Environment

Bolivia, Argentina and Chile have the world’s largest reserves of lithium, a key resource for the energy transition from fossil fuels. However, intensive mining poses a major environmental risk for the region and the rights of indigenous communities.

This poem by laureate Nnimmo Bassey reminds our global community that human rights preparedness also means fostering resilience through poetry, art and other means of expression. Art eases suffering, empowers, and advocates in times of emergency.

The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the deadliest recent health emergencies, yet the international community failed to act quickly and with equity. This contribution proposes the development of a new convention and a UN agency to face disasters more effectively in the future.

The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically emphasised the fact that we are facing an existential crisis with multiple emergencies. This contribution highlights some of the core assumptions that have led to an unsustainable lifestyle based on inequality and the destruction of life.

The international community’s awareness of the growing occurrence of pandemics and comparable disasters emerges from instruments like the Agenda for Sustainable Development. However, the soft law nature of such tools leaves their implementation to the inconsistent ‘good faith’ of national actions.

The COVID-19 pandemic and climate change are two global crises with similarities that are significant from a human rights perspective.

You might be familiar with the old proverb about the butterfly effect. It’s the idea that tiny, unstoppable actions, like a butterfly flapping its wings, can cause a chain reaction in places on the other side of the world.

#BuildBackBetter is one of the hashtags from the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It speaks to hope, and to history too.