Background

In her upcoming report to the UN General Assembly, the Special Rapporteur seeks to synthesise and analyse a varied body of evidence (from across the natural and social sciences, including Indigenous science and other knowledge systems) of the positive and negative human rights impacts of different sources, scales and stages to renewable energy development, throughout their full life cycle, including the extraction and re-use of critical minerals. On that basis, the report will seek to clarify States’ international human rights obligations, individually and as part of international cooperation, as well as business responsibility, to support a just transition while enhancing the protection of everyone’s human right to a healthy environment and the prevention of foreseeable negative human rights impacts of certain climate mitigation approaches. The obligations will be clarified giving due consideration to: the need to scale up global action and support in addressing climate change, including in averting, minimizing and addressing loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change; and the principles of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, including the principle of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in the light of different national circumstances and in the context of sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty, all in pursuit of the objectives of the Convention and the Paris Agreement.

The report will identify good practices, strategies and policies at all levels that contribute to the promotion and protection of all human rights and poverty alleviation throughout the life cycle of renewable energy and critical minerals, with a view to contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular Goals 13 (climate action) and 14 (life below water).

The Special Rapporteur will aim to make constructive and concrete recommendations on human rights-based, gender-responsive, age-sensitive, disability-inclusive and risk-informed approaches to renewable energy development and critical minerals throughout their life cycle, which enhance the protection of all human rights, including everyone’s human right to a healthy environment, and prevent discrimination, in the context of the just transition.

Objectives

The call for inputs aims at advancing understanding of the documented positive and negative impacts on human rights of different sources, scales and stages of renewable energy development as part of a just transition, including in relation to critical minerals, throughout their life cycle.

Inputs are expected to shed light on the diverse bodies of evidence of the positive and negative human rights impacts of renewables and critical minerals, on land and at sea, and assess alternative approaches that can better support an ecosystem-based and human rights-based approach.

Inputs are also expected to share analysis of the current international law landscape relevant to renewables and critical minerals, identifying any areas that support or hinder the protection of human rights in the context of a just transition.

Inputs are also expected to share good practices and lessons learned in regulating, monitoring and financing renewable energy development, including critical minerals, with a view to protecting all human rights, considering intersectionality and inter-generational equity (A/HRC/56/46), and contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular Goals 13 (climate action) and 14 (life below water).

Key questions and types of input/comments sought

The Special Rapporteur would like to invite States, interested individuals, organizations and businesses, working on issues related to human rights and climate change to provide input for the preparation of her thematic report.. Inputs can be both country-specific or of a general nature. They may contain information on the following subjects:

1. What are the positive and negative human rights impacts of different sources, scales and stages of renewable energy development, through its life cycle? What are the causes of these impacts? Who is disproportionality affected by negative impacts and why?

2. What are the positive and negative human rights impacts of the life cycle of critical minerals? What are the causes of these impacts? Who is disproportionality affected by negative impacts and why?

3. Which areas of international law are relevant to the protection of human rights in the life cycle of renewables and critical minerals? Are there barriers to the protection of human rights in international law that would arise in the various stages of these life cycles, as part of a just transition?

4. Are there good practices or lessons learned in regulating, monitoring and funding renewable energy development, including critical minerals, which can support a just transition and the protection of human rights, as well as the achievement of SDGs 13 and 14?

5. Are there specific examples of rights-based, gender-responsive, age-sensitive, disability-inclusive and risk-informed approaches to renewable energy development, including critical minerals, led by States or business?

6. Are there specific barriers in the context of State regulation or business conduct that undermine the protection of human rights in the full life cycle of renewable energy and critical minerals? How can these barriers be addressed?

7. How can international cooperation on finance, capacity and technology related to the full life cycle of renewable energy and critical minerals contribute to protect human rights and take into account the principle of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in the light of different national circumstances and in the context of sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty, all in pursuit of the objectives of the Convention and the Paris Agreement?

Questionnaire

• French (Word)
• Spanish (Word)

How inputs will be used?

Inputs will be treated to inform the preparation of the thematic report of the Special Rapporteur to the Human Rights Council. Your input will be published on the website of the Special Rapporteur. Submissions should not contain specific complaints or names of victims. If you would like your written input or any other information NOT to be published on the webpage of the Special Rapporteur, please explicitly indicate this in your input.

Inputs received before 30 March will be relied upon in the organization of virtual expert workshops in May, to inform the report, unless otherwise indicated by those submitting them.