NI Business and Human Rights Forum hosts UN Special Rapporteur

The Northern Ireland Business and Human Rights Forum was delighted to host the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Environment, Dr. David Boyd, earlier this week.

The Forum hosted the event in advance of COP26 taking place in Glasgow next month. Forum members also heard from Steven Agnew, Head of RenewableNI, with a Northern Ireland perspective on the climate crisis.

Attendees included representatives from a number of Northern Ireland businesses, organisations and charities, as well as human rights organisations from around the world.

Stephen Abram, Chair of the NI Business and Human Rights Forum commented:

“We were delighted to be joined by the UN Special Rapporteur at our event. The great turnout shows just how much businesses and people in Northern Ireland care about the environment, and see it as a human rights issue as well.”

NI Human Rights Chief Commissioner Alyson Kilpatrick said:

“This was a very good Forum event and a timely one in advance of COP26 starting in Glasgow at the end of October. Similarly, it took place following the recent announcement that the UN Human Rights Council will now recognise the right to a healthy environment as a human right.”

UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Environment, Dr. David Boyd said:

"National human rights institutions have a vital role to play in educating the public about the relationship between human rights and the climate crisis as well as in holding governments accountable for protecting everyone's rights from the adverse impacts of climate change and other types of environmental degradation."

ENDS

Photo: Dr. David Boyd