氣候變遷、憲法與人權──國際人權機制對我國基本權保障之啟示

Abstract

氣候變遷對人類之威脅與日俱增，以人權之名提起之氣候訴訟亦在包含國際人權機制在內的各級司法機關蓬勃發展。台灣之國際事務參與空間有限，卻同樣能從國際的動態中獲得應對氣候變遷之智慧。為此，本文整理全球性與區域性國際人權機制之運作，並探討國際人權公約進入台灣法體系的模式、位階與適用；再進入各國際人權機制之規範性文件與案例論述，歸納其針對生命權、家庭及私人生活權、文化權所為之論述，發現國際人權機制已逐漸肯定透過氣候公約建構上述權利之保護義務，並判斷國家之立法、政策與執行行為是否符合之。如內國權利救濟體制疏於考量之，亦可能侵害人民受公平審判的權利。基此，本文將此四種國際人權與憲法上生存權、生命權、隱私權、居住自由、原住民族文化權、原住民族文化認同權及訴訟權之論述與制度內容進行比較，指出在氣候變遷之議題上，憲法解釋與實踐可藉由參照國際人權機制加以補充、強化之處。

As climate change poses an increasingly severe threat to humanity, climate litigation grounded in human rights has been flourishing across judicial systems worldwide, including within international human rights mechanisms. Although Taiwan faces limitations in participating in international affairs, it can still draw valuable insights from global developments in addressing climate change. This thesis examines the operations of both global and regional international human rights mechanisms and explores the modes, hierarchy, and application of international human rights conventions within Taiwan’s legal system. It further analyzes normative documents and case law from these mechanisms, focusing on their interpretations of the rights to life, private and family life, and culture. The findings indicate that international human rights mechanisms have increasingly recognized states' positive obligations to protect these rights through climate-related conventions, assessing whether domestic legislation, policy, and enforcement measures comply with such obligations. Failure by domestic legal systems to consider these obligations may also infringe upon individuals’ right to a fair trial. Building upon this analysis, the thesis compares the aforementioned four international human rights with their counterparts in the bill of rights of Taiwan’s constitution—namely, the rights to life, existence, privacy, freedom of residence, indigenous cultural rights, cultural identity, and access to justice. It argues that the interpretation and implementation of constitutional rights in Taiwan regarding climate change can be supplemented and reinforced by referencing international human rights mechanisms.