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Category: International Political Engagement

QCEA highlights climate breakdown and militarism

International Political Engagement

The Quaker Council for European Affairs (QCEA) has launched its report Storytelling from the Frontlines: Forefronting the voices of communities most affected by militarism and the climate crisis.

QCEA says that “through storytellers’ eyes” we see how militarization and securitized responses to the climate crisis negatively impact the natural environment that communities depend upon to thrive and survive. Its through such stories as well that we see how militarization hinders local efforts to tackle climate and environmental issues at the community level. The interviews that make up this report represent voices from people living in places as diverse as from Palestine to Guatemala, and from the Mariana Islands to Vietnam. To read the full report, click here.

May 4, 2023 quakersandclimateLeave a comment
Quakers at the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change

Quakers at the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change

International Political Engagement

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is a United Nations intergovernmental body that is mandated to provide “policy relevant but not policy prescriptive” information. From the 13-19th of March, the IPCC met in Interlaken, Switzerland, for the final approval session of the Summary for Policy Makers (SPM) for the Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) Synthesis Report. IPCC reports are increasingly used by citizens worldwide to hold their governments accountable for sufficient climate action.

The Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC) is the only active, independently accredited faith-based organization at the IPCC. Within the IPCC, Friends uphold transparency and the integrity of the latest climate science, as well as encourage clear messaging on urgent, transformative, and rights-based climate action. During the approval session, the Quaker United Nations Office, on behalf of the FWCC, made 24 interventions in total.

To read more about the IPCC process, access its reports, and see all 24 interventions, click here.

March 30, 2023March 30, 2023 quakersandclimateClimate change, climate science, Fossil fuelsLeave a comment
Quakers at the United Nations Human Rights Council

Quakers at the United Nations Human Rights Council

International Political Engagement

The United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC), whose missions is to promote and protect human rights around the world, is currently meeting for its 52nd session in Geneva, Switzerland. The current session began the 27th of February and will end the 4th of April. The Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) is consistently engaged with the HRC across all four programmes of its work on the Human Rights and Refugees, Peace and Disarmament, Human Impacts of Climate Change, and Sustainable and Just Economic Systems.

Human rights and climate change are inextricably linked together. Climate change poses a threat to numerous human rights, including the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. Climate actions that are grounded in human rights considerations are more just, equitable, legitimate, and effective then actions that otherwise exclude them from consideration.

Last month, QUNO’s Human Impacts of Climate Change programme made a statement at the Human Rights Advisory Committee (HRAC), and Human Rights Council (HRC). Both statements were delivered by QUNO Programme Assistant, Alana M Carlson, speaking under the Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC). To read the intervention on the “Impact of new technologies for climate protection on the enjoyment of human rights,” click here. To read the QUNO’s addressment to the Special Rapporteur on the Environment, click here.

March 30, 2023March 31, 2023 quakersandclimateclimate engineering, geoengineering, human rightsLeave a comment
Why on Earth isn’t Ecocide illegal?

Why on Earth isn’t Ecocide illegal?

General Resources, International Political Engagement

“Ecocide means unlawful or wanton acts committed with knowledge that there is a substantial likelihood of severe and either widespread or long-term damage to the environment being caused by these acts.” – Independent Expert Panel for the Legal Definition of Ecocide, June 2021

Utility Films presents a discussion led by Friends on what ecocide is and why it isn’t illegal. This discussion is timely as both national and international level courts are increasingly addressing the question of States’ obligations in responding to the climate crisis.

Watch Friends discuss the importance of this term below.

https://vimeo.com/800969681

March 30, 2023 quakersandclimateLeave a comment

Net Zero Submission to the United Nations Secretary General

International Political Engagement

In August 2022, QUNO submitted to a consultation on “Net Zero” to the United Nations Secretary General. This consultation emphasized the need for real transformation of the root causes driving climate change, and avoidance of “greenwashing” under some “net zero” approaches.  In particular, the submission drew attention to the need for rapid reduction and use of fossil fuels for a safer chance to remain within a 1.5C temperature rise limit. Along with highlighting the need for rapid reduction, the submission draws attention to threats in renewable energy investment being sidelined by investment into geo-engineering such as off-sets and carbon capture storage, the latter technology being expensive, not yet available to scale, prone to emission leakage and enabling ongoing fossil fuel extraction and burning activities. QUNO’s submission draws attention to the actions we can take to achieve net zero emissions and emphasizes the importance of conserving and restoring ecosystems.

To read the entire submission, click here.

September 23, 2022 quakersandclimateLeave a comment

QUNO on Peace and Environment at Stockholm +50

International Political Engagement

This month many in the international sphere are joining the meetings of the Stockholm +50, commemorating the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment. Colleagues from QUNO Geneva will be joining this event marks, which marks 50 years of global environmental action. AT the meeting, QUNO’s Peace and Disarmament Team are joining advocacy efforts to make the case for why human rights and conflict sensitivity are central to sustainable and just responses to plantary crisis. The team write:

Stockholm+50 presents an urgent opportunity for policymakers to make bold decisions on climate change and the environment. Our planetary crises have impacted every element of our global systems and our responses must be cross-sectoral in their approach. How we respond to these challenges can also be an opportunity to cooperate and build peace.

We share these policy messages on behalf of a group of 18 organizations and nearly 30 individuals representing the Environment, Climate, Conflict and Peace (ECCP) group at the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform, containing bold and practical policies for action at Stockholm +50 and beyond. 

Peace and conflict sensitivity are inextricably linked to environmental policy because:

  • The environment and policies around it can fuel conflict.
  • Damage from conflict has a significant negative impact on the natural environment.
  • Cooperation to respond to climate change and manage natural resources can contribute to building peace.
  • A just transition and prosperity for all is realised by enhancing peace.
  • Responding to environmental and climate challenges requires an interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral approach.

The responsibility of the private sector in environmental policy:

We would also like to take this opportunity to highlight the role and responsibilities of private sector actors – as key stakeholders in taking sustainable and just environmental and climate action by:

  • Conducting ongoing conflict mapping and human rights and environmental impact due diligence assessments (HRDD) of business activities throughout supply chains and investments and ensure that their activities are in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and ensuring exit strategies prevent and mitigate harm.
  • Ensuring meaningful engagement and inclusive consultation of affected communities, including human rights and environmental defenders, small-holders, women, indigenous people and youth; and enhancing transparency by making information on business activities publicly accessible and easily understandable,
  • Taking steps to ensure that their investment decisions are consistent with a pathway toward a low-carbon economy and are committed to reducing endless growth through adoption of a degrowth business model.

For further information see the team’s latest blog: “Stockholm+50: why human rights and conflict sensitivity are central to sustainable & just responses to planetary crisis”  & their contribution to the White Paper on Environmental Peacebuilding “The case for human rights & conflict sensitive approaches to business activities’ – a joint contribution to the future of environmental peacebuilding”, both written with Swedwatch and Frient.

Below, you can also read a 2-page policy brief on building conflict-sensitivity into environmental policy.

Stockholm +50 Policy BriefDownload
May 27, 2022May 27, 2022 quakersandclimateLeave a comment

From a Green Deal to a Green Economy

International Political Engagement

In the second part of a series of contributions, Friend Kees Nieuwerth is sharing a paper on the European Green Deal. The paper is a contribution to the Conference of European Churches’ Thematic Report on the topic.

Kees is a member of the Board of the European Ecumenical Peace Movement Church and Peace, which is a partner organization of the Conference of European Churches (CEC) based in Brussels. CEC brings together 114 churches from different traditions and across Europe “for dialogue, advocacy, and joint action.”

The shared paper was written by Kees as part of the CEC working group on Economic and Ecological Justice and a Sustainable Future, which he also moderates. The CEC working group is in the process of developing an critical analysis of the European Green Deal from the churches’ perspective. This paper is therefore a contribution from the author to this work in progress which –it is hoped- will result in an document for dialogue with the European institutions and the member churches of CEC entitled ‘From a Green Deal to a Green Economy – Inspired by Green Theology.’

The author is a member of Netherlands Yearly Meeting. Read his previous contribution to the Resource Hub here.

from-a-green-deal-to-a-green-economy.kn_Download
August 26, 2021 quakersandclimate1 Comment

QCEA launches report on Climate, Peace and Human Rights

General Resources, International Political Engagement

In May, the Quaker Council for European Affairs launched their new report Climate, Peace & Human Rights: Are European Policies Coherent?. In the context of EU climate policies and the EU Green New Deal, this report lays out the need for an integrated approach to these three areas.

Learn more about QCEA’s work on climate justice in the full report, which can be accessed here.

July 23, 2021 quakersandclimateLeave a comment

The UN Sustainable Development Goals, Peace and the Churches

General Resources, International Political Engagement

Friend Kees Nieuwerth has recently shared a paper on The UN Sustainable Development Goals, Peace and the Churches available here. The paper offers insight into a joint meeting of German Mennonites, German Quakers and Church and Peace at the Thomashof held in 2018, reflecting on the Sustainable Development Goals in the context of just peace and issues a call for ecological and economic justice. An extract from the paper reads:

[The SDG Agenda] can only work if there is  a transformation of the dominant economic model in the direction of what the WCC calls ‘An Economy of Life for All’ for us to be able to really pursue sustainability. After all, ignoring the constraints put on us by the planetary limits is not in keeping with the Gospel option for the poor and vulnerable or the care for creation.

The author is a member of Netherlands Yearly Meeting. He is also a member of the Board of the European Ecumenical Peace Movement Church and Peace.

the-un-sustainable-development-goals-peace-and-the-churchesDownload
April 16, 2021 quakersandclimate1 Comment

A Quaker Statement on Migration

International Political Engagement

Working together American Friends Service Committee, Britain Yearly Meeting, Friends Committee for National Legislation, Quaker Council for European Affairs and Quaker United Nations Office have developed a statement on migration drawing on Quaker foundations and work with migrants and on migration. The core of the statement says:

Rooted in our belief that there is that of the sacred in everyone, our spiritual leading to uphold the inherent value and agency of every human being, and our commitment to building a world without violence, we are heartbroken by migration policy that dehumanises some members of our human family on the basis of where they come from. We reject the notion that security for some can be achieved through means that use or result in violence and insecurity for others. We abhor the many forms of violence used in the management of migration and the effect current migration systems have in dividing our human family. 

We are committed to working for a world where dignity and rights are upheld regardless of migration status and not on the basis of citizenship or perceived deservedness.  Our faith calls us to work alone and with others for migration justice.  

Meetings, Quaker organisations and Friends’ groups or associations are encouraged to consider supporting the statement and signing on to it. For further information please email the Quaker UN Office’s Human Rights and Refugees team: Laurel Townhead ltownhead@quno.ch and Najmah Ali nali@quno.ch

February 9, 2021February 9, 2021 quakersandclimateLeave a comment

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