Shifting Military Spending to Climate Finance: QUNO Statement at HRC63
During the sixty-third session of the Human Rights Council (HRC63) in Geneva, QUNO’s new Programme Assistant in the Human Impacts of Climate Change Programme, Sarah Demicoli, delivered an official oral statement during the Council’s interactive dialogue on the Secretary-General’s synthesis report on mobilizing climate finance.
The statement highlighted the report’s attention to debt relief and tax justice measures while calling for an additional focus on shifting levels of global military spending, unprecedented since the Cold War, toward climate finance and other lifesaving efforts. Highlighting the devastating human and environmental toll of armed conflict and climate inaction, Sarah stated:
“Forests burn, crops die, glaciers collapse, people die in extreme heat, thousands die in war, and military emissions intensify existential global heating.”
Sarah closed QUNO’s address to the Council by posing a critical question for decision makers:
“How can we better engage our decision makers on prioritizing climate financing over military spending as essential to humanity’s safety and the full realization of human rights for all?”
Further details on QUNO’s engagement at the Human Rights Council can be accessed through our Newsroom Article, which includes a direct link to the live UN Web TV statement recording.
