Who is responsible for combating climate change?

States have a responsibility to combat the harmful effects of climate change by taking all possible measures to prevent or reduce greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible. Rich nations should take the lead, both at the national level and in international cooperation, and all other nations should take all reasonable steps to reduce emissions as much as possible.

States should also take all necessary steps to help all people within their jurisdictions adapt to the foreseeable and unavoidable effects of climate change, thus minimizing the negative impact of climate change on their human rights. And this should be the case regardless of whether that particular state is responsible for these phenomena, as states have a duty to protect people from harm caused by a third party.

States must take action to combat the effects of climate change as quickly and humanely as possible. In their efforts to combat climate change, they must not resort to measures that directly or indirectly violate human rights. For example, conservation areas or renewable energy projects should not be established on indigenous peoples’ lands without their prior consultation and consent.

In adopting any measure, States must respect the right to information and participation of all persons affected by the measure, as well as their right to access effective remedies for human rights violations.

Businesses also have a responsibility to respect human rights. To meet their obligations, companies must assess the potential human rights impacts of their operations and take measures to prevent negative impacts. In doing so, they must make the results of their assessments and any measures to prevent abuses publicly available. Companies must also take steps to remedy human rights abuses that they have committed or contributed to, either by themselves or in collaboration with other companies. This responsibility extends to the human rights harm caused by climate change.

Corporations, and especially fossil fuel companies, must also take immediate steps to minimize greenhouse gas emissions – including conversion to renewable energy sources – and disclose relevant information about emissions and mitigation measures. Such measures should apply to all affiliates and subsidiaries and all participants in their supply chains.

Fossil fuel companies are among the largest contributors to climate change-they continue to do so today. Research shows that just 100 fuel producing companies have been responsible for 71% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions since 1988.