The recent IPCC report on climate change has highlighted the urgent need to tackle climate change globally, but for many small island communities, the real and imminent threat of climate change is not news. Low lying small islands are on the front line of climate change impacts with rising sea levels threatening their very existence. But they are also on the frontline of global action against climate change. This talk will explore the challenges and opportunities for small island communities to drive the world agenda on climate change to protect their human rights. 

Susie Alegre is an international human rights lawyer with 20 years’ experience working on issues related to human rights, the rule of law and accountability.  She founded the Island Rights Initiative to bring together her knowledge of international frameworks for human rights and accountability with her insights as an islander to support island communities around the world.