Championing Change: Human Rights and the Climate Crisis (FutureLearn)

This three-week course, convened by Amnesty International UK, will explain the complex relationship between climate change and human rights. The way they influence each other, and how improving one issue can improve the other. Ultimately, you’ll see how being a human rights activist can help you combat climate change, and vice versa.
Learn why climate change is a human rights issue

Global warming violates key human rights, yet human rights can be used as an effective tool to counteract the effects and continued growth of global warming. You’ll have the opportunity to unpack this complicated statement in detail during this course.

By identifying the instances and inequalities of climate change across different regions and demographics, you’ll get a clear idea of how they impact the rights of people living in these situations.
Understand the importance of being both an environmental and human rights activist

You’ll also get to explore what you can do to combat the violation of both human rights and the environment, taking advantage of the active learning materials.

By connecting with like-minded participants around the world, you’ll become part of a vital global community that is dedicated to effectively dealing with these issues.
Find climate change solutions with Amnesty International UK

The United Kingdom branch of Amnesty International is made up of individuals dedicated to defeating injustice. With their collective expertise, they have created a high-calibre course that will show you how to both combat climate change and campaign for human rights.

What topics will you cover?

During this course, you’ll take an in-depth look at:

- How climate change is a major human rights issue

- Definitions of key terms and concepts related to human rights and climate change

- An outline of the numerous inequalities of climate change, including its causes and consequences across regions and demographics

- How human rights can contribute to finding better solutions to climate change

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

- Describe how climate change is a major human rights issue

- Explain and express key terms and concepts related to human rights and climate change

- Summarise the numerous inequalities of climate change, including its causes and consequences across regions and demographics

- Evaluate both the mutual supportiveness and possible tensions between human rights and climate change action

- Compare between different types of climate change response measures that protect and promote human rights

- Identify human rights-based mechanisms, tools and tactics to shape climate action.

- Engage with and challenge the hostility and antagonism faced by environmental human rights defenders

- Identify and engage in specific actions to address human rights concerns associated with climate change

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for anyone wishing to explore the relationship between climate change and human rights. No expertise is needed; the only requirement is a desire to understand and improve these serious global concerns.