Human Rights Archives

Nov 4, 2024

How Azerbaijan locked up climate and social justice advocate ahead of COP29

Azeri economist Farid Mehralizada has argued that his country’s reliance on fossil fuels is unsustainable and dangerous – he is now in prison ahead of the climate summit in Baku

Jun 12, 2024

Finance

Bonn bulletin: Climate finance chasm remains unbridged

Governments split on when and how to set a dollar amount for new finance goal, and human rights activists seek stronger protection in COP host nations

Nov 28, 2024

Comment

Call for climate reparations at the ICJ even more urgent after COP29 falls short

People whose rights are harmed by climate impacts deserve remedy and reparation – and legal clarity from the International Court of Justice would be a first step

May 16, 2024

Energy

Calls for responsible mining fail to stem rights abuses linked to transition minerals

As demand grows for critical minerals used in clean energy supply chains, new data suggests more protection is needed for communities affected by their extraction

Mar 7, 2024

Finance

UN climate fund axes Nicaragua forest project over human rights concerns

In its first such move, the Green Climate Fund has pulled out of a project after developers failed to address environmental and social compliance issues

Jul 26, 2023

Finance

UN climate fund suspends project in Nicaragua over human rights concerns

The Green Climate Fund suspended a $117 million forest conservation project in Nicaragua over escalating violence against indigenous people.

Apr 4, 2023

News

Moves to crystallise right to a healthy environment spark tension at UN

Incremental resolutions at the UN are starting to make the right to healthy environment tangible, but are running into pushback from states like the US.

Mar 29, 2023

Justice

European court hears landmark lawsuits that could shape climate policy

The European Court of Human Rights has heard its first two lawsuits on climate change, brought against the governments of Switzerland and France.

Dec 20, 2022

Nature

India’s female cane cutters face child marriage and hysterectomy

Women and girls in India’s sugar fields are exposed to sexual harassment, backbreaking work and inadequate healthcare

Nov 3, 2022

Justice

Egypt clamps down on activism and undocumented workers ahead of Cop27

Campaigners are hoping to use the global spotlight on Egypt to secure the release of political prisoners – but fear a backlash

Feb 6, 2018

Energy

Oil majors to face London, New York hearings over Philippines climate impact

Philippines human rights commissioner says taking hearings overseas will afford the 47 companies the best chance to confront the impacts of their businesses

Jun 29, 2017

Energy

UN committee urges Australia to rethink support for Adani coal mine

Human rights review finds Australia’s coal production ambitions will contribute to dangerous climate change and asks government to reconsider

Jun 23, 2017

News

US joins UN resolution to protect human rights from climate change

The US said climate change had “a range of implications for the effective enjoyment of human rights”, in a departure from recent diplomacy and Trump’s rhetoric

Mar 10, 2017

News

Climate policy must protect children’s rights, UN panel hears

High level panel at the UN Human Rights Council hears that a child rights centred approach to climate change is “overdue”

Jul 13, 2016

News

UN Human Rights Council declares climate a priority

Influential UN body considers human rights and climate change post-Paris, emphasises importance of the climate negotiations in protecting communities

Jul 6, 2015

Comment

Climate change is a matter of human rights, agrees UN

NEWS: Geneva-based Human Rights Council adopts resolution to help world’s most vulnerable countries in face of global warming

Apr 29, 2015

Comment

Human rights focus can strengthen Paris climate deal

COMMENT: Climate change may constitute the most serious challenge to the fulfilment of human rights in our world today

Mar 25, 2015

Finance

MEPs urged to back human rights safeguards on climate finance

NEWS: Hydropower and coal projects funded by rich countries have been linked to human rights abuses, NGOs tell European lawmakers

Mar 24, 2015

Politics

Mary Robinson: Climate deal must respect human rights

INTERVIEW: UN climate envoy and former president of Ireland says clean energy access for the poorest must be a priority

Mar 10, 2015

News

Climate change threatens human rights, Kiribati president tells UN

NEWS: Pacific leaders tell Human Rights Council they fear for the future of their civilisations as climate impacts intensify

Dec 11, 2012

News

Comment: Loss and damage won’t go far enough for climate migrants

Environmental Justice Foundation’s Steve Trent argues compensation mechanism proposed at UN climate talks will not go far enough