Affiliations: [a] Professor of Public and International Law, Faculty of Law and Director of the Development and Rule of Law Programme at Stellenbosch University, South Africa; Director of the Research Centre for Climate Law, University of Graz, Austria
| [b]
Research assistant at an international law firm in Public Law in Stuttgart, Germany
Note: [+] Parts of this article were originally published in German in Zeitschrift für das Recht der nachhaltigen Entwicklung (NR) (2022) vol. 4, p. 451-459.
Abstract: The decision-makers, lawyers and legislators have a responsibility to know and understand the science, facts, global regulatory framework and uncertainties of climate change in order to better achieve the goals of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the 2015 Paris Agreement as well as the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), among others. They also have linkages and relevance for the implementation of the legal obligations under Article 6 (inherent right to life) of the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and Articles 11 (adequate standard of living) and 12 (physical and mental health) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). This study critically examines the complex interplay between different regimes regarding climate change adaptation and mitigation, sustainability and human rights so as to better respond to “climate emergency” underscored by the UN Secretary-General on 2 June 2022 at the Stockholm+50 Conference.
Keywords: UNFCCC, Paris Agreement, sustainability law, climate change law, human rights protection, loss and damage, climate finance, SDGs, NDCs
