Human Rights Obligations in the Context of Climate Change

The CESCR addressed climate change in most of its 2023 work, including twelve Concluding Observations and seven Lists of Issues. The Committee focused on mitigation policies, urging states like Brazil, Panama, and Portugal to meet their Paris Agreement NDCs, and recommended that China expand its emissions trading system and stop financing overseas coal power. Adaptation efforts were highlighted in nineteen statements, with specific calls for national adaptation plans in Cambodia, Palestine, and Yemen, and an emphasis on the participation of Indigenous Peoples in Panama. Additionally, the Committee challenged the fossil fuel reliance of states such as Qatar and China, while inquiring about oil refinery pollution in Curaçao.

• The CESCR reviewed mitigation policies in seventeen outputs, emphasizing Paris Agreement commitments. It specifically noted that Brazil, Panama, and Portugal were not on track to meet their nationally determined contributions (NDCs).
• The Committee provided specific mitigation recommendations to China, including the expansion of its emissions trading system and the cessation of financing and construction for coal-fired power plants both domestically and abroad due to adverse extraterritorial impacts.
• Adaptation was addressed in nineteen statements, with the Committee requesting that Cambodia, Palestine, and Yemen develop national adaptation plans (NAPs). In Portugal, the Committee recommended climate-smart land management for fire prevention and food systems that protect the environment and the rights of farmers.
• The Committee emphasized the necessity of including marginalized groups and Indigenous Peoples in adaptation policies, specifically calling for effective consultation and free, prior, and informed consent in Panama, Brazil, and Cambodia.
• The CESCR addressed fossil fuel dependency in six outputs, expressing concern over Qatar's reliance on natural gas and oil and its plans to increase liquefied natural gas production and trade.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (2023). Human Rights Obligations in the Context of Climate Change. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/HRTB-Synthesis-Note-2024_CIEL_GIESCR_Committee-on-Economic-Social-and-Cultural-Rights-CESCR.pdf

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. Human Rights Obligations in the Context of Climate Change. 2023. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/HRTB-Synthesis-Note-2024_CIEL_GIESCR_Committee-on-Economic-Social-and-Cultural-Rights-CESCR.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=Human Rights Obligations in the Context of Climate Change |date=2023 |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/HRTB-Synthesis-Note-2024_CIEL_GIESCR_Committee-on-Economic-Social-and-Cultural-Rights-CESCR.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforinternationalenvironmentallaw2023human, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{Human Rights Obligations in the Context of Climate Change}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2023}, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/HRTB-Synthesis-Note-2024_CIEL_GIESCR_Committee-on-Economic-Social-and-Cultural-Rights-CESCR.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }