The climate is changing, why aren't we? - En kritisk studie av Parisavtalets rättsliga karaktär
(2021) LAGF03 20211Department of Law
Faculty of Law
- Abstract (Swedish)
- Parisavtalet är det största globala klimatavtalet hittills och antogs med intentionen att markant reducera de globala växthusgasutsläppen. Det långsiktiga målet är att begränsa den globala uppvärmningen till 1,5°C över förindustriella nivåer – det så kallade 1,5°C-målet.
Parisavtalet stadgar att stater ska vidta klimatåtgärder utifrån en ambitionsnivå som successivt ökar. Klimatåtgärderna ska vidtas efter egen förmåga, mot bakgrund av en internationell princip om gemensamt men olikartat ansvar. Parisavtalets rättsliga verkan har dock diskuterats, då parterna själva väljer omfattningen av sina nationella klimatåtgärder samtidigt som de är rättsligt bundna att nå 1,5°C-målet. Parisavtalet stadgar även att stater ska beakta mänskliga... (More) - Parisavtalet är det största globala klimatavtalet hittills och antogs med intentionen att markant reducera de globala växthusgasutsläppen. Det långsiktiga målet är att begränsa den globala uppvärmningen till 1,5°C över förindustriella nivåer – det så kallade 1,5°C-målet.
Parisavtalet stadgar att stater ska vidta klimatåtgärder utifrån en ambitionsnivå som successivt ökar. Klimatåtgärderna ska vidtas efter egen förmåga, mot bakgrund av en internationell princip om gemensamt men olikartat ansvar. Parisavtalets rättsliga verkan har dock diskuterats, då parterna själva väljer omfattningen av sina nationella klimatåtgärder samtidigt som de är rättsligt bundna att nå 1,5°C-målet. Parisavtalet stadgar även att stater ska beakta mänskliga rättigheter i sitt klimatarbete, vilket har väckt frågan om den internationella klimaträttens betydelse för mänskliga rättigheter och vice versa. I arbetet förs en diskussion om huruvida staters otillräckliga klimatåtgärder kan åberopas som grund för människorättskränkning, men också om människorättslagstiftning kan tolkas som att stater måste nå 1,5°C-målet för att kunna garantera ett fullgott skydd för mänskliga rättigheter.
Arbetet visar att det finns en oklarhet kring Parisavtalets rättsliga karaktär. Risken är att stater uppfyller sina skyldigheter enligt avtalet men att 1,5°C-målet förblir ouppnått på grund av otillräckliga klimatåtgärder. Parisavtalet skulle därför behöva stadga miniminivåer för att säkerställa att staterna tar det ansvar som krävs för att nå 1,5°C-målet. Arbetet visar även att Parisavtalets bestämmelser i sig inte ger upphov till något skydd för mänskliga rättigheter, utan att Parisavtalet istället borde implementeras genom konventioner om mänskliga rättigheter. Parisavtalets hänvisning till mänskliga rättigheter har däremot bidragit till ett tydligt samband mellan klimatförändringar och mänskliga rättigheter. (Less) - Abstract
- The Paris Agreement has been claimed to be the world's greatest diplomatic success. It was adopted with the intention of significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions, to limit the global warming to 1,5°C above preindustrial levels.
According to the Paris Agreement states are required to take climate actions, with an increasing level of ambition over time. In the light of the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, states ought to take climate actions in accordance with their own ability. The legal character of the Paris Agreement is rather uncertain, as each contracting party establishes the scope of their climate actions on a national level. At the same time, the contracting parties are legally bound to reach the... (More) - The Paris Agreement has been claimed to be the world's greatest diplomatic success. It was adopted with the intention of significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions, to limit the global warming to 1,5°C above preindustrial levels.
According to the Paris Agreement states are required to take climate actions, with an increasing level of ambition over time. In the light of the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, states ought to take climate actions in accordance with their own ability. The legal character of the Paris Agreement is rather uncertain, as each contracting party establishes the scope of their climate actions on a national level. At the same time, the contracting parties are legally bound to reach the 1,5°C target.
States are also required to consider their respective obligations on human rights, when taking actions against climate change. A question therefore arises whether international climate law is of significance for human rights law or vice versa. This essay discusses the possibility of invoking a state's lack of sufficient climate actions as a violation of human rights. The paper also discusses whether human rights law can be interpreted as if states have an obligation to reach the 1,5°C target, to guarantee citizens the full enjoyment of their human rights.
This essay concludes that the legal character of the Paris Agreement is yet to be determined. Even if states fulfill their contractual obligations, there is still a prominent risk that the world exceeds the 1,5°C climate target. Therefore, the Paris Agreement must state mandatory minimum levels, to pressure the contracting parties to take their fair share of responsibility against climate change. Furthermore, this essay concludes that even though the Paris Agreement does not legally bind states to comply with human rights law, human rights law should require states to implement the Paris Agreement. Nevertheless, the reference to human rights in the Paris Agreement has undeniably strengthened the interplay between climate change and human rights. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9045655
- author
- Nikolic Kajrup, Ebba LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- LAGF03 20211
- year
- 2021
- type
- M2 - Bachelor Degree
- subject
- keywords
- folkrätt (en. public international law), EU-rätt (en. EU law), Parisavtalet (en. Paris Agreement), EKMR, klimatförändringar (en. climate change), mänskliga rättigheter (en. human rights), art. 2, art. 8
- language
- Swedish
- id
- 9045655
- date added to LUP
- 2021-06-29 16:39:44
- date last changed
- 2021-06-29 16:39:44
@misc{9045655,
abstract = {{The Paris Agreement has been claimed to be the world's greatest diplomatic success. It was adopted with the intention of significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions, to limit the global warming to 1,5°C above preindustrial levels.
According to the Paris Agreement states are required to take climate actions, with an increasing level of ambition over time. In the light of the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, states ought to take climate actions in accordance with their own ability. The legal character of the Paris Agreement is rather uncertain, as each contracting party establishes the scope of their climate actions on a national level. At the same time, the contracting parties are legally bound to reach the 1,5°C target.
States are also required to consider their respective obligations on human rights, when taking actions against climate change. A question therefore arises whether international climate law is of significance for human rights law or vice versa. This essay discusses the possibility of invoking a state's lack of sufficient climate actions as a violation of human rights. The paper also discusses whether human rights law can be interpreted as if states have an obligation to reach the 1,5°C target, to guarantee citizens the full enjoyment of their human rights.
This essay concludes that the legal character of the Paris Agreement is yet to be determined. Even if states fulfill their contractual obligations, there is still a prominent risk that the world exceeds the 1,5°C climate target. Therefore, the Paris Agreement must state mandatory minimum levels, to pressure the contracting parties to take their fair share of responsibility against climate change. Furthermore, this essay concludes that even though the Paris Agreement does not legally bind states to comply with human rights law, human rights law should require states to implement the Paris Agreement. Nevertheless, the reference to human rights in the Paris Agreement has undeniably strengthened the interplay between climate change and human rights.}},
author = {{Nikolic Kajrup, Ebba}},
language = {{swe}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{The climate is changing, why aren't we? - En kritisk studie av Parisavtalets rättsliga karaktär}},
year = {{2021}},
}