Development and Climate Conflict: An Enquiry with Human Rights Perspective

Human life is not merely described as a state of living. It comes along with a bundle of rights revolving around it. As iterated by the courts in India, the right to life is inclusive of a life with dignity. This includes economic, cultural, social rights, which are also some of the most important rights recognized by civilized sovereign nations. In a fast-paced emerging world, where the need for change through development is unavoidable, the impact of such a need for development has been the greatest on the environment. Mother Nature, which allows us to survive on the planet, has been slowly but steadily transitioning into an uninhabitable place. It is to be understood that the issue of climate change is not confined to territorial boundaries. Therefore the reading of international instruments in the subject matter becomes eminent. At the same time, the implementation aspect and the action plan can be segregated to national jurisdictions. The drastic changes in the climatic conditions also affect the human rights of people in more ways than we can think of. The statement of David Brower that “we do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children” holds immense value. The research paper throws light on the International instruments which provide safeguards for the economic, cultural and social rights of people due to climatic conditions and environmental harms. The study also aims to enquire about the rising temperatures of the world along with social dimensions attached to climate change. Ways to reverse climate change have also been discussed for a way forward, followed by recommendations and a conclusion.