Reviewing climate impacts across the world and awaiting the IPCC report

This week, the team at Just Atonement Inc. (“JAI”) is commencing its analysis of human rights issues in several countries up for review by the United Nations Human Rights Council early next year. In particular, we are looking at how the impacts of climate change are affecting democracy, the rule of law, and human rights, an intersection often ignored by human rights bodies, NGOs, and other practitioners.

The growing climate crisis will seriously affect social stability. Human rights will be increasingly threatened by environmental impacts such as rising sea levels, droughts, the loss of fresh water, flooding, and biodiversity collapse. 

Within the U.S., these impacts are also pronounced. This past summer, interns with JAI spent several weeks examining climate impacts in California, particularly regarding wildfire damage. The team at JAI continues this work, now shifting its attention from fire to water, and exploring how climate change will impact streams, rivers, lakes, and other waterways in California.

Finally, we are awaiting the new report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which will provide the latest assessment of scientific knowledge about the warming of the planet and projections for future warming. The report will be issued August 9.