UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development Calls for Accountability in Climate Action

Ahead of the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26), the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development, Mr. Saad Alfarargi, released Climate Action and the Right to Development: a Participatory Approach, in which Mr. Alfaragi encourages stakeholders to adopt a more community-oriented approach to climate mitigation and adaptation. Earlier this year, Accountability Counsel shared recommendations with Mr. Alfaragi highlighting that even well-intentioned projects can result in negative impacts to communities if they are not designed and implemented with robust community consultation and effective due diligence. When harm happens to communities, they must have effective channels for accountability.

We are pleased to see a strong call for accountability in Mr. Alfaragi’s brief. “It is only possible to give effect to the right to development if there are adequate accountability mechanisms and remedies in cases of human rights violations,” he states. “Available mechanisms should be reliable, prompt and guarantee remedy.” As COP 26 kicks off next week, we call on governments and all stakeholders to ensure that climate action is locally driven and that there are effective channels for feedback and redress for the communities most affected by the climate crisis.

Learn more about Accountability Counsel’s work to ensure accountability for climate finance here.