Climate Crisis: A Human Rights Emergency – UN Resident Coordinator
The United Nations Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr. Mohammed Malik Fall, has described the climate crisis in Africa as not merely an environmental issue but a pressing human rights emergency. Mr. Fall made this assertion during the Regional African Human Rights Academic Conference which was held in Abuja. He then emphasized that the rising global temperatures, extreme weather events, and ongoing environmental degradation are causing severe repercussions—particularly on vulnerable populations across the African continent.
He further noted that climate change is disproportionately affecting communities already struggling with socio-economic hardships, thereby exacerbating human rights concerns within those regions. Consequently, he urged that a swift and decisive action is needed to address climate-related challenges, advocating for policies that prioritise justice and equity for those most affected.
In his welcome address, the Chief Host of the conference, Professor Festus Ukwueze, Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), stated that the theme of the 2025 conference was deliberately selected to highlight the intersection of environmental degradation, climate change, and human welfare.
According to Professor Ukwueze, human activity has significantly contributed to climate change, manifesting in increased incidents of droughts, wildfires, floods, hurricanes, and rising temperatures. These phenomena, he observed, are not only becoming more frequent but also increasingly severe.
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