Committee Executive of International Conference on Climate Change, Human Rights, and Ecological Justice
Date: July 21–23, 2025
Venue: Canossa Has-Laran, Dili, Timor-Leste
Organized by: FONGTIL, HAK Association, ICCHREJ Committee, in collaboration with regional and international partners, and indigenous people from West Papua
Preamble
We, the committee organizers and the participants of the International Conference on Climate Change, Human Rights, and Ecological Justice, comprising representatives from civil society organizations, academic institutions, indigenous communities, governments, youth groups, and international organizations from Asia, the Pacific, Africa, Europe, and the America,
Recognizing the existential threat posed by climate change to human life, biodiversity, and the planet as a whole;
Affirming that climate change is not only an environmental issue but also a human rights, development, and justice issue, disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable especially in the Global South;
Recalling key international commitments including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Paris Agreement, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP);
Acknowledging the urgency of transitioning to sustainable, inclusive, and climate-resilient societies and economies;
We hereby declare:
- We acknowledge the support of the Timor-Leste government and civil society concerning climate change and the ongoing ecological genocide in the countries, as well as peoples’ struggles for self-determination and under occupation.
- We unequivocally declare the rainforests of West Papua and Papua New Guinea as the last remaining fortress rainforests globally, following the critical ecosystems of the Amazon and Congo Basins. Their preservation is paramount for planetary ecological balance amidst the unchecked corporate-led ecological destruction.
- Climate change is a human rights crisis. It threatens the right to life, health, food, water, shelter, culture, and development—especially for frontline communities, women, youth, and indigenous peoples in Southeast Asia, Asia pacific, like Timor Leste, West Papua, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Salomon Island, Kiribati, and Nauru.
- Ecological justice is climate justice. Environmental degradation and climate injustice are rooted in global inequalities, extractive economies, and colonial legacies.
- Global solidarity and climate finance are imperative. Developed nations must uphold their responsibilities by delivering adequate, predictable, and accessible climate finance, including for loss and damage.
- The voices of marginalized communities must lead. Their knowledge systems, adaptation strategies, and governance practices are critical to resilience and must shape climate policy and action.
- Accountability is essential. Governments, corporations, and financial institutions must be held accountable for climate harm, and binding mechanisms must be established for environmental justice.
We call upon:
1. Governments at all levels to:
- Integrate human rights and ecological justice frameworks into climate policies and NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions);
- Ensure the meaningful participation of civil society, especially youth, women, and indigenous peoples, in climate governance;
- End fossil fuel subsidies, phase out coal and oil, and accelerate just transitions to renewable energy;
- Protect environmental defenders and uphold freedom of expression and assembly.
2. International and regional organizations to:
- We call upon the United Nations and other multilateral institutions to undertake urgent measures to address the escalating climate crisis and ecological destructions in the regions under occupation.
- Strengthen enforcement mechanisms for climate-related human rights violations;
- Expand South-South and triangular cooperation for climate adaptation and mitigation;
- Promote climate justice education and awareness in all sectors.
3. Corporations and the private sector to:
- Adhere to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and environmental due diligence;
- Disclose emissions, divest from fossil fuels, and invest in sustainable, rights-based innovations;
- Respect the principle of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) in all operations
- affecting indigenous lands.
4. Civil society and academia to:
- Continue mobilizing, educating, and advocating for policy transformation and climate justice;
- Strengthen interdisciplinary research and community-based solutions to address intersecting crises.
Conclusion
This Final Resolution reflects our shared commitment to justice, equity, and solidarity in responding to the climate crisis. We reaffirm our collective responsibility to protect the Earth and uphold the dignity and rights of all peoples, today and for future generations.
Adopted in Dili, Timor-Leste, on July 23, 2025
