ABSTRACT
A changed climate is already here as the world faces threats of disaster from more frequent and intense cyclones, heavy rainfall events, sea-level rise and warmer temperatures with adverse effects on crops, ecosystems and human health (IPCC 2007a, b). Much of the climate burden is falling on the poor and marginalized peoples in developing countries, highlighting the disasters and impacts they face, the issues of rights and justice with respect to the allocation of resources as well as burdens and risks (Kates, 2000; Thomas and Twyman, 2005). This chapter draws on the context of the uplands of the Mekong region to highlight the interconnected dimensions of climatic risks and the rights of those affected by climate change and development, in particular social and political rights 1 as enshrined in the International Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
