240064 VO+UE VM1 / VM3 - Climate Change, Social (Global) Inequalities and Human Rights (2020S)

The impact of climate change is closely related to (global) social and economic inequalities. The Intergovernmental Panel and Climate Change pointed out that 'risks are unevenly distributed and are generally greater for disadvantaged people and communities in countries at all levels of development.' (IPCC 2014). UN human rights bodies have increasingly voiced their concern about the adverse consequences of climate changes on the human rights of specific persons and communities. The UN Human Rights Council, for example, emphasized that 'adverse effects of climate change are felt most acutely by those segments of the population that are already in vulnerable situations owing to factors such as geography, poverty, gender, age, indigenous or minority status, national or social origin, birth or other status and disability' (2017). Global inequalities are also apparent in the fact that those who historically have contributed least to global warming will be affected most by climate-related impacts. However, the interrelation between global warming and (global) social and economic inequalities is a multi-faceted and complex issue. The objective of the course is to elaborate on the interrelation between climate change and social (global) inequalities from a human rights perspective. A particular focus will be laid on the link between global warming, inequalities and human (im)mobility (displacement, relocation, migration).

Based on case studies and the analysis of academic literature, but also political and legal documents, students are instructed to elaborate on crucial issues in the context of global warming, in particular social (global) inequalities, (im)mobility and human rights.