Activities of Catherine CHABAUD related to 2020/2134(INI)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the effects of climate change on human rights and the role of environmental defenders on this matter
Amendments (16)
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses that developing countries are the most exposed to climate change, and that their human rights activists and environmental defenders are particularly subjected to threats, repression and judicial persecution for defending their land, heritage and environment from the consequences of the exploitation of natural resourc; highlights the indispensable role of environmental defenders, who are highly conscious of the urgent, existential challenges of climate change and who strive to mitigate the adverse effects the latter has on natural resources and the accessibility of people to those resources; recognises that the actions undertaken by environmental defenders are essential as they search for, device and disseminate viable solutions and mechanisms for prevention, resilience and adaptation to climate change to the people living in affected territories;
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses that developing countries are the most exposed to climate change, and that their human rights activists and environmental defenders are particularly subjected to threats, repression and judicial persecution for defending their land, heritage and environment from the consequenceoften members of indigenous or traditional communities who have to deal with multiple forms of violence, ranging from psychological and physical threats to restrictions ofn the exploitation of natural resourcesir liberty, judicial persecution and even assassination;
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Emphasises the fact that developing countries cannot deal with the effects of climate change by themselves and that they are often dependent on international assistance in relation to their crisis management capacity and their capacity to adapt to and anticipate the effects of climate change; in this connection, recalls the commitment made by the signatory countries to the Paris Agreements to mobilise at least USD 100 billion per year to undertake climate change mitigation and adaptation activities in developing countries in order to strengthen the resilience of the residents affected;
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 c (new)
Paragraph 1 c (new)
1c. Stresses the importance of the key role of environmental activists in protecting the fundamental rights and the dignity of those impacted by the effects of climate change; emphasises that they are vital in highlighting and protecting our public goods, and in particular indigenous and community heritage areas;
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 d (new)
Paragraph 1 d (new)
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Is deeply concerned about the increased criminalisation and persecution of environmental activists in developing countries by governments and multinational companies that are investing in the exploitation of natural, non- renewable resources,, particularly of women, victims of attacks carried out by many perpetrators who can be difficult to trace, such as armed groups and militias or private individuals that are investing in projects thusat contributinge to deforestation, loss of biodiversity and human rights violations, mostly affecting indigenous peoples; in this connection, calls for enhanced international support for the collective rights of indigenous peoples over the land, regions and resources that they protect and which contribute to limiting the effects of global warming;
Amendment 38 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Believes that in the next few years climate change will create more environmental migrants from developing countries, and that in order to better protect their human rights, environmental refugee status needs international recognitionCalls for solutions to be found to assisting peoples from regions that will, in the short or long term, become uninhabitable because of the effects of climate change in order to better protect their human rights and support their resilience; notes, in this connection, that the 1951 International Convention relating to the Status of Refugees does not cover the protection of persons displaced for environmental reasons; calls for common terminology to be clarified, both internationally and Europe-wide, regarding the conditions applicable to people moving as a result of climate change;
Amendment 41 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Believes that in the next few years climate change will create more environmental migrants from developing countries, and that in order to better protect their human rights, environmental refugee status needs international recognition; Expresses it is very worrying that climate change would lead to destruction of habitable land, withering of ecosystems and increased desertification in certain territories, especially in developing countries; considers that climate change will have in coming years devastating effects including exacerbating forced displacement, hence there is an acute need to find the best approach on how to assist those people that will be forced to move from territories affected by climate change in order to better protect their human rights;
Amendment 49 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Deems that the introduction of bindingHighlights the importance of the private sector in the fight against climate change and the vital role of private investment in helping developing countries to anticipate and adapt to its effects; deems that the introduction of EU legislation on business due diligence can help improve the defence of human rights and compliance with environmental standards in the fight against climate change in developing countries; in this connection, welcomes the Commission’s plan to draft a legislative proposal on this topic; calls on the Commission to continue working towards the approval of the UN binding treaty for transnational corporations on human rights;
Amendment 61 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Stresses that the actions of environmental activists are absolutely in keeping with the Sustainable Development Goals and that a systemic implementation of these goals should be pursued locally, nationally and internationally;
Amendment 65 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Invites the Commission to do more toimprove the framework of protection for human rights defenders, and environmental activists andby enabling them to have a better awareness of their rights and the protective measures from which they may benefit, but also to strengthen the network and improve connectivity between organisations engaged in the fight against climate change in developing countries.;
Amendment 69 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Calls on the European Union to support a regional approach in the response to the effects of climate change in developing countries in order to give decentralised local authorities, local civil society organisations and environmental activists a greater role in tackling the environmental, social and economic effects of climate change;
Amendment 71 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Calls on the Commission to envisage adequate support for local, regional and international networks for environmental defenders in order to facilitate their cooperation and which would permit them to step up their activities and contribution to protecting natural ecosystems;
Amendment 73 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Encourages the mobilisation of financial resources for environmental defenders in order for them to be able to invest in better equipment for more efficient observation of territories that are endangered by climate change, as well as the provision of support for the collection of scientific data and best practices, the development of environmental education programs for adaptation to environmental changes, and development projects to improve environmental conditions and quality of life;
Amendment 75 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Points to the provisions of the Escazú agreement on international environmental law, particularly in relation to the interdependence between the environment and human rights and the need to protect environmental activists; encourages the Commission and Member States to conclude similar agreements with other macro regions worldwide;