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Fifteen years ago, from 2006 to 2009, Prof. Elisa Morgera worked as an Associate Legal Officer at the Development Law Service of the FAO Legal Office (LEGN). Now, in her new capacity as the Special Rapporteur (SR) on the promotion of human rights in the context of climate change,[1] Elisa visited the FAO Legal Office again to pay a courtesy visit to LEGN colleagues. She shared information on her mandate as SR, discussed current and new LEGN initiatives related to her mandate, and explored ideas for continued collaboration into the future.

Elisa’s appointment as SR was confirmed at the 55^th session of the Human Rights Council, held from 26 February to 5 April 2024, and is expected to serve for two subsequent three-year mandates. Her mandate includes activities which are closely linked or related to the work of LEGN, such as: strengthening the integration of human rights issues into legislation addressing climate change; making recommendations on the respect for and promotion of human rights; identifying how good practices, strategies and policies contribute to the promotion and protection of human rights and poverty alleviation; Facilitating and contributing to exchange of technical assistance, capacity building and international cooperation to address the impacts of climate change on the enjoyment of human rights.

Elisa’s life and work in academia has enabled her to continue and build on her long-standing collaboration with LEGN on a range of different activities, including publication of a recent  legal paper on the interdependence of human rights and a healthy environment, a policy brief on the human rights-based approach to small-scale fisheries, and the development of an eLearning course on legal and policy considerations for sustainable small-scale fisheries. LEGN has recently contributed technical inputs to the SR’s forthcoming report on access to information on climate change and human rights, and will continue to strengthen this collaboration including through the Sustainable Wildlife Programme (SWM), the Global Environment Facility (GEF)-8, and the new LEGN-led Agrifood Systems Law Implementation, Compliance and Enforcement (ACE) Programme.

Elisa drew attention to her first report on the importance of intersectionality, published on 21 June 2024, which she considered is of relevance to LEGN’s work. The report identifies good practices, challenges and opportunities for supporting policy coherence and increased cooperation on human rights-based, gender-responsive, age-sensitive, disability-inclusive and risk-informed approaches to climate change, in the context of climate change mitigation, adaptation, just transition, climate finance, and loss and damage.