EXECUTIVE SUMMARY between climate change and human rights. It then provides a more detailed discussion of specific obligations in this context. These include: • Procedural obligations for all governments to ensure that the affected public is: (i) adequately informed about the impacts of climate change and the measures undertaken to both mitigate and adapt to climate change; (ii) adequately involved in public decisions about climate change; and (iii) given access to administrative, judicial, and other remedies when rights are violated as a result of climate change and responses to it. • Substantive obligations for all governments to: (i) protect human rights from climate-related harms; (ii) respond to the core drivers of climate change by regulating GHG emissions within their jurisdiction; (iii) cooperate internationally to protect human rights against climate-related harms; (iv) address the transboundary impacts of climate change; and (v) safeguard human rights in all mitigation and adaptation activities. • States also have unique obligations with respect to certain groups, including women, children, and indigenous peoples. Notably, states must obtain free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) before undertaking any measures that would adversely affect the traditional lands and resources of indigenous peoples. • Private actors also have obligations to address the human rights implications of climate change, and should refer to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights to ensure that they fully respect human rights in all activities. Part III discusses the implementation of these obligations, focusing primarily on activities undertaken by national governments either within or outside of the UNFCCC context. It documents several recent developments in this area: • Some states are beginning to recognize the linkages between human rights and climate change in reports submitted to the UNFCCC secretariat, but this is not the case for the majority of developed nations. • There is a significant “emissions gap” between the mitigation commitments set forth in the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) and the emission reductions required to keep warming at or below 2°C. • There is also a significant “adaptation finance gap” in terms of what will be needed to adapt to climate change and the finance, technology and capacity available. • Finally, there is a significant “finance gap” between the financial and technical assistance that has been given or pledged to developing countries and the resources that will be required to ensure that climate change does not interfere with the exercise of human rights in those countries. This is true even if we do meet the 2°C target. • Most international climate finance mechanisms are accompanied by safeguards to protect human rights, but there is room for improvement, especially with respect to the monitoring and assessment of these programs and any human rights violations. ix