Global warming in a world of ice and snow : violations of Inuits human rights

Thumbnail Image
Date
2008
Authors
Vekene, Maite van der
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Global Warming and Climate Change, two terms one cannot escape today anymore. They have always occurred but lately through man-made activity they occur faster and the environment of our planet is suffering from it. The excess of greenhouse gas emissions emitted by the industrial countries is the cause of it. However it’s not only a question of greenhouse gases and environment. The impact on humans is big. Unfortunately at the moment the leaders of our world seem to prefer to put their attention on a healthy, strong and powerful economy rather than a healthy environment. The thesis has as an aim to prove that the right to a safe environment should be recognised as a fundamental human right. If the environment doesn’t follow anymore in that case my personal opinion is that our well-recognised human rights don’t have the same meaning anymore. Respecting all human-rights but living in a polluted environment doesn’t make sense. To illustrate my believe, I will focus on the case of the Inuit in Greenland, who are one of the first civilisations on our planet to endure the consequences of this changing climate. It is not too late to reverse this situation and to avoid a humanitarian crisis without precedent. But for this global action is the only response to global warming.
Description
Second semester University: University of Copenhagen.
Keywords
environmental policy, global warming, indigenous groups, indigenous peoples, Greenland, Artic regions
Citation