Climate change, believe it or not, is a pressing issue, and in 2017, UNESCO addressed it by issuing the “Declaration of Ethical Principles in Relation to Climate Change.” So, let’s learn more about the declaration and the different principles established in this treaty.

Article 5: Sustainable Development

To ensure that present and future generations are able to meet their needs, it is urgent that all States and pertinent actors:

(a)promote  the  implementation  of  the  United  Nations  2030  Agenda  for  Sustainable  Development  and  its  SDGs,  especially  by  adopting  sustainable  patterns  of  consumption,  production  and  waste  management;  by using resources efficiently; and by fostering climate resilience and low greenhouse gas emissions development;

(b)work  to  ensure  that  each  person  benefits  from  the  opportunities  of  development,  especially  those  who  are  vulnerable (see Article 10), and in this way, contribute to the eradication of poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty;

(c)tackle  the  adverse  effects  of  climate  change  in  areas  that  deserve  special  attention  due  to  their  humanitarian  implications  and  consequences,  including  but  not  limited  to:  food,  energy,  and  water  insecurity,  the  ocean,  desertification, land degradation, natural disasters, displaced populations, as well as the vulnerability of women, children, the elderly, and especially the poor.

Article 6: Solidarity

1. Solidarity implies that human beings collectively and individually should assist people and groups that are most vulnerable to climate change and natural disasters, especially when catastrophic events occur.

2. States and other pertinent actors, and those who have the capacity to address climate change should act and cooperate by taking into account:

(a)the  importance  of  protecting  and  enhancing  the  world  we  share  in  a  way  that  reflects  the  solidarity  and  interdependence  among  peoples  of  different  backgrounds,  and  the  interdependence  of  humankind  with  other  organisms, ecosystems, and the environment; 

(b)the well-being, livelihoods and survival of future generations which depend on our current use of resources and the resulting impacts thereof;

(c)the interconnectedness of the physical, ecological, and human systems of all countries, regions and communities across Earth.

3. Knowledge related to the causes, modalities and impacts of climate change and responses to it should be shared equitably and in a timely manner in order to increase the adaptive and mitigating capacities of all, and to increase the resilience of people and ecosystems.

4. Developed States and  other  States,  on  a  voluntary  basis,  as  well  as  relevant  actors  should  strive  to  strengthen  timely  cooperative action in the areas of technology development and transfer, support for the synthesis of relevant information and knowledge, capacity-building, and means and financial resources to developing countries, especially those that are most vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change, particularly to least developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing States (SIDS).

5. States, on a  voluntary  basis,  can  also  address  the  challenges  of  climate  change  through  South-South  and  triangular  cooperation.

Article 7: Scientific Knowledge and Integrity in Decision-Making

1. Decision-making based on science is critically important for meeting the mitigation and adaptation challenges of a rapidly changing climate. Decisions  should  be  based  on,  and  guided  by,  the  best  available  knowledge  from  the  natural  and  social  sciences, including interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary science, and by taking into account, as appropriate, local, traditional and indigenous knowledge. 

2. In order to optimally aid in decision-making, science needs to meet the highest standards of research integrity by being impartial, rigorous, honest,  and  transparent,  and  should  give  adequate  estimates  of  uncertainty  in  order  to  provide  decision-makers with insight into, and understanding of, the underlying risks as well as opportunities, and guidance to their formulating long-term strategies.

3. Scientific cooperation and  capacity  building  should  be  strengthened  in  developing  countries  in  order  to  develop  a  comprehensive understanding of climate change impacts as well as potential mitigation and adaptation actions.