How Can Humanists Contribute to Countering Climate Change via Legal Action? by Hamed Chemli

Humanists have always been at the forefront of climate awareness and climate action. Yet it seems that we still lack in terms of legal action against environmental degradation and violations of environmental rights.

Humanism and Climate Awareness: A Brief History of a Commitment

Already in 1971, meaning one year before the adoption of the Stockholm Declaration, the Executive Committee of the then International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) had vowed to put its expertise at the service of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment.

In 1974, taking consciousness of the gravity of a potential mass extinction and of the sensitivity of some species, the World Humanist Congress unanimously passed a motion pressuring the Member States of the Council of Europe to put an end to the extermination, particularly in Italy, of migratory birds, which have been declining dramatically.

More recently, in 2000, the Australia Regional Congress of the IHEU had called for all branches of government, “to develop sustainable ecological policies, provide appropriate habitat protection for all endangered species, and immediately end all logging and clear felling in old growth forests.”

However, humanists made their commitment to ecology solemn by integrating it into the Amsterdam Declaration of 2002, which was updated in 2022, in which we declared that “We recognise that we are part of nature and accept our responsibility for the impact we have on the rest of the natural world.”

This milestone not only put the ecosystem at the center by placing concerns for nature at the forefront of humanist ideals, but also surpassed an anthropocentric conception of nature to embrace the fact that human beings are an integral part of it. Also, central to the Amsterdam Declaration is the term ‘responsibility’ towards nature, meaning beyond humans “to all sentient beings” and components of the ecosystem.

In 2015, the General Assembly of the IHEU adopted a General Statement Policy in which it emphasized that “we acknowledge an obligation to bequeath to our descendants an earth that offers as good or better an environment for living as we enjoy.”

In this context, the General Assembly of Humanists International adopted in 2019 its Reykjavik Declaration on the Climate Change Crisis in which it emphasized the need for a serious climate action to preserve nature and humanity, an ethical endeavor on its own right, but it also expressed an unwavering support for the scientific consensus on climate change, defying by this, the pseudoscientific climate skepticism which gained more political popularity and social respectability over the years.

From a humanist perspective, this declaration is of the utmost importance, not only because it combines the ethical and pro-science approaches of humanists, as well as the empathy that they extend to other living and sentient beings, but also because it calls for all humanists, organizations and individuals alike, to direct action in favor of the environment.

This materialized in the endeavors of various humanist organizations on a national level, from ‘Humanists UK’ creating the ‘Humanist Climate Action’ in 2021 in order to lobby for eco-responsible policies, to ‘Humanist Canada’ hosting webinars on the scientific consensus on climate change, to the Dutch ‘Humanist Union’ calling for the European Union to better tackle the climate crisis and make the single market more sustainable.

Humanism and Climate Justice: A Lack of Legal Involvement & Action

However, despite all due efforts, humanists are still below what is expected by the Reykjavik Declaration, chiefly in terms of taking action against environmental degradation and violations of environmental rights, as well as contributing to shaping international environmental law, both of which being essential for “Foster[ing] a social and political commitment to urgent action and long-term policymaking to mitigate and prevent climate change.”

Last year Switzerland was condemned in a decision by the European Court of Human Rights for its climate inaction and its omissions regarding the rights to life and to health of seniors affected by increasing anthropogenic heat.

This year saw two major legal breakthroughs in terms of environmental rights and international environmental law; the Advisory Opinion OC-32/25 of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights on Climate Emergency and Human Rights, and the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice on the Obligations of States in respect of Climate Change.

Despite the possibility for Humanists International, or any affiliated humanist organization, to intervene through an amicus curiae before the Inter-American and the European courts, in order to contribute to shaping international environmental law through a humanist and ethical lens, Humanists International has not yet engaged in this way, though there may be future opportunities to contribute.

This for sure doesn’t stem from a disinterest in environmental causes, as we saw that humanists were at the forefront of climate action, but possibly from a lack of resources in terms of time, energy expertise and financial resources.

Foresights for a Humanist Legal Action in favor of Climate: Possible Solutions

However, these impediments can be surpassed through the dedication of more time for direct legal action through volunteering, fundraising and investment in the capabilities of young humanists and humanists from the so-called Global South.

Volunteering would make it easier for humanist organizations to lobby national, regional and universal decision-making organs and institutions for broader climate action with minimal costs. This includes taking legal action before their available mechanisms of remedy and reparation.

Lobbying is specifically important before the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the European Union, the Organization of American States, the African Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Humanist organizations, particularly in Europe, Africa and the Americas, must take advantage of their developed human rights regional systems in order to take legal action for climate and future generations, including through coalitions with other non-governmental organizations sharing our same values and goals.

Fundraising would be easier to achieve with a better communication strategy. While the nones are “the world’s third-largest ‘religious’ category” with 24,2% of the world population in 2020, according to the Pew Research Center, few of them know of the existence of an organized humanist movement. It is important though to mention that Pew’s estimates vary slightly but suggest that about a quarter of the global population is religiously unaffiliated.

If a bigger share of this quarter of the world population were organized around humanist ideals, funding would be as important and available at least as that of other faith-based charities, which would make us more influential in shaping global climate policies and public opinion.

Last but not least, investing in humanist youth and humanists from the so-called Global South, particularly in regions deeply affected by the climate crisis like Africa and the Mediterranean, as well as countries where humanists are the least represented or systemically excluded, would add a fresh perspective to the ecological cause.

Africa, Asia and Latin America need a rational and ethical vision of the climate question. Humanists from these geographies, particularly the youth, would greatly benefit their regions and communities with such an enriching humanist perspective. This would ultimately require more unity between the various national organizations and the creation of regional forums to coordinate action, online or on-site.

The specific modalities of putting such cooperation in place can be further detailed in other blogs. For now, an acknowledgement of our flaws would be a good step forward and connecting to our movement’s history in advocating for climate justice is due.