Rising Tides and Dwindling Rights: Climate Change’s Human Cost
Climate change is often described as the defining issue of our time, an all-encompassing storm cloud on the horizon. But in reality, it’s more like a slow-moving train wreck — we can see it coming, but we still stand frozen in place, unsure of how to avert the disaster. What is often overlooked, however, is the undeniable link between climate change and human rights. As the planet warms, the most vulnerable among us — those who have historically been marginalised, bear the brunt of the damage. In many ways, climate change is a human rights crisis in disguise.
Climate change, like an elephant in the room, looms large, but its impacts are not experienced equally across the globe. For many, it is already a present-day reality. Coastal communities are disappearing as rising sea levels swallow their lands; extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and severe, threatening livelihoods; and crops are failing, leading to hunger and malnutrition. These shifts are not only environmental but human, as entire populations are forced to adapt, migrate, or even face the loss of their homes.
The connection between climate change and human rights is not merely an academic discussion or a distant future concern. The impacts of climate change are already being felt in every corner of the globe, affecting everything from food security to access to clean water, to the loss of homes and livelihoods. These effects are disproportionately experienced by marginalised communities, creating new and exacerbating existing human rights violations. However, the debate is not just about physical survival — it is also about dignity, identity, and the freedom to live one’s life in accordance with fundamental human rights. As the climate crisis deepens, the battle for human rights becomes even more urgent, as we must question whether it is possible to achieve human dignity in a world increasingly threatened by environmental collapse.
Source: Li-An Lim, Unsplash
The Vulnerable and Marginalized Communities: The Frontlines of the Crisis
At the heart of the climate-human rights connection lies the disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable. In a world where poverty, inequality, and political instability intersect with environmental degradation, the burden of climate change falls hardest on those least equipped to deal with it. Indigenous peoples in the Arctic, small island nations in the Pacific, and impoverished communities in Bangladesh are facing the very real consequences of a warming planet. These groups are already experiencing the destruction of their homelands, often in the form of flooding, extreme heat, or droughts, and they have limited capacity to adapt or rebuild.
For Indigenous peoples, climate change isn’t just an environmental concern, it is an existential threat. Their way of life, cultural practices, and traditional knowledge are deeply intertwined with the land. As their territories become increasingly uninhabitable, many are forced to migrate or abandon their ancestral lands. This displacement is not only a loss of physical territory but a loss of identity, history, and autonomy. The Inuit in the Arctic, for example, are already witnessing the retreat of sea ice, threatening their ability to hunt and travel, thus undermining their traditional lifestyle. The very survival of their culture is at stake.
A study by the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs found that more than 370 million Indigenous people worldwide are at risk of being displaced due to climate change, with their communities particularly vulnerable to sea-level rise, extreme weather, and loss of biodiversity. The situation in Bangladesh, where rising sea levels and increased cyclonic activity threaten millions of lives, serves as a poignant example. Over the past decades, the country has already seen approximately 10 million people displaced due to climate-related events, with many forced to live in overcrowded slums with limited access to basic services.
Small island nations, such as the Maldives, Kiribati, and Tuvalu, are living on the frontlines of climate change. Rising sea levels are threatening to submerge these islands completely. Entire populations are at risk of becoming climate refugees. The Maldives, known for its idyllic beaches and tourist industry, is predicted to be underwater within the next few decades, leaving its citizens without a homeland. In the Pacific, Kiribati has already begun to purchase land in Fiji as a potential refuge for its population in the event of a complete loss of territory. These countries, which contribute the least to global carbon emissions, are bearing the brunt of the crisis, demonstrating the stark inequalities that climate change exacerbates.
Despite these challenges, the global response to such crises has been, at best, underwhelming. Small island nations and Indigenous groups, who contribute almost nothing to the emissions driving climate change, are left to fend for themselves, while wealthier nations continue to prioritise economic growth over climate action. This disconnect is a glaring example of the injustice embedded in the global response to climate change. The international community’s failure to prioritise climate justice only deepens existing inequalities, creating new avenues for exploitation and injustice. In fact, climate action has often been a tool of exploitation rather than a solution, with the expansion of fossil fuel industries continuing in poorer regions of the world, increasing the environmental burdens on communities that have already borne the worst of the crisis.
Climate Change as a Human Rights Crisis
Climate change is, in essence, a human rights crisis because it undermines the basic conditions needed for survival and well-being. The right to clean water is threatened by extreme weather events such as floods and droughts. The right to health is jeopardised as rising temperatures increase the spread of diseases like malaria and dengue fever. The right to housing is compromised as homes are destroyed by hurricanes, floods, and wildfires. And the right to food is severely impacted as changing weather patterns disrupt agriculture, leading to food shortages and price spikes. These impacts are not abstract — they are happening right now, affecting millions of people around the world.
In 2021, the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated that climate change is responsible for over 150,000 deaths per year from malnutrition, heat, and infectious diseases. With climate-induced migration, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that by 2050, 200 million people could be displaced due to climate impacts. These data points bring urgency to the question: can we afford to delay meaningful action on climate change when so many basic human rights are already compromised?
In addition to the direct impacts, climate change often exacerbates existing social inequalities. Women, children, and marginalised communities, such as refugees and people with disabilities, are particularly vulnerable. Gender inequalities are compounded by the fact that women are more likely to be responsible for collecting water, food, and fuel in many parts of the world. As climate change reduces access to these resources, women bear the brunt of the crisis. Similarly, children are more susceptible to malnutrition, disease, and displacement, and they will carry the psychological scars of climate-induced trauma throughout their lives.
Furthermore, the unequal impact of climate change on marginalised groups is compounded by the failure of many governments to address the crisis in a manner that respects their human rights. Often, governments fail to adequately address the needs of vulnerable populations in climate adaptation and resilience plans. This lack of attention further marginalises these communities and undermines their ability to cope with the changing environment.
The Need for Climate Justice
The link between climate change and human rights highlights the importance of the concept of climate justice. Climate justice is the idea that those who have contributed the least to the climate crisis — the poor and vulnerable communities should not bear the greatest burden of its impacts. Climate justice also emphasises the responsibility of those who have contributed the most to the problem — wealthy nations and corporations to take the lead in reducing emissions, providing financial support for climate adaptation, and ensuring that the voices of affected communities are heard.
In 2015, the United Nations adopted the Paris Agreement, aiming to limit global warming to well below 2°C. While this agreement is a step in the right direction, it has faced criticism for being insufficient in addressing the scale of the problem. In a report from 2020, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) found that global emissions need to decrease by 7.6% annually to limit warming to 1.5°C. However, the world is not on track, and current pledges from nations will lead to a global temperature increase of 3°C by the end of the century. Despite this, many wealthy nations have failed to meet their financial commitments to support climate adaptation in developing countries. The gap between the promises of the Paris Agreement and the actions taken by some of the largest emitters demonstrates that the agreement, while important, remains deeply flawed in terms of global accountability.
What is essential moving forward is a shift in how countries and corporations frame their responsibility. It’s not just about numbers on paper; it’s about real action and real commitments that acknowledge the historical and ongoing injustices. The failure to hold major corporations and industrialised countries accountable for the harm they’ve caused by releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere is a core issue that must be addressed if we are to achieve meaningful progress.
Source: Markus Spiske, Unsplash
The role of major fossil fuel companies in exacerbating climate change is a critical component of this conversation. While countries like Saudi Arabia, the United States, and Russia are some of the largest emitters, corporations like ExxonMobil, Chevron, and Shell have also been key drivers of the crisis. In fact, a 2017 report by the Carbon Disclosure Project revealed that just 100 companies were responsible for 71% of global greenhouse gas emissions since 1988. Holding these corporations accountable for their contributions to climate change — through both direct emissions and lobbying efforts to delay climate action is essential in the fight for climate justice.
Action Needed: Protecting Human Rights in the Age of Climate Change
As the impacts of climate change continue to unfold, it is essential that human rights be placed at the forefront of climate action. Governments must integrate human rights considerations into their climate policies, ensuring that the most vulnerable communities are protected and supported. This includes not only providing financial and technical assistance to those most affected but also ensuring that these communities are given a voice in climate decision-making processes.
Furthermore, individuals and organisations must continue to push for stronger legal frameworks that hold governments and corporations accountable for the harm they cause to both the environment and human rights. This includes pushing for climate policies that prioritise social justice, equity, and the protection of human rights. The fight for climate justice is not just about saving the planet — it is about protecting the lives and dignity of the people who live on it.
Finally, addressing climate change as a human rights issue requires a shift in how we view the climate crisis. It is no longer enough to see it as an environmental issue to be tackled by environmentalists alone. Climate change is a human rights crisis, and it must be addressed with the urgency and focus it deserves. As we face an uncertain future, the need for solidarity, compassion, and action has never been more critical. The time to act is now, before the window of opportunity closes and the impacts of climate change become insurmountable.
S xoxo
Written in Lapland, Finland
17th February 2025