Access to Climate Change Information Critical for Protecting Human Rights, UN Expert Says

UN Special Rapporteur Elisa Morgera emphasizes the need for transparent, timely, and inclusive information-sharing to safeguard human rights and support climate action.

Access to reliable and timely information on climate change and its human rights implications is essential for transparent decision-making and effective climate action, stated Elisa Morgera, the UN Special Rapporteur on climate change and human rights, in her first report to the General Assembly.

Morgera highlighted the importance of high-quality, accessible information for both States and rights-holders, which would help them understand the real and projected impacts of climate change and assess the human rights consequences of climate response measures. "Without access to such information, neither authorities nor individuals can make informed decisions to mitigate or adapt to climate change, or hold States and businesses accountable for human rights protection in the face of climate challenges," she noted.

She stressed that immediate dissemination of information is crucial, especially when human rights such as the right to life, health, or a healthy environment are at imminent risk due to climate-related events. States must also provide comprehensive data on climate change projections, disaster patterns, and risks at the intersection of climate change and biodiversity.

Morgera urged governments to publish detailed information about their climate mitigation and adaptation efforts, financing projects, and transition programs, while also disclosing subsidies to fossil fuels and high-emission activities. Businesses, she noted, must also accurately disclose their climate impacts and avoid misleading information or climate-washing, which undermines rights-holders ability to assess corporate accountability in the fight against climate change.

To promote transparency and inclusion, Morgera recommended States fund community-led, participatory research and create accessible digital platforms to share information on climate change and human rights, considering the intersectionality of vulnerable groups, including women and children.