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

This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and the Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (GI-ESCR) synthesizes the activities of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) regarding climate change during 2020 and 2021. It details the Committee's use of the State reporting procedure to address mitigation, adaptation, extractive activities, and climate finance, while also reviewing the Committee's General Comments on science and land rights.

• Between 2020 and 2021, the CESCR integrated climate change into the vast majority of its State reporting outputs, referencing the issue in 81% of these 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. Notably, all five developed States reviewed in 2021 received climate-related recommendations or questions.
• The CESCR frequently linked State human rights obligations to climate mitigation and national targets, often referencing Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the UNFCCC. The Committee urged several States to increase the ambition of their targets; for example, it recommended that Norway reduce emissions by at least 50% to 55% compared to 1990 levels by 2030, and advised Latvia to implement a transition to a net-zero-greenhouse gas emissions economy by 2050.
• The Committee scrutinized the impact of extractive industries on climate change, specifically questioning Norway's petroleum and natural gas exploration in the Arctic and Barents Sea. It also requested information from China regarding whether its overseas extractive activities and transnational investment projects hinder the mitigation efforts of host countries. In Azerbaijan, the CESCR highlighted that oil and gas constitute 98% of energy needs and 90% of export revenues, urging a shift toward renewable energy.
• The CESCR emphasized adaptation and the protection of vulnerable groups, with 24 out of 26 Lists of Issues (LOIs) in 2020 and 2021 requesting information on adaptation measures. Specific focus was placed on Indigenous Peoples in Canada, minorities in Sweden, and the most marginalized groups in Chile.
• Through General Comment No. 25 (2020), the CESCR established that the 'right to science' requires States to align government policies with the best available scientific evidence and prevent the dissemination of false scientific information by private actors. This right is linked to climate change through the need for accurate information 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} }