Event Conference
Human Rights and the Environment: Meeting on Activities Related to 62nd Session of the Human Rights Council
28 May 2026
10:00 – 11:00
Venue: International Environment House I | Room 2 & Online | Webex
Organization: Geneva Environment Network, Geneva Climate Change Consultation Group
Ahead of the 62nd Regular Session of the Human Rights Council (HRC62), taking place from 15 June to 7 July 2026, the Geneva Environment Network, the Geneva Climate Change Consultation Group, and partners convened an information-sharing session on activities and events related to the environment taking place during this session.
About this Session
Environmental issues are present in various agenda items of each session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) and their side events.
The promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change is the usual main environmental theme of the Council’s June sessions, with the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and climate change’s annual report to the HRC. The right to food, business and human rights, addressing extreme poverty, and the rights of Indigenous Peoples are also environment-related issues that will be presented by their respective United Nations Special Procedures, also in interactive dialogues with States, international organizations, human rights national institutions and NGOs.
In order to develop more synergies among stakeholders and a better outreach on the environmental agenda of HRC62, including the activities taking place in parallel to the Council’s session, the Geneva Environment Network, the Geneva Climate Change Consultation Group (GeCCco), and partners are convening an information-sharing session. This event discussed and shared information on planned environment-related activities at and around HRC62, such as in person and online events, publications or exhibitions, among others, and exchange on possible synergies. They feed the GEN page on HRC62 which will provide an updated calendar of these environment-related events.
Environment @ HRC62
The 62nd Regular Session of the Human Rights Council (HRC62) will take place in Geneva from 15 June to 10 July 2026. Consult this regularly-updated page that highlighted the environmental-related activities of this session.
Speakers
By order of intervention.
Ira GIBSON
Program Officer for Climate, Business and Human Rights, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Geneva Office
Benjamin SCHACHTER
Coordinator, Environment and Climate Change Team, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Frédérique BOURQUE
Human Rights Officer, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (Mandate of SR on climate change and human rights)
Bahram GHAZI
Human Rights Officer, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (Mandate of SR extreme poverty)
Soo-Young HWANG
Legal Officer, UN Environment Programme
Jan Harvey PARAFINA
Research and Communications Consultant, Geneva Environment Network
Diana RIZZOLIO
Coordinator, Geneva Environment Network | Moderator