Why Climate Change Is a Threat to Human Rights - Mary Robinson

This TED talk features Mary Robinson, who served as the first female President of Ireland between 1990-1997 and as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights between 1997-2002. Her main message is that it is clear that climate change is unfair - the impacts are felt most by those who contribute the least, developing nations and emerging economies. Robinson tackles the Human Rights issued faced as a result of climate change. 

In the video she mentions that while she was President of Ireland, she didn't have to think about purchasing land for her people, because as a developed nation the people of Ireland were not likely to be forced to migrate as a result of climate change. She contrasts this with the President of Kiribati - who has had to buy land in Peru as security for his people due to the impacts climate change will have on the island nation, once again emphasising how unfair climate change is. She touches on how over 300 people were killed in Malawi, with hundreds of thousands more displaced due to a flood that took place in January 2015. The fact of the matter is that the average person in Malawi emits 80kg of CO2 a year, whereas the average US citizen emits about 17.5 metric tonnes, showing how developing countries are increasingly bearing the brunt, with minimal contributions to the problem. She mentions how she spoke to a lady from Uganda, who said that as the years went by long periods of droughts and flash floods have become more common, destroying livelihoods.
One major point that she argues is that developing countries and emerging economies have to develop without fossil fuels/emissions as targets are set to reduce emissons (due to large amounts already released by developed nations), which means they will not be able to grow to full potential and will therefore be left behind.

Have a watch to see all the other interesting points she makes.