As the world’s biggest climate change conference (COP26) begins in Glasgow, Scotland, CU Boulder and UN Human Rights are announcing plans to co-host the Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Summit.

The summit, expected to be held in late fall 2022, is designed to engage human rights, scientific, political, educational, cultural and industry leaders to commit to specific goals that will help to slow climate change and address its adverse effects on human rights.

The summit couldn’t come at a more important time: The Earth is about 1.1 degrees Celsius warmer than it was in the late 1800s. The last decade (2011–20) was the warmest on record. A heating climate is already affecting human rights for countless people and communities, and the situation will only get worse as temperatures continue to rise.

“With impacts like rising sea levels, droughts, wildfires, floods and heat waves, climate change is a humanitarian crisis,” Chancellor Philip DiStefano said. “We are convening global experts to help inform how society can and must mitigate and adapt to the impacts of a changing global climate.”

The summit will be a cornerstone of efforts by the Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Alliance to advance rights-based climate action.

“Through its plans to bring together people and institutions around the world who are committed to the environment and human rights for inclusive and action-oriented dialogue, the Global Climate Alliance promises to advance U.N. Human Rights’ key priorities and catalyze ambitious, rights-based climate action for people and planet,” U.N. Human Rights Officer and Environment Team Leader Ben Schachter said.

The Right Here Right Now Global Climate Summit will focus on specific actions aligned with local, national and international efforts to address climate change, including those of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

For more than half a century, CU Boulder has been a leader in climate and energy research, interdisciplinary environmental studies and human rights programs, and has engaged in sustainability practices on campus and beyond. CU Boulder is co-hosting the event as part of its comprehensive public research mission and global leadership in research related to the environment, behavioral sciences and issues related to human rights.

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights is the principal United Nations office mandated to promote and protect human rights around the world. The office:

• Works with and assists governments in fulfilling their human rights obligations
• Speaks out in the face of human rights violations worldwide
• Identifies and responds to today's most pressing human rights challenges
• Leads human rights research, education, public information and advocacy activities
• Engages with a wide range of partners to advance human rights