Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, through the Abu Dhabi Judicial Academy, recently organised a series of seminars and workshops aimed at discussing national and international legal frameworks for human rights in protecting and sustaining the environment, and addressing the risks of climate change. The event aligns with the UAE’s strategic directions in the Year of Sustainability 2023 and is in preparation for hosting the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28). Counsellor Youssef Saeed Al Abri, Undersecretary of the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, emphasised the department’s commitment to supporting the UAE government’s goals in achieving sustainable development and implementing the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of the Presidential Court and Head of the Judicial Department. He also highlighted the importance of establishing a pioneering legal and judicial system that effectively addresses challenges and provides innovative solutions. The seminars and workshops provided a significant opportunity to underscore the role of human rights in protecting the environment and confronting climate change. The discussions stressed that climate action based on human rights is critical to ensuring a sustainable future, especially with the measures taken in the UAE to address environmental and climate challenges and the application of international commitments in this regard. During the seminars held over March and April 2023, the participants discussed the state’s efforts to promote human rights in climate action, the role of individuals, the state, and judicial institutions in confronting climate change, and its effects. They also discussed the role of civil society in spreading awareness of the importance of preserving climate change. The seminars also highlighted the significance of judicial authorities’ role in upholding justice and protecting rights in this area, particularly in light of climate change’s emergence as a serious threat, particularly in the most affected areas that experience severe droughts, floods, and storms. The speakers emphasised the necessity of working effectively to protect human rights in those areas and providing the necessary resources to consolidate developmental sustainability. They also discussed the legal, judicial, and administrative framework for environmental auditing of institutions to monitor phenomena and assess the impact of protecting, developing, and sustaining the ecosystem of projects and preserving biodiversity as tools for environmental protection.
Source: Emirates News Agency