Global Governance – Human Rights & Environmental Issues- generage l knowled

What is global governance in human rights?

Coordination between states and international organizations to promote and protect human rights globally (e.g. UN, NGOs).

What are human rights?

Basic rights and freedoms that belong to every person, such as freedom from discrimination, the right to life, and the right to education.

What is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)?

An international document adopted by the UN in 1948, setting out fundamental human rights that should be universally protected.

What is the role of the UN in human rights?

The UN promotes and protects human rights through its treaties, conventions (e.g. Convention Against Torture), and monitoring mechanisms (e.g. Human Rights Council).

What is the Human Rights Council (HRC)?

A UN body that works to protect human rights around the world, overseeing the implementation of human rights standards.

What is the International Criminal Court (ICC)?

An international tribunal for prosecuting individuals accused of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.

What is the role of NGOs in human rights?

NGOs (e.g. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch) advocate for human rights, monitor abuses, and put pressure on governments.

What are criticisms of the UN’s role in human rights?

UN’s limited enforcement power, political bias in the Security Council (e.g. veto power), and failure to intervene in crises (e.g. Rwanda, Syria).

What is the Responsibility to Protect (R2P)?

A global political commitment endorsed by the UN to prevent and stop genocides, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity.

What are regional human rights organizations?

Organizations that promote and protect human rights at the regional level (e.g. European Court of Human Rights, African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights).

What is the role of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR)?

A judicial body that rules on individual complaints about human rights violations in EU member states.

What is environmental global governance?

The international effort to manage and protect the global environment, focusing on issues such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.

What is the Paris Agreement?

An international treaty adopted in 2015 to combat climate change by limiting global temperature rise and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

What is the role of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)?

Coordinates UN environmental activities, promotes sustainable development, and helps states address environmental issues.

What is sustainable development?

Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

What is the role of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in environmental governance?

The WTO promotes free trade but also has rules about the environment, such as the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).

What is the role of international environmental NGOs?

Environmental NGOs (e.g. Greenpeace, WWF) raise awareness, lobby governments, and hold corporations accountable for environmental damage.

What is climate justice?

The idea that those who are most responsible for climate change (developed nations) should bear the greatest burden for mitigating its effects, especially on developing nations.

What is the precautionary principle?

The idea that action should be taken to prevent environmental harm even if scientific evidence is not conclusive, particularly regarding the environment and climate change.

What is the Kyoto Protocol?

An international treaty that aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It was signed in 1997 and entered into force in 2005 but was later replaced by the Paris Agreement.

What is the role of international law in environmental protection?

International treaties and agreements, such as the Paris Agreement or the Convention on Biological Diversity, create binding commitments for states to protect the environment.

What are criticisms of international human rights efforts?

States often violate human rights despite international agreements; lack of enforcement mechanisms; cultural relativism challenges universality.

What are criticisms of environmental global governance?

Developed countries and powerful corporations often resist stronger environmental regulations; lack of binding enforcement for global treaties; unequal impact on poor nations.

What is environmental sovereignty?

The principle that states have the right to exploit their own natural resources, but this may conflict with global environmental concerns.

What is the tragedy of the commons?

A situation where individuals, acting in their own self-interest, overuse a shared resource, leading to depletion (e.g. overfishing, pollution).

What is the concept of ecological footprint?

An environmental measure that tracks the demand human activities place on nature, and how much land and resources are required to sustain these activities.

What is the link between human rights and environmental issues?

Environmental degradation often impacts marginalized communities, undermining their right to a healthy environment, clean water, food, and health.

What are the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?

Seventeen global goals set by the UN in 2015, aimed at ending poverty, protecting the planet, and ensuring prosperity for all by 2030.

What is environmental diplomacy?

Negotiations between states, international organizations, and NGOs to reach agreements on environmental issues, such as climate change or biodiversity conservation.

What is the role of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)?

The UN body that coordinates international efforts to address climate change, including the development of the Paris Agreement.

How does the international community address environmental refugees?

There is no specific legal status for environmental refugees, but international agencies and NGOs provide some support.

What is greenwashing?

When companies or organizations falsely claim to be environmentally friendly in order to gain marketing advantage without making meaningful environmental improvements.

What is the role of the International Labour Organization (ILO) in human rights?

The ILO promotes fair labor practices, including the abolition of forced labor and child labor, and the promotion of fair wages and safe working conditions.

What is the role of the World Health Organization (WHO) in human rights?

Works on the right to health, providing global leadership on health issues, and responding to health emergencies like pandemics.