UN Special Rapporteur on promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change, Ian Fry, is currently on an official visit to Bangladesh.
The special rapporteur’s news conference to share his preliminary findings from the visit will be held virtually on September 15.
This is the first official visit (September 4-15) by the UN expert since he took office on May 1, 2022, said an official.
He is assessing how the adverse impact of climate change affects human rights in vulnerable communities.
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The special rapporteur is focusing on loss and damages incurred due to climate change and extreme weather.
“The impacts of climate change continue to take a huge economic and social toll on the people of Bangladesh. Studies indicate that globally, costs related to loss and damage from climate change impacts will rise to between $290 billion and $580 billion a year by 2030,” Fry said.
“People of Bangladesh are suffering from the greenhouse gas pollution caused by the developed world. It is time the international community stepped up and took responsibility for these impacts,” the UN expert said.
He is also paying special attention to and exploring how climate change impacts are forcing people to be displaced from their land and what measures are being taken to address these impacts.
The UN expert will identify good practices, strategies and policies implemented by the government of Bangladesh, as the country adapts to climate change and builds resilience to its adverse impacts.
The Special Rapporteur will present a comprehensive report on his visit to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva in June 2023.
Ian Fry is the first Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change.
He was appointed by the Human Rights Council at its 49th session in March 2022 and started his mandate on May 1, 2022.
Fry is an international environmental law and policy expert.
His focus has primarily been on mitigation policies, and loss and damage associated with the Paris Agreement, Kyoto Protocol and related instruments.
He worked for the Tuvalu government for over 21 years and was appointed as their Ambassador for Climate Change and Environment from 2015 to 2019.