International Law, Regulations & Negotiations

This episode of Future Perfect | Futur Antérieur is co-hosted by Patrick Toussaint, an international environmental lawyer, and Helene Himmer, Program Assistant at African Futures Lab. Both welcomed the special guest Adrián Martinez Blanco, Director of La Ruta del Clima (external link). The discussion finds roots in a recent case about the ongoing struggle of communities in Côte d'Ivoire against the Belgian multinational SIAT over allegations of land grabbing, deforestation and human rights violations related to its palm oil and rubber plantations. Martinez Blanco emphasizes the concept of "loss and damage," criticizing the newly established loss and damage fund for its lack of adequate support from developed countries. He also critiques Paragraph 51 of the Paris Agreement, which allows industrialized nations to evade accountability for climate-related harms, complicating efforts to secure reparations and address the realities of vulnerable communities. The conversation highlights the urgent need for a robust international legal framework to effectively address climate change and protect affected communities. Martinez Blanco stresses the importance of climate litigation as a tool for holding Global North states and corporations accountable for perpetrating environmental crimes and damages. He calls for unity amongst Global South countries to adopt a rights-based position in negotiations, focusing on specific reparations rather than diluting the conversation into broader concepts. Despite challenges such as limited resources, risks and threats faced by environmental defenders, Martinez Blanco advocates for pragmatic approaches rooted in human rights to address climate change impacts, underscoring that the lived experiences of affected communities should be central to climate justice negotiations.