UAE human rights body urges human rights checks across climate tech lifecycle
In short
The UAE's National Human Rights Institution submitted a report to the UN Special Rapporteur on Climate Change recommending that human rights considerations be integrated at every stage of climate technology development. The report, filed in response to the Special Rapporteur's call for input, also calls for human rights and environmental impact assessments across the whole technology lifecycle. NHRI Chairperson Dr Salem Suhail Al Neyadi said a technology should not be treated as safe or sustainable merely because it is labelled “low-carbon”.
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The UAE's National Human Rights Institution has recommended integrating human rights considerations at all stages of climate technology development, according to a report it submitted to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Climate Change. The submission addressed climate technologies and their implications for human rights, and was made in response to a call for input from the Special Rapporteur, the state news agency WAM reported. Both WAM and Aletihad said the report examined the UAE's experience in developing and deploying such technologies. [ 1 , 2 ]
The NHRI's recommendations included conducting human rights and environmental impact assessments throughout the entire technology lifecycle, beginning at the research and development stage and continuing through deployment. It also called for ensuring the participation of affected communities and their access to information, protecting workers' rights, promoting technology transfer and equitable access, and strengthening partnerships among governments, the private sector, scientific institutions and national human rights institutions. [ 1 , 2 ]
Dr Salem Suhail Al Neyadi, Chairperson of the NHRI, said the relationship between technology and human rights in the context of climate change is reciprocal. He said technology can contribute to protecting the rights to life, health, water, food, housing, a sustainable environment and development, while some of its applications may have implications for human rights and the environment, making it necessary to assess them throughout their lifecycle. Dr Al Neyadi stressed that a technology should not be considered safe or sustainable merely because it is described as “low-carbon”, and said decisions should be grounded in science, risk assessment, transparency and accountability, while safeguarding privacy and personal data and taking into account impacts related to land and other factors. [ 1 , 2 ]
The documents available do not name the specific technologies covered by the report, and neither indicates whether the Special Rapporteur or any UN body has responded to the submission. Both accounts are truncated in the same place. [ 1 , 2 ]
Why it matters
The report places the UAE's experience with climate technologies inside a United Nations human rights process, in response to a call for input from the Special Rapporteur on Climate Change. Its recommendations — impact assessments, community participation, worker protections and technology transfer — set out the conditions the NHRI says should accompany climate technology development. The documents do not indicate what the Special Rapporteur or other UN bodies will do with the submission.
Key facts
- The National Human Rights Institution (NHRI) recommended integrating human rights considerations at all stages of climate technology development. [ 1 , 2 ]
- It recommended human rights and environmental impact assessments throughout the entire technology lifecycle, from research and development through deployment. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The recommendations were set out in a report submitted to the UN Special Rapporteur on Climate Change on climate technologies and their implications for human rights. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The report was submitted in response to a call for input from the Special Rapporteur, and examined the UAE's experience in developing and deploying such technologies. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Other recommendations included participation of affected communities and their access to information, protection of workers' rights, technology transfer and equitable access, and partnerships among governments, the private sector, scientific institutions and national human rights institutions. [ 1 , 2 ]
- NHRI Chairperson Dr Salem Suhail Al Neyadi said technology can protect rights to life, health, water, food, housing, a sustainable environment and development, while some applications may affect human rights and the environment. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Dr Al Neyadi said a technology should not be considered safe or sustainable merely because it is described as “low-carbon”. [ 1 , 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The NHRI recommended integrating human rights in all stages of climate technology development and assessing impacts throughout the technology lifecycle. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The recommendations were contained in a report submitted to the UN Special Rapporteur on Climate Change in response to a call for input. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Dr Salem Suhail Al Neyadi is the Chairperson of the NHRI and made the statements attributed to him. [ 1 , 2 ]
Still unclear
- Which specific climate technologies the report examines. Neither document names the technologies covered, referring only to “climate technologies” in general.
- Whether the Special Rapporteur or any UN body has responded to or acted on the submission. The documents describe the submission only and give no outcome.
- The full contents of the report beyond the recommendations summarised. Both documents carry the same truncated text, ending mid-sentence, so further detail is not available.