At COP 16, held in Cancún in 2010, it was emphasised that ’Parties should, in all climate change related actions, fully respect human rights‘. However, so far no further guidance has been specified. Our research published in the Cambridge Review of International Affairs shows that the lack of safeguards in the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) can lead to registration of projects that have severe impacts on human rights and suggests possible ways forward.
At the 9th Board meeting of the GCF (Green Climate Fund) in South Korea, the Board completed the final step in opening the door to the Fund. First seven implementing entities were accredited – a process led by political rush to approve first funding proposals by October and marked by criticism from civil society on the lack of transparency in the process.
The Santa Rita hydro dam is a violation of the basic rights of native people. This project, supported by the State of Guatemala and the funds granted by the major banks of Switzerland, Germany, Spain, Netherlands and by the World Bank for the general development of the Q’ eqchi communities of the Dolores River, generated the consequences feared from the beginning: death, fear, populations displacement, expulsions and repression of the local communities.
Subject: Request to support the indigenous peoples threatened with imminent and serious harm by the Santa Rita Hydroelectric Dam in Guatemala
Dear Special Rapporteur Tauli-Corpuz, the undersigned organizations respectfully write to you to bring your attention to the Santa Rita hydroelectric dam in Guatemala. The dam was registered as a project under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) – established under the UN’s Kyoto Protocol – in June 20141. Numerous violations against the indigenous Q’eqchi´ and Poqomchí communities have been reported prior to and since project approval, most recently in violent incidents from 14 to 16 August 2014 resulting in several injuries and deaths.
ENGLISH The Santa Rita Hydroelectric Plant in the Dolores River in the Alta Verapaz region in Guatemala was registered as a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project in June 2014. The communities living in the Alta Verapaz region are completely dependent on the water of the river for their livelihoods. The Guatemalan Agreement on Identity and Rights of Indigenous Peoples …
Read more “Fact Sheet – Santa Rita, CDM Hydro Dam in Guatemala”
24 February 2015
Subject: Promoting human rights in all climate actions – EU Strategic Framework and Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy
Dear Mr Lambrinidis, the undersigned organisations urge you to include in the updated EU Strategic Framework and Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy an objective for the EU to pursue a human rights based approach in all areas of its external action without exception, including climate change related activities. Climate change is a global injustice to present and future generations, and one of the greatest human rights challenges of our time. We are highly concerned about the grave harm that climate change is already causing both in Europe and beyond, and will continue to cause, to people and communities as well as to the environment on which we all depend.
The Movement 10 of April M10 makes public its rejection to the last activities taking place as the de facto entrance of machinery and excavators to the riverbed of our Tabasará River which we defend against these non consulted projects with the community, specifically the Hydroelectric Project Barro Blanco whose promoter is Generadores del Istmo S.A. GENISA.
The Alliance for Conservation and Development (ACD) ratifies its position expressed in the commentaries that we sent last year in relation to the validation of the Barro Blanco project on the part of AENOR, and as much laments that the promoter of the project as the Government of Panama would seem to be abusing the validation system of the CDM when retiring and to return to present a project that already had been put previously under a validation process. This practice seems irregular and would seem to us to indicate an excessive interest of the promoter to capitalize over what should be instead an international mechanism for the reduction of greenhouse gas emmissions. Also, we lamented the interest of the European Investment Bank (EIB) to finance a project that seemed not to satisfy the additionality requirement and that in addition, has been implied in the violation of human rights of the Ngöbe population and peasants of the Republic of Panama.
The communities next to the Tabasará river as much as those of Bellavista, Veladero and Cerro Viejo and in the district of Tolé (in the Province of Chiriquí), as those of Bakama in the district of Müna (in the indigenous region of Ngöbe Buglé) live intimately interrelated with Rio Tabasará from time immemorial of the colony.
