Last summer, smoke from hundreds of Canadian forest fires blanketed portions the United States, including Northeast Ohio. Libya and Pakistan were deluged by massive floods, while rivers and lakes in other parts of the world dried up.
Sea levels rose as glaciers and ice sheets continue to melt at an accelerating rate.
The majority of scientists agree that the climate crisis is worsening. While these disasters occur, climate migrants are crossing borders to escape increasingly frequent climate disruptions.
Monday on the “Sound of Ideas,” we'll look at the existential climate change threat we face through the lens of foreign policy, with another broadcast of our quarterly special “Talking Foreign Policy," brought to you in conjunction with Case Western Reserve University.
In this installment of the series, we’ll ask what international bodies like the United Nations, and agreements like the Paris Climate Accord have done to fight against climate change.
We'll also hear about the potential rights of climate refugees. Do those refugees have any rights in international courts? How can states and countries that are being most impacted by climate change respond to the worst climate offenders?
Guests for this episode include several experts in international law from around the country, as well as the inaugural United Nations Rapporteur for Human Rights and the Environment.
GUESTS:
- Michael Scharf, Dean, School of Law, Case Western Reserve University
- John Knox, Former United Nations Rapporteur for Human Rights and the Environment; Professor, Wake Forest University School of Law
- Michael Kelly, Chair, International Law Program, Creighton University; Board of Directors, International Association of Penal Law
- Paul Williams, PhD, President, Public International Law and Policy Group
- Milena Sterio, Distinguished University Professor, School of Law, Cleveland State University
