In the West, we tend not to consider human rights a daily concern, likely believing our legislation protects us effectively. Strict labor laws and environmental regulations ensure that companies operate responsibly. Minimum wage standards, regulated working hours, and safe working conditions are the norm for most workers. This legal protection means we live without fear that our rights or those of our children will be violated.
Exposure to Climate Change
However, we are exposed to the consequences of climate change. While France is not the most severely affected country, it already experiences significant impacts. For instance, the extreme heatwave of 2003 caused nearly 15,000 deaths, and since then, heatwaves have become more frequent and intense, affecting public health and agriculture. In 2019, several departments experienced prolonged droughts, leading to significant agricultural losses and water restrictions. Storms like Xynthia in 2010 and Alex in 2020 caused considerable coastal damage, while floods in Nice in 2019 had devastating effects.
Environmental Threats
Rising sea levels threaten coastal areas, causing erosion and land loss. Agriculture, particularly viticulture, is severely affected by higher temperatures and unpredictable weather conditions. Finally, climate change threatens biodiversity, impacting vulnerable ecosystems such as the Alps, the Pyrenees, and wetlands. These impacts underscore the urgency of enhanced climate action and sustainable policies to protect populations and ecosystems.
Vigilance in Low-Cost Country Sourcing
When we buy imported products using the Low-Cost Country Sourcing method, we sometimes support production practices that exploit workers. For example, garment production in Southeast Asian factories is often associated with extremely low wages, excessive working hours, and dangerous working conditions. Workers, often women and children, face systematic rights violations without adequate protection.
Local Environmental Consequences
These irresponsible production practices also have significant local environmental consequences. Factories in countries with weak or non-existent environmental regulations emit large amounts of pollutants, contributing to climate change. For instance, textile dyeing factories in India and China often discharge toxic chemicals into local waterways, polluting drinking water sources and aquatic ecosystems. Additionally, transporting these products over long distances to Western markets generates high carbon emissions, further exacerbating the climate problem.
Electronics Industry Example
Another example concerns the electronics industry. The electronic devices we use daily, such as smartphones and computers, are often manufactured from components produced under abusive working conditions. Cobalt mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo, for example, often employ children to extract this essential mineral under extremely dangerous conditions. This cobalt is then transported worldwide to be used in battery manufacturing, contributing to a massive carbon footprint. The exploitation of workers in these mines and the emissions associated with transporting materials contribute to a harmful cycle for human rights and the environment.
Furniture Industry Example
The furniture industry also offers a pertinent example. Many cheap furniture items available in the West are made from wood sourced from illegally logged tropical forests. This illegal logging leads to massive deforestation, destroying natural habitats and releasing large amounts of stored carbon. Workers in these logging industries are often poorly paid and work under dangerous conditions. Transporting this furniture over long distances to Western consumers further increases the carbon footprint of these products.
Construction Materials Example
Furthermore, the production of construction materials such as cement and steel, often imported from Asia, has significant environmental and social consequences. Cement production, for instance, is one of the most CO2-emitting industries. In China, which produces more than half of the world’s cement, factories often operate under lax environmental standards, resulting in severe air pollution and dangerous working conditions for workers. The steel needed for many constructions is also often produced under conditions that do not respect workers’ rights. Transporting these materials globally further increases their negative environmental impact.
Responsible Procurement
It is important to realize that every time we buy products without ensuring their origin and production conditions, we perpetuate a system that exploits workers and harms the environment. By not respecting the human rights of our suppliers, we indirectly contribute to climate change. Intensive production, industrial pollution, and the long transportation routes needed to deliver these products to us all have a high environmental cost.
Our procurement strategies have a profound impact on human rights and therefore on the fight against climate change in our own regions. We must not neglect this important aspect of our due diligence.
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