An analysis of 115 international documents shows that racial issues are systematically ignored in efforts against the climate crisis. Conducted by FGV and Geledés, the study covers from Rio-92 to preparations for COP30. Only 23% of the texts mention Afro-descendants, with little legal force.
The study, conducted by the Center for Applied Research in Law and Racial Justice at FGV Direito SP in partnership with Geledés – Instituto da Mulher Negra, examined multilateral documents issued by international organizations and interstate collectives from the Rio-92 conference in Rio de Janeiro to preparations for COP30, to be held in Belém, Pará.
Of the 115 documents analyzed, 23% mention Afro-descendants. However, 95.6% of those referencing racial issues lack legal force. Additionally, 44.5% of the texts identify the intersection between race and climate, but only two address this link concretely, suggesting governments discuss climate racial justice in speeches without real obligations.
"What the research reveals is an ambiguity in global regulation on the topic. On one hand, it is possible to determine that there are conceptual consensuses and minimum norms regarding climate injustice. On the other, there are fundamental gaps to address the issue head-on," states Professor Thiago Amparo, coordinator of the FGV Direito SP Research Center.
For Mariana Belmont, advisor on Climate and Environmental Racism at Geledés, "combating environmental racism is a fundamental condition for achieving climate justice".
Titled "Race and Gender of Climate Justice: Mapping Inequalities in Global Normative," the mapping proposes measures for COP30, such as including the term "Afro-descendants" in final documents and allocating resources to black, quilombola, peripheral, and riverside communities. "These actions aim to overcome generic inclusion language and transform it into an effective legal and political commitment," says Amparo.
The study highlights the need for concrete actions to integrate race and gender into the global climate agenda.