French environmental education network and works with and for youth for the preservation of Nature. FRENE is recognized as being of general interest.
o Some key activities: Youth Eco-Parliament, Dashboarding, Education to Environment and Sustainable Development observatory, Health-environment education, Creation of educational awareness devices and tools, among others activities.
----Youth In Actions---
· Fridays For Future : Global strike movement organized for the climate and initiated by Greta Thunberg in 2018. The objective of the movement is to exert moral pressure on political decision-makers, to get them to listen to scientists, and to act to limit global warming . The success of Fridays for Future movement : from 1 to almost every country in just over a year with the participation of millions of people around the world.
Lal Sabuj Society is a youth association in Bangladesh that enables young people - and especially children vulnerable to the effects of climate change in coastal regions - to engage in journalism
Nkosilathi Nyathi (Zimbabwe) youth activist, UNICEF Youth Climate Ambassador in Zimbabwe in 2015, Youth Ambassador for Greenline Africa since 2014.
Mitzi Tan leader for the youth climate movement in the Philippines
Democracy Now's youtube channel : Uproot the System: Filipina Activist Mitzi Tan on How Capitalism & Colonialism Fuel Climate Crisis : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXtgUyqq_-w
And many others!
Finally. In our era, with all the resources existing as study, analysis, communication at our disposal and also all the alternatives existing, we are struggling to inform, raise awareness and to take effective action.
As the global warming is mainly due to human activity, then another question arises : do we deserve our children or this Mother Earth on which we wipe our feet. ?
Let's not forget our children and our duty. Let's make their fight ours, especially when we have a great responsibility as adults.
---- Sources ----
o General Comment : UNCRC
o UNICEF's study : presentation of the Child Climate Risk Index
o Website et actions : https://www.unicef.org/globalinsight/environment
o LSA Green (France) - Article « Développement durable et RSE : ce qu'en pensent vraiment les enfants »
o Le Devoir (Québec) – Article « Faut-il cesser de faire des enfants pour sauver le climat? »
o Défenseurs des droits République Française : RAPPORT 2020 CONSACRÉ AUX DROITS DE L'ENFANT : " PRENDRE EN COMPTE LA PAROLE DE L'ENFANT : UN DROIT POUR L'ENFANT, UN DEVOIR POUR L'ADULTE
Just few examples among many others.
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