UN policy regime demanded for climate forced migrants

Speakers at a seminar on “Climate Forced Displacements: Rights and Obligations” in Paris Climate Conference on Saturday laid emphasis on new global order and dedicated UN policy regime for climate induced displaced people, reports UNB. Twenty civil society organisations from Asia, Africa, Latin America and Pacific attended the seminar at Le Burget, Paris, France. They urged text in Paris Agreement following the content agreed under Cancun Adaptation Framework’s paragraph 14 subparagraphs F. The seminar was moderated by Rezaul Karim Chowdhury of EquityBD. Ziaul Haque Mukta of CSRL and EquityBD delivered keynote speech. Among the panelists were Anotonie Gerrard from UN’s World Humanitarian Summit, Caorlina Hernandez from UN Office of High Commissioner on Human Rights, Prof Walter Kaelin from The Nansen Initiatives, Nick Dearden from Global Justice Now UK, Lena Brenn from Norwegian Refugee Council, Mithika Mwenda from Pan African Climate Justice Alliance, Gouri Prodhan from LDC Watch, Sharmind Neelormi of CSRL Bangladesh, Soumaya Dutta from CCB India, Jahangir Hasan Masum of CDP and Dr. Hasan Mahmud Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Environment and Forest of Bangladesh. Anotonie Gerrad of World Humanitarian Summit of UN said climate forced migrants is a security agenda for future so it should draw attention from the global leaders; it is a catastrophic humanitarian crisis, all states must devise new global strategy to respond to this crisis. Professor Walter Kaelin said that the global consultation of states which took place in Geneva in October, there was a good wish from state leaders to go for new global order and policy regime, same good wishes should prevail in Paris climate conference too. Carolina Hernandez from the UN office on Human Right Commissioner said Paris Agreement must address the rights of life and livelihoods of climate forced migrants. Nick Dearden from Global Justice Now of UK said that Europe and developed countries have been benefited from immigrants, and it is due to their high level of carbon emission the issue of climate forced migrant issue emerged; so the developed countries must take responsibilities in this regard.
Dr Hasan Mahmud, chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Environment and Forest of Bangladesh mentioned that Bangladesh will push for the inclusion of climate forced migration issue in Paris Agreement for its solution at all levels including national, regional and international. He observed that 1951 refugee convention should be rewritten now. Ziaul Hoque Mukta of CSRL and EquityBD in his keynote presentation proposed for appropriate human rights based treatment for climate forced migrants at local, national, regional and international level. Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, the moderator of the session, concluded that the issue shouldn’t be a UNFCCC agenda only; it is time to spread the issue in other UN and multilateral forums.

UN policy regime demanded for climate forced migrants

Speakers at a seminar on Climate Forced Displacements: Rights and Obligations in Paris Climate Conference on Saturday laid emphasis on new global order and dedicated UN policy regime for climate induced displaced people, reports UNB. Twenty civil society organisations from Asia, Africa, Latin America and Pacific attended the seminar at Le Burget, Paris, France. They urged text in Paris Agreement following the content agreed under Cancun Adaptation Frameworks paragraph 14 subparagraphs F. The seminar was moderated by Rezaul Karim Chowdhury of EquityBD. Ziaul Haque Mukta of CSRL and EquityBD delivered keynote speech. Among the panelists were Anotonie Gerrard from UNs World Humanitarian Summit, Caorlina Hernandez from UN Office of High Commissioner on Human Rights, Prof Walter Kaelin from The Nansen Initiatives, Nick Dearden from Global Justice Now UK, Lena Brenn from Norwegian Refugee Council, Mithika Mwenda from Pan African Climate Justice Alliance, Gouri Prodhan from LDC Watch, Sharmind Neelormi of CSRL Bangladesh, Soumaya Dutta from CCB India, Jahangir Hasan Masum of CDP and Dr. Hasan Mahmud Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Environment and Forest of Bangladesh. Anotonie Gerrad of World Humanitarian Summit of UN said climate forced migrants is a security agenda for future so it should draw attention from the global leaders; it is a catastrophic humanitarian crisis, all states must devise new global strategy to respond to this crisis. Professor Walter Kaelin said that the global consultation of states which took place in Geneva in October, there was a good wish from state leaders to go for new global order and policy regime, same good wishes should prevail in Paris climate conference too. Carolina Hernandez from the UN office on Human Right Commissioner said Paris Agreement must address the rights of life and livelihoods of climate forced migrants. Nick Dearden from Global Justice Now of UK said that Europe and developed countries have been benefited from immigrants, and it is due to their high level of carbon emission the issue of climate forced migrant issue emerged; so the developed countries must take responsibilities in this regard. Dr Hasan Mahmud, chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Environment and Forest of Bangladesh mentioned that Bangladesh will push for the inclusion of climate forced migration issue in Paris Agreement for its solution at all levels including national, regional and international. He observed that 1951 refugee convention should be rewritten now. Ziaul Hoque Mukta of CSRL and EquityBD in his keynote presentation proposed for appropriate human rights based treatment for climate forced migrants at local, national, regional and international level. Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, the moderator of the session, concluded that the issue shouldnt be a UNFCCC agenda only; it is time to spread the issue in other UN and multilateral forums.