Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights Obligations of States in the Context of Climate Change

The CESCR referenced climate change in 81% of its state reporting outputs in 2020 and 2021, focusing on mitigation policies, extractive activities, climate finance, and adaptation measures. The Committee specifically urged developed states to increase the ambition of their emissions targets and questioned the compatibility of continued fossil fuel use with human rights obligations. Additionally, the CESCR addressed the 'right to science' in General Comment No. 25 and developed a draft General Comment on Land, emphasizing the nexus between land rights and the climate emergency.

• Between 2020 and 2021, the CESCR integrated climate change into the vast majority of its state reporting procedure, referencing the topic in 81% of its outputs. In 2020, the Committee addressed climate change in 14 of 18 considered States, and in 2021, it did so in 20 out of 24 outputs.
• The Committee scrutinized State mitigation policies, often referencing Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the UNFCCC. It specifically encouraged Norway and Belgium (in 2020) and Latvia (in 2021) to increase the ambition of their emissions reduction targets. For Norway, the Committee recommended reducing emissions by at least 50% and towards 55% compared to 1990 levels by 2030, while urging Latvia to implement a transition to a net-zero-greenhouse gas emissions economy by 2050.
• The CESCR highlighted conflicts between State energy policies and climate obligations, specifically questioning Italy's continued use of fossil fuels despite its emission reduction targets and France's delay in reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
• The Committee addressed the impact of extractive industries on climate change, expressing concern over Norway's petroleum and natural gas exploration in the Arctic and Barents Sea. It also questioned China regarding the impact of its overseas extractive activities and State-owned enterprises on the mitigation efforts of host countries.
• In General Comment No. 25 (2020), the CESCR established that States must align government policies with the best available scientific evidence and prevent the dissemination of false or misleading scientific information by private actors, which is relevant to climate change communication and the development of adaptation technologies.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (2022). Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights Obligations of States in the Context of Climate Change. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Economic-Social-and-Cultural-Rights-Obligations-of-States-in-the-Context-of-Climate-Changejan23.pdf

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights Obligations of States in the Context of Climate Change. 2022. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Economic-Social-and-Cultural-Rights-Obligations-of-States-in-the-Context-of-Climate-Changejan23.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights Obligations of States in the Context of Climate Change |date=2022 |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Economic-Social-and-Cultural-Rights-Obligations-of-States-in-the-Context-of-Climate-Changejan23.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforinternationalenvironmentallaw2022economic, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights Obligations of States in the Context of Climate Change}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2022}, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Economic-Social-and-Cultural-Rights-Obligations-of-States-in-the-Context-of-Climate-Changejan23.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }