Climate threats and climate justice: Action and adaptation for sustainable development

On January 24, Foreign Policy at Brookings hosted former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and former Irish President Mary Robinson for an Alan and Jane Batkin International Leaders Forum addressing the climate crisis and its implications. In their respective international leadership roles, Ban and Robinson have been prominent advocates of bringing climate change to the top of the global agenda, promoting sustainable development and highlighting how environmental degradation has disproportionately affected people in developing countries, especially women.

Brookings John C. Whitehead Visiting Fellow in International Diplomacy Jeffrey Feltman provided introductory remarks. Following remarks by Ban and Robinson, Brookings Senior Fellow and the SK-Korea Foundation Chair in Korea Studies Jung H. Pak joined them on stage for a conversation on climate change, human rights, adaptation measures, and global leadership in the face of a climate emergency.