The Social Dimensions of Climate Change - WHO

1 The Social Dimensionsof Climate ChangeDiscussion draftThis paper addresses the Social Dimensions of Climate Change from a sustainable, equitable development perspective , understood as an irreducible holistic concept where economic, Social and environmental issues are interdependent Dimensions that must be approached within a unifi ed framework , and where the overarching outcome is to fully promote human welfare and equal access to life-sustaining aim of the paper is to broaden and deepen policy-makers understanding of the benefi ts of addressing and incorporating the Social Dimensions of Climate Change into Climate policies.

2 People are at the centre of a successful transition to a world of far-reaching and balanced global reductions in emissions and enhanced resilience, with specifi c attention to the most vulnerable groups, and their role in crafting solutions and increasing resilience. The goals of this transition must include fulfi lment of basic needs, enjoyment of human rights, health, equity, Social protection, decent work, equal participation and good governance. United NationsEducational, Scientific andCultural OrganizationInternational Organization for Migration (IOM)UNRISDUNITED NATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR Social DEVELOPMENT UNRISDUNITED NATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR Social DEVELOPMENT United NationsEducational, Scientific andCultural OrganizationInternational Organization for Migration (IOM)UNRISDUNITED NATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR Social DEVELOPMENT UNRISDUNITED NATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR Social DEVELOPMENT Cover photos, left to right.

3 Sheila Pham, Ryan Libre / AusAID, WE CARE Solar ( ), Nic Bothma / Kuyasa CDME diting and design by In s Communication Social Dimensionsof Climate ChangeDiscussion draftThe Social Dimensionsof Climate ChangeDiscussion draftUnited NationsEducational, Scientific andCultural OrganizationUNRISDUNITED NATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR Social DEVELOPMENT UNRISDUNITED NATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR Social DEVELOPMENT iiiContentsAcknowledgements .. 1 Abbreviations ..2 CHAPTER .1 Introduction ..3 CHAPTER .2 The .rationale: .Why .integrate . Social . Dimensions .into . Climate . Change .

4 Policy? ..61 .Introduction ..52 .Legal .foundation .in .the .UNFCCC ..63 .Integration .of . Social . Dimensions .in .practice ..84 .Rights-based .approach .to . Climate . Change .. 105 .A .prerequisite .for .effective . Climate .policy .. 126 .Potential .to .advance .complementary .agendas ..13 CHAPTER .3 Social .drivers .of . Climate . Change ..171 .Introduction ..172 . Social .infrastructures ..173 .Systemic .interactions .and .feedback .loops .. 184 .Energy .and .transport ..195 .Agriculture, .land .use .and .deforestation ..196 .Cities .. 207 .Policy .implications.

5 20 CHAPTER .4 The . Social . Dimensions .of . Climate . Change .Vulnerability .and .Impacts, .and .the .Implications .for .Adaptation ..221 .Introduction .. 222 .Socioeconomic .determinants .of . Climate . Change .vulnerability .. 223 . Social .impacts .of . Climate . Change .. 244 .Implications .for .adaptation .planning .and .resilience .building .. 28 iiiContentsAcknowledgements .. 1 Abbreviations ..2 CHAPTER .1 Introduction ..3 CHAPTER .2 The .rationale: .Why .integrate . Social . Dimensions .into . Climate . Change .policy? ..61 .Introduction ..52 .Legal .foundation .in .the.

6 UNFCCC ..63 .Integration .of . Social . Dimensions .in .practice ..84 .Rights-based .approach .to . Climate . Change .. 105 .A .prerequisite .for .effective . Climate .policy .. 126 .Potential .to .advance .complementary .agendas ..13 CHAPTER .3 Social .drivers .of . Climate . Change ..171 .Introduction ..172 . Social .infrastructures ..173 .Systemic .interactions .and .feedback .loops .. 184 .Energy .and .transport ..195 .Agriculture, .land .use .and .deforestation ..196 .Cities .. 207 .Policy .implications .. 20 CHAPTER .4 The . Social . Dimensions .of . Climate . Change .

7 Vulnerability .and .Impacts, .and .the .Implications .for .Adaptation ..221 .Introduction .. 222 .Socioeconomic .determinants .of . Climate . Change .vulnerability .. 223 . Social .impacts .of . Climate . Change .. 244 .Implications .for .adaptation .planning .and .resilience .building .. 28 CONTENTSCHAPTER .5 The .way .forward: .Integrating . Social . Dimensions .of . Climate . Change .in . Climate . Change .policy .responses ..291 .Introduction .. 292 . Social . Dimensions .of . Climate . Change : .Seizing .opportunities .. 293 .Responding .to .knowledge .gaps .. 304 .Improving.

8 Climate .policy .processes .. 305 .Conclusion ..37 References ..38iv ..THE Social Dimensions OF Climate Change DISCuSSION DRAFTCHAPTER .5 The .way .forward: .Integrating . Social . Dimensions .of . Climate . Change .in . Climate . Change .policy .responses ..291 .Introduction .. 292 . Social . Dimensions .of . Climate . Change : .Seizing .opportunities .. 293 .Responding .to .knowledge .gaps .. 304 .Improving . Climate .policy .processes .. 305 .Conclusion ..37 References ..381 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AcknowledgementsThis .discussion .paper .was .prepared .under .the .auspices .of .the.

9 United .Nations .Task .Team .on . Social . Dimensions .of . Climate . Change , .which .is .currently .composed .of .20 .Agencies: .Food .and .Agriculture .Organization .of .the .United .Nations .(FAO), .International .Labour .Organization .(ILO), .International .Organization .for .Migration .(IOM), .International .Telecommunication .Union .(ITU), .Office .of .the .High .Commissioner .for .Human .Rights .(OHCHR), .Joint .United .Nations .Programme .on .HIV/AIDS .(UNAIDS), .United .Nations .Department .of .Economic .and . Social .Affairs .(UNDESA), .United .Nations .Development .Programme.

10 (UNDP), .United .Nations .Educational, .Scientific .and .Cultural .Organization .(UNESCO), .United .Nations .Population .Fund .(UNFPA), .United .Nations .Human .Settlements .Programme .(UN-HABITAT), .United .Nations .Children s .Fund .(UNICEF), .United .Nations .Institute .for .Training .and .Research .(UNITAR), .United .Nations .International .Strategy .for .Disaster .Reduction .(UNISDR), .United .Nations .Research .Institute .for . Social .Development .(UNRISD), .United .Nations .University .(UNU), .UN .Women, .World .Bank .(WB), .United .Nations .World .Food .Programme .(WFP).