QUNO attended the 57th session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which met from 27-30 September, in Geneva. Climate scientists and Government Representatives discussed the organization’s budget and work programme, and complications due to the delayed production of the 6th Assessment Synthesis Report and elections of a new IPCC Chair. QUNO, speaking for Quakers under the Friends of the World Committee for Consultation (FWCC), made four interventions which can be read below or at the Earth News Bulletin here. In addition to supporting an update of climate science statistics into the delayed Synthesis Report, QUNO expressed concern that most countries fail to register their military emissions, which could compromise IPCC modelling and projections. QUNO welcomed a process to ensure that all military emissions are included in national GHG inventories.
A Call for Climate Action: Protect Human Rights and Decrease Military Expending
HICC at the Human Rights Council QUNO participated in the climate and environmental discussions held in the 60th session Human Rights Council in Geneva. Through its Human Impacts of Climate Change (HICC) programme, QUNO delivered an oral statement on the critical role of human rights in climate action. Additionally, HICC contributed to a discussion on how military activities undermine the right to a healthy environment through their toxic and hazardous impacts. Lindsey Fielder Cook, HICC’s Representative, served as a panelist in the side event The Toxic Impact of Military Activities alongside the UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics and Human Rights, and representatives from Earthjustice, the Center for Global Nonkilling, and Dejusticia. The event discussed the findings and implications of the Special Rapporteur’s recent report on the human rights impacts of hazardous substances and waste resulting from military operations. Building on the Quakers Peace Testimony, QUNO emphasized that war is an abomination of human rights and highlighted how this report proves that military activities harm human beings and earth far beyond wartimes. Lindsey also underscored that military activities are responsible for nearly 5.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. However, countries are not required to report these emissions into their National Determined […]






