Event Conference
Global Ethical Stocktake | Human Rights, Democracy and Climate Change
14 Oct 2025
13:15 – 14:45
Venue: Palais des Nations, Room XI
Organization: Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council
This Global Ethical Stocktake with a focus on Human Rights, Democracy and Climate Change was organized as a side event to the Fifth session of the Forum on Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law.
Global Ethical Stocktake: An Ethical and Urgent Call
The Global Ethical Stocktake (GES) – Balanço Ético Global (BEG) in Portuguese – is a groundbreaking initiative jointly launched by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and UN Secretary-General António Guterres. The initiative is supported by the UN Climate Change Conference in Belém COP30 Presidency, Brasil’s Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (Ministério do Meio Ambiente e Mudança do Clima/MMA), and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ministério das Relações Exteriores do Brasil/MRE).
Inspired by the Paris Agreement’s Global Stocktake, the GES proposes a global and ethical dialogue on the climate crisis, bringing together social, cultural, spiritual, business, scientific, and political leaders through six intercontinental dialogues, as well as independent, society-led events. The Global Ethical Stocktake Circle aims to deliver a set of civil society contributions to COP30 to accelerate the implementation of the Paris Agreement and limit the increase in the planet’s average temperature to 1.5ºC above pre-industrial levels.
In addition to the six Regional Dialogues that took place earlier this year, GES invites everyone, anywhere in the world, to promote their own Self-Managed Dialogue. The goal is to broaden listening and reflection on the moral dilemmas of our era and explore how to build a fairer, safer future for all.
Global Ethical Stocktake in Geneva
The Global Ethical Stocktake in Geneva took place as a side event to the Fifth session of the Forum on Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law, held under the theme “Democracy and climate change: focusing on solutions”, on 13 – 14 October 2025 at Palais des Nations. Structured as a listening circle, this GES brought together reflections from a diverse range of voices. The outcome of the event will be transmitted to the COP30 Presidency.
Guiding Questions
Participants reflected upon:
- Climate denial and disinformation
Why do we so often deny or ignore what science and traditional knowledge say about the climate crisis and share or tolerate misinformation, even knowing lives are at risk? - Production and consumption models
Why do we continue with production and consumption models that harm the most vulnerable and are not aligned with the 1.5ºC Mission? - Climate finance and responsibility
What can we do to ensure that rich countries, major producers, and consumers of fossil fuels accelerate their transitions and contribute financing for these measures in the most vulnerable countries? - Culture and spirituality
What traditions, histories, or practices (cultural, spiritual) from your community teach us to live in greater harmony with nature? - Mobilization for sustained change
Considering that we need to guarantee diversity in the collective, how can we mobilize more people, leaders, corporations, companies, and nations to support just and ethical changes in combating the climate crisis? What ideas and values could inspire us in this mission?
Featured Participants
Elisa MORGERA
UN Special Rapporteur on climate change and human rights | Facilitator
Ignacio F. LARA
Project Manager, Energy Transition, Environmental Democracy & Global South, Asuntos del Sur
Amiera SAWAS
Head of Research and Policy, Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative
Mitchell LENNAN
Lecturer, Law School, University of Aberdeen
Johnson JAMENT
Founding Director, Blue Green Coastal Resources | Member, Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact Foundation
Gabriel DANTAS
International Advisor, Geledés Instituto da Mulher Negra
Bethanie CARNEY ALMROTH
Professor, Department of Biological & Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg
Shweta NARAYAN
Campaign Lead, Global Climate and Health Alliance
Frédérique BOURQUE
Associate Human Rights Officer, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
Nicole PONCE
Global Advocacy Lead, World’s Youth for Climate Justice
Sepasitiano PATELISIO
Vice-President, Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change
Jo BANNER
Co-Founder & Co-Director, The Descendants Project
Malcolm NOONAN
Senator, Ireland | Spokesperson for Agriculture, Food, the Marine, Heritage and Nature
Chris GUILLOT
Founder, Awarenearth
Jo MORTEN KÅVEN
Sami Artist
Highlights
A Poem in the Voice of the ICJAO on Climate Change | Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change
Photo Gallery
Captured Moments
Summary
As part of the Forum on the Rule of Law, Democracy and Human Rights, OHCHR’s Environment and Climate Change Unit organized a Global Ethical Stocktake (GES) session on 14 October. The session was moderated by the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change. The GES is part of the broader COP-30 process, designed to amplify the voices of civil society and bring ethical, cultural, and people-centered perspectives into climate negotiations. Sessions are organized as listening circles to foster space for open and personal dialogue, deep listening and multi-dimensional engagement with the ethical dimensions of climate change. This session of the GES brought together reflections from 30 participants including children and youth from the ages of 5 to 17, Indigenous Peoples, scientists and researchers, activists, lawyers and policymakers. Insights from diverse knowledge systems contributed to a dynamic and respectful conversation. Interventions took diverse forms with participants sharing banners and paintings made by their communities, poems, prayers, an Indigenous song and personal reflections. The dialogue explored themes of culture and spirituality, with many participants sharing traditional knowledge, personal stories and artistic expressions as foundations for their work. Others emphasized the need for more decisive climate action, accountability and just transition policies, while highlighting the role of Youth, Indigenous Peoples, communities from SIDS, and Peoples of African descent.
Share on Social Media
Share the event on social media and use the hashtags:
- #MutiraoCOP30
- #BalancoEticoGlobal
- #GlobalEthicalStocktake