A/75/298 particular concern to pastoralist and other indigenous peoples. 92 Where milder winters are an issue, this may lead to a rise in invasive insects that threaten culturally important tree species. Sacred and cultural sites are at times inaccessible, or even lost, owing to a variety of meteorological phenomena, such as excessive snow or flooding. Linguistic diversity and indigenous languages, aspects of which are rooted in water based and land-based contexts, may also be threatened. 93 53. All these developments also have a gendered impact. Some indigenous women have particular responsibility for caring for the land, making them especially affected. 94 Indigenous women face specific consequences of the resource scarcity of traditional foods and medicines. 54. Taken together, the results of the climate emergency are significant changes to the social and cultural fabric of entire groups, and put their very cultural survival at risk. 95 As a consequence, they may suffer from eco-grief, eco-paralysis, solastalgia (existential distress caused by climate change) and eco-anxiety, 96 which underscores the intersection of culture, climate and health. 55. Unfortunately, as the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples has warned, mitigation and adaptation measures undertaken in response to climate change without the free, prior and informed consent of affected indigenous peoples or without their participation, may further undermine their cultural rights. 97 This may, in particular, create obstacles for indigenous land ownership 98 and livelihood rights. 56. While all of humanity is threatened, many groups are specially affected by climate change. The overall losses and the specific ones must all be addressed. However, there is a tendency to list groups together, such as indigenous and local groups, in ways that may cause confusion. The Special Rapporteur notes the objection of some representatives of indigenous peoples to this approach, and the importance of recognizing the particular international legal status of indigenous peoples, due to the application of the right to self-determination, and the specific legal framework which applies to them under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and other relevant standards. G. Human rights impact of mitigation and adaptation measures 57. Effective measures to mitigate and adapt to climate change are required by international environmental law, and essential to dealing with the climate emer gency and to protecting culture and cultural rights from it. 99 However, they may also have negative consequences for culture and cultural rights that must be taken into consideration such as, for example, the displacement of indigenous peoples that might be caused through well-intended ecological or other conservation programmes. To comply with their international human rights obligations, States should apply a rights - __________________ 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 20-10595 Minority Rights Group International, Minority and Indigenous Trends 2019, (see footnote 77), p. 36. See also contributions by Indigenous Climate Action and the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, and A/HRC/45/34/Add.1, para. 102. See contribution by Indigenous Climate Action and the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs. See contribution by South American Network for Environmental Migrations (Resama). See A/HRC/36/46, in particular, para. 9. See contribution by Women of the Métis Nation. These are conditions also experienced by others facing existential climate-related cultural losses. See A/HRC/36/46. Ibid., para. 50. See A/74/161. 15/23