Purpose: To inform the report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders on human rights defenders working on climate change and a just transition, to be presented to the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in October 2025.Deadline: 30 April 2025
Background
The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders will focus her next thematic report on the situation of human rights defenders working on climate change and a just transition. This is in line with the Human Rights Council’s request for her to study trends, developments and challenges concerning human rights defenders (A/HRC/RES/16/5, as renewed through A/HRC/RES 52/4).
Climate change is already having a major negative impact on human rights around the globe, with the most marginalised people feeling the greatest effects. If global warming continues at its current rate, the damage to human rights will increase exponentially, and put the protection and fulfilment of the human rights to life, food, health, housing, water and sanitation, development and a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, along with others, out of reach for a huge portion of the global population.
Around the world, in the face of decisions and inaction by States, and in the context of what the UN Secretary General described as a “masterclass in climate destruction”, people are peacefully organising, advocating and taking direct action to combat climate change and enact a just transition, including through calls for governments to respect their obligations under international human rights law and the Paris Agreement. They are human rights defenders. At the beginning of her mandate, the Special Rapporteur identified human rights defenders working on the climate crisis as a priority in her work, not only because of the global importance of their cause, but because of the risks and retaliation they have faced in recent years. She has identified that these attacks may be increasing as the climate situation becomes ever more urgent, creating a vicious cycle that is currently leaving the climate crisis under-addressed, human rights at risk, and human rights defenders deterred from speaking out and taking action.
For these reasons, the Special Rapporteur has decided to dedicate her next report to the issue.
Objectives
To examine the important role played by human rights defenders in supporting states to meet their obligations to mitigate climate change and enact a just transition, and to highlight the challenges they face in this work, including forms of retaliation or repression.
Key questions and types of input/comments sought
The report will focus on the contributions made by human rights defenders to mitigating climate change and bringing about a just transition, and forms of retaliation or repression they may be facing for this work. In the call for inputs, the Special Rapporteur is seeking examples in line with these points of focus from any interested actors, including Member States and human rights defenders themselves. She asks that sources be provided for examples, where possible.
Please feel respond to as many questions as you like. There is no need to respond to all of them in order to make a submission.
1. On positive trends: Are people calling for action by states to mitigate climate change and enact a just transition being supported in your country or the countries in which you are working? Where is this support coming from? What form is it taking? Please provide concrete examples and sources, where possible.
2. On successes: Can you provide any examples of where climate activism has been successful in your country or the countries you are working on? Please provide concrete examples and sources where possible.
3. On risks and retaliation: Are people calling for action by states to mitigate climate change and enact a just transition being restricted or facing a backlash in your country or the countries in which you are working? If so, where is this backlash coming from? What form is it taking? Do you see any negative trends? Please provide concrete examples and sources, where possible.
4. On recommendations: What action could be taken by states, international and regional organisations, civil society, the private sector or other actors to improve the environment for human rights defenders to work on climate change and a just transition? Please provide precise recommendations, where possible.
NB: Information provided, including examples, will be used to inform the Special Rapporteur’s report. This may include citing examples included in the responses. As such, if mentioning individual human rights defenders or groups, please state whether you have the consent of the people directly affected to do so, or not. Consent means that the people mentioned are aware that their name and the circumstances of their case could subsequently be included in the public report of the Special Rapporteur and agree with this happening. Please also provide sources to support examples, in the form of hyperlinks or footnotes, where appropriate.
How inputs will be used?
All submissions will be posted on the official webpage of the Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders, however, civil society organizations or individuals, including human rights defenders, can request their submissions to remain confidential by explicitly stating this in their submission.
