On 6 March 2026 TipESM delivered a policy briefing focused on human rights and climate tipping points. The event took place in Geneva, Switzerland, at the 61st session of the UN Human Rights Council.

The event was co-organized with Just Atonement Inc. and the UN Special Rapporteur on Climate Change and Human Rights.

Background

The 61st Session of the Human Rights Council convenes at a critical juncture with respect to human rights and climate change. Recent developments in international law, including the 2025 ICJ Advisory Opinion on climate change, the 2025 Advisory Opinion from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights on the climate emergency and human rights, and the 2024 Advisory Opinion from the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea related to climate change, all affirm that States have legal obligations to prevent foreseeable harm to the global climate system. In addition, the Paris Agreement goal of 1.5°C is now considered binding as a matter of international law. The latest Copernicus report (2026) has indicated that average global temperatures have breached the 1.5°C limit for the last three years.

Objectives

• Bridging of science and law. The event provided an opportunity for scientists from TipESM to discuss their research on tipping points and present concerns related to tipping points monitoring and governance.
• Discussion of human rights implications. The panelists discussed the human rights implications associated with the crossing of tipping points, including State obligations to respect, protect and ensure human rights.
• Governance implications in the context of human rights. The panel discussed gaps in current governance mechanisms particularly as they relate to human rights and tipping points, and addressed the question of how to strengthen governance mechanisms so that States can respect, protect, and fulfill human rights obligations in the context of tipping points.

Panel members

Moderator: Dave-Inder Comar, Executive Director, Just Atonement Inc.

Panel of presenting scientists from TipESM project:

• Andrew Hartley, UK Met Office;
• Ivana Cvijanovic, French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD);
• Desislava Petrova, Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal).

Discussants:

• Prof. Elisa Morgera, UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change;
• Benjamin Schachter, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)