The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 (link) sets out ambitious targets to reduce Scotland’s carbon emissions by at least 80% by 2050 and aims to put Scotland at the forefront of building a sustainable low carbon global economy. The Commission believes that adopting an holistic human rights based approach to climate change and the environment will demonstrate further Scotland’s commitment to being an international model of best practice, as well as creating a robust framework that ensures compatibility with the European Convention on Human Rights and international standards.
The Human Rights Council closed its 18th regular session (September 2011) by including a resolution on human rights and climate change in which the Council reiterates its concern that climate change poses an immediate and far-reaching threat to people and communities around the world, and has adverse implications for the full enjoyment of human rights. The Council requests that the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: invites the Secretariat of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the UN Environment Programme and the UN Development Programme to help organize the seminar informed by the best available science and including the assessment reports and special reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change; and to submit to the Human Rights Council, at its 20th session, a summary report on the seminar. See the resolution here: