Background

Underscoring the interlinkage between just transition and human rights, the Human Rights Council has, among other things, affirmed that prioritizing equity, climate justice, social justice, inclusion and just transition processes can enable adaptation and ambitious mitigation actions and climate-resilient development. It has reaffirmed that social security systems can help to support just transitions as well as reaffirmed the importance of international cooperation as an enabler of just transition pathways towards achieving the goals in the Paris Agreement, including through the scaling-up of investment flows and relevant financial support.

The Council has furthermore urged States to adopt an ambitious new collective quantified goal on climate finance to assist developing countries, including in the pursuit of just transition pathways from a high-carbon economy to a low-carbon economy. It has urged States to develop and effectively implement policies that facilitate just transitions, in accordance with nationally defined development priorities, ensuring that the transition pathways from high-carbon to low-carbon economies are fair, equitable, inclusive and sustainable, leaving no one behind, creating decent work and quality jobs, enhancing social security, addressing joblessness, reducing inequalities and poverty, align with national circumstances and uphold the human rights of all, with special attention to supporting those most affected by climate change and the measures taken in response to it, including workers and affected communities, and persons in vulnerable situations. The Council has also encouraged States to develop more national case studies involving the assessment and analysis of the positive and negative impacts of the implementation of just transition measures in the context of human rights.

Call for inputs for Secretary-General’s synthesis report on just transition and human rights

Human Rights Council resolution 56/8 of 10 July 2023 (A/HRC/RES/56/8) entitled “Human rights and climate change” requested the Secretary-General to consult Member States and other relevant stakeholders in order to prepare and submit to the sixtieth session of the Human Rights Council a synthesis report on opportunities, best practices, actionable solutions, challenges and barriers relevant to a just transition and the full realization of human rights for all people.

To inform the analytical study, OHCHR transmitted a Note Verbale and Questionnaire [English] [Français] to Member States, NGOs, UN Agencies, IGOs, Academic Institutions and NHRIs, inviting them to respond to the questionnaire and provide input. The inputs received will be made available on this webpage.