Minister Dieschbourg Urges Holistic Approach to Climate Change and Human Rights at COP23

At the Climate Change Conference COP23 in Bonn, Luxembourg’s Minister of the Environment Carole Dieschbourg, in the presence of HRH the Grand Duke, was part of a high profile panel on the topic of Climate Change and Human Rights.

Minister Dieschbourg highlighted the need to approach the topic in a holistic way, making the necessary links in solving climate change and fighting poverty. She asked that one does not close ones eyes to these links, and that one has to make sure that people continue to stay in the centre of the discussions. “Climate change must not silence or put Human Rights to the side. We are working to empower women, children; to fight for the rights of indigenous people and their cultural heritage; for those already facing the results of climate change, whose territory is disappearing. Extreme weather events, natural disasters, floods, they really threaten human rights. We are speaking about access to water, about food, about sanitation, about housing and self-determination. It’s really touching the lives of those most vulnerable. ”

Minister Dieschbourg noted Luxembourg’s sensitivity for the respect for human rights. She pointed out that Luxembourg has signed the Geneva pledge for Human Rights and Climate change, and that it has applied for membership on the Human Rights Council for the period 2022 to 2024.

Concerning ecological issues within the Grand Duchy, Minister Dieschbourg stated that she had had productive talks with high level representatives of all Luxembourgish ministries, looking into how to advance climate action within the Grand Duchy. Topics included fuel sales and historical emissions, as well as the situation that one third of all food produced in Luxembourg was being wasted. She stated the need for a “sincere analysis of how our economy and our consumption has an impact in other parts of this world… and then take consequences and decisions.”

Minister of the Environment for Costa Rica, Edgar Gutierrez Espeleta, summarised the goal of the panel: “Having managed to put Human rights in the preamble of the Paris deal, it is now the continued task to put them into reality.”