Human Rights at the Climate Crossroads: Analysis of the Interconnection between Human Rights, Right to Climate, and Intensification of Extreme Climate Events

Abstract

This paper analyzes the theoretical foundation and practical implications of recognizing the right to a stable climate as a fundamental human right. Further, it examines the intersection of human rights, right to climate, and the intensification of extreme climate events. Through a bibliometric analysis, the study highlights the increase in scholarly attention paid to this nexus. The intensification of extreme climate events, such as the Cumbre Vieja volcano in Spain, is also analyzed as a catalyst for recognizing the right to climate as a human right, as a fundamental requirement for its enactment. Indeed, it is argued that this recognition is necessary to achieve climate justice. These thoughts about the necessity of recognizing the right to climate as a human right are also based on a similar case, the enactment of the rights to water and sanitation, which is presented as a case study, demonstrating how specific environmental rights can be integrated into human rights discourse. The results and discussion section synthesizes these findings, highlighting the imperative of recognizing climate rights to ensure justice and sustainability amidst escalating climate challenges.

Keywords

• human rights
• right to climate
• right to climate protection
• extreme weather events
• climate justice
• climate change