In framework of permanent co-operation with United Nations’ bodies, our Association sent in June submission to UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change Professor Elisa Morgera, where we described current challenges for access to Information on climate change, connected with Russian aggression against Ukraine and with Russian occupation of Ukrainian territories, including the Crimea.
ARC’s submission, prepared by Borys Babin, Anna Prykhodko, Olesya Tsybulko and other experts and published on UN web-sourses now, reminded tha Russian central authorities, military structures, illegal “governments” in Crimea and Henichesk disseminated system of fakes regarding events with destruction the Kakhovka HPP, committed by Russian troops.
Submission stressed that Ukraine started some criminal proceedings regarding issues of destruction the ecosystem by Russian troops, with qualification of such activities as ecocide crime, but the whole concept of ecocide crime is not too develop in modern international law and have no conventional protection.
ARC’s submission reminded that since 2018 Ukrainian authorities adopted some strategic and program documents regarding processes of reintegration the Crimea after its de-occupation that included analysis of access to full and verified information about climate changes and climate challenges.
ARC’s submission pointed on our cooperation with ICC’s Prosecutors’ Office upon its request, where we stressed, that the victim-centered approach is especially crucial taking into account the possible and probable correlation between genocide and eventual international ecologic crimes, including ecocide.
Association submission added that issues of sustainable development, challenges of climate change and new reality of artificial intelligence as a hypothetical international crimes’ subject must be taken into consideration while advancing accountability for environmental crimes under the Rome Statute. We streeed that, it seems to be that negative climate changes are not the side effect of Russian aggression against Ukraine, but it is one of its major goals.
Now UN Special Repporteur published Report “Access to information on climate change and human rights” A/79/176 to UN General Assembly on that issue where it thanked ARC and other insitutions, also as states and international bodies for submission received.
Regarding issues, raised by our submission, Report A/79/176 demanded from states to provide accessible, affordable, effective, understandable and timely access to information on climate change and human rights to any person upon request, taking into account gender, age and disabilities and to take enhanced measures to ensure access to information for those most affected by climate change and related decision-making.
Also UN Special Repporteur demanded states in ite Report A/79/176 to protect the public against disinformation campaigns and misleading information on climate change and human rights, ensuring public access to independent technical experts; so our cocoperation with UN bodies on those issues will be continued.
